KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY
KUTZTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA
DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
EDU 513 Literacy Curriculum and Instruction: Adolescent to High School
I. Course Description: EDU 513 Literacy Curriculum and Instruction: Adolescent to
High School
This course will examine literacy instruction for students in grades nine through
twelve. Theories and research that support best practices for addressing the literacy
needs for this population will be a focus. Critical thinking, motivation, writing,
comprehension, and “new literacies” will be examined within the framework of a
balanced literacy model. Special focus will be centered on the role of a reading
specialist/literacy coach in supporting classroom teachers at the secondary level to
implement differentiation for content literacy.
3 S.H. , 3 C.H.
II. Course Rationale:
Critical literacy is important to making informed decisions as a citizen and digital
literacy is becoming essential as a skill for employment. A primary goal of reading
instruction in grades 9-12 is to teach students how to competently use literacy skills
and strategies to read and gain knowledge from complex informational texts that they
will encounter in college or the work force. It is essential that reading
specialists/literacy coaches support teachers and paraprofessionals in the use of a wide
range of research-based instructional practices and methods appropriate for developing
these critical literacy skills.
III. Objectives/ Student Learning Outcomes
As a result of study and activities in this course, graduate students will be expected to:
A. Demonstrate an understanding of the theories that support best practices in balanced
literacy at the high school level and their impact on literacy.
B. Demonstrate an understanding of use of appropriate and varied instructional approaches
for use with high school students who struggle with reading and writing.
C. Adapt resources and instructional practices in reading and writing based on appropriate
assessment data.
D. Adapt instructional materials and approaches to meet the needs of ELL and students who
struggle with learning to read and write at the high school level.
E. Support the classroom teacher in the selection and use a wide range of resources
including texts and online materials for differentiation.
F. Demonstrate an understanding of and identify cultural factors that impact literacy.
G. Recognize the need to create supportive literacy environments for all students.
H. Recognize the best practices in managing classroom structures and routines to support a
balanced literacy model.
I. Differentiate instruction for all students through the use of a variety of classroom
configurations (whole class, small group, individual).
J. Demonstrate an understanding of the influence of positive dispositions towards reading
on their own reading and writing, and their own professional development.
K. Demonstrate the effective use of technology to support new literacies.
L. Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of literacy advocacy at the local, state,
and federal levels.
IV. Assessment
Assessments based on a subset of the following: Instructional portfolio, exams, quizzes, reports,
projects, presentations, reaction papers, journal article reviews.
V. Course Outline:
I. Theory and Research
A. Adolescent literacy learners
1. Developmental characteristics
a. Social
(1.) Adapting learning environment
(2.) Accommodating individuals
b. Emotional
(1.) Adapting learning environment
(2.) Accommodating individuals
c. Physical
(1.) Adapting learning environment
(2.) Accommodating individuals
2. Levels of literacy competence
3. Culturally and linguistically diverse adolescent learners
B. Instructional theories
1. Motivation
2. Critical literacy
3. Reader Response
4. Literary analysis
II. Balanced literacy framework for high school
A. Read aloud
B. Shared reading
C. Guided reading
D. Independent reading
E. Collaborative writing
F. Guided writing
G. Independent writing
III. Instructional Essentials
A. Common Core Standards
B. Critical thinking
1. Design instruction that promotes in depth critique, driven by inference and
higher level cognitive skills
2. Justification of position/ driven by synthesizing, analyzing and evaluating
3. Gradual Release Model
4. Metacognition
C. Motivation
1. Use of technology as a resource and communication tool
2. Choice of books/ topics for writing
3. Importance of authentic discourse-verbal based learning
a. Small group discussion
b. Cooperative groups
4. Culturally responsive teaching
a. Implications of socioeconomic and sociocultural foundations on reading and
writing
b. Academic language development for second language learners
D. Writing
1. Visual images
2. Celebrations of self-expressions/power
3. Writing as a tool of analysis
4. Analysis within choice
5. Volume
6. Argumentation
7. Authentic audiences
8. Career purposes
E. Comprehension
1. Higher level thinking across complex texts
a. Conversation and discussion
b. Scanning and skimming
c. Inferences and synthesizing
d. Analyzing and evaluating
e. Using strategies for close reading
2. Vocabulary development
a. Tier 2 (general)
b. Tier 3 (technical)
3. Transfer of skills and strategies to online reading
a. Judgment-context and credibility
b. Skillful use of search engines
4. Text features and text structures
5. Visual literacy
F. Study skills
1. SQ3R as rereading tool Study plan
2. Use of notes
3. Effective use of teacher created study guide
G. Instructional Practices
1. Workshop approach for high school
a. Focus lessons
b. Conferencing
2. Alternative grouping structures
IV. Content reading and writing
A. Discipline specific strategies
B. Flip Model
C. Creating reading guides
D. Frontloading and pre-teaching
E. Writing in all content areas
V. Assessment
A. Informal Reading Inventories
1. Definitions
2. Strengths and Weaknesses
3. Examples
5. Uses of test data
a. Grouping for differentiated instruction
b. Determining functional reading levels
c. Determining reading expectations
d. Reporting results to parents
B. High stakes testing
VI.
Reading for self-efficacy
A. New literacies
B. Exploration of online resources appropriate to student interest
C. Importance of literature on current events/ social justice
VII. Literacy advocacy at the high school level
A. Building collegial relationships with content area high school faculty
B. Providing professional development opportunities
C. Keeping current on policies that affect reading and writing instruction
VI. Instructional Resources:
Albright, I. & Ariail, M. (2005). Tapping the potential of teacher read-alouds in middle schools.
Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 48(7), 582-591.
Allen, C., & Swistak, L. (2004). Mulitgenre research: the power of choice and interpretation.
Language Arts, 81, 223-232.
Atwell, N. (1998). In the middle writing, reading, and learning with adolescents. Boynton/Cook
Publishers, Inc.: Portsmouth, NH.
Bennett, S. (2007). That workshop book: New structures for classrooms that read, write, and think.
Heinemann: Portsmouth, NH.. LB 1576 .B455 2007
Blachowicz, C. & Fisher, P. (2001). Teaching vocabulary in all classrooms. Pearson: Boston.
Blachowicz, C., Fisher, P., Ogle, D. & Watts-Taffe, S. (2006). Vocabulary: questions from the
classroom. Reading Research Quarterly, 41, 524-539.
Buehl, D. (2009). Classroom strategies that work for interactive learning. International Reading
Association: Newark, DE.
Carlo, M. (2004). Closing the gap: addressing the vocabulary needs of English-language learners in
bilingual and mainstream classrooms. Reading Research Quarterly, 39, 188-215.
Carr, K. et al. (2001). Not just for primary grades: A bibliography of picture books for secondary
content teachers. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy,45, 146-153.
Coiro, J. (2005). Making sense of online text. Educational Leadership. 63(2), 30-35.
Common Core Standards for English Language Arts Pre K-12 available at
http://www.pdesas.org/Standard/CommonCore
Daniels, H. & Zemelman, S. (2004). Subjects matter: Every teacher’s guide to content-area reading.
Heinemann: Portsmouth, NH. LB 1050.455 .D36 2004
Darling-Hammond, L. & J. Bransford. (eds.). ( 2005) Preparing teachers for a changing world: What
teachers should learn and be able to do. Jossey-Bass Press: San Francisco: CA.
Fisher,D. & Frey, N. (2008). Improving adolescent literacy: Content area strategies at work. Pearson:
Upper Saddle River, NJ. 2008. LB 1632. F57
Frank, C., Grossi, J. & Stanfield, D. (2006). Applications of strategies within the classroom. Pearson:
Boston. 2006. LB 1050. 455 .F72
Grisham, D. & Wolsey, T. (2006). Re-centering the middle school classroom as a vibrant learning
community: students, literacy, and technology intersect. Journal of Adolescent and Adult
Literacy, 49, 648-660.
Hall, L. (2009). Struggling reader, struggling teacher: an examination of student-teacher transactions
with reading instruction and text in social studies. Research in the Teaching of English, 43,
286-309.
Hedrick, W., Harmon, J. & Wood, K. (2008). Prominent content vocabulary strategies and what
secondary pre-service teachers think about them. Reading Psychology, 29, 443 – 470.
Irvin, J., Buehl, D. & Klemp, R. (2007). Reading and the high school student: Strategies to enhance
literacy. Pearson: NY. LB 1632 .1784
Jacobs, H. (2006). Active literacy across the curriculum eye on education. Larchmont, NY. 2006
LB 1576 .J256
Lapp, D., Fisher, D, & Grant, M. (2008). You can read this - I’ll show you how: interactive
comprehension instruction. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 51, 372-383.
Manzo, U., Manzo, A. & Thomas, M. (2009). Content area literacy: A framework for reading-based
instruction. John Wiley and Sons: Hoboken, NJ.
McEwan, E. K. (2007). Raising reading achievement in middle and high schools: Five simple-to-follow
strategies. Corwin Press: Thousand Oaks, CA. LB 1632 .M35
McTeague, F. (1992). Shared reading in the middle and high school years. Pembroke Publishing:
Markham, Ontario. 1992. LB 1632 .M38 1992b
Moore, D., (2011). Developing readers and writers in the content areas K-12. Allyn & Bacon: Boston,
MA.
Nystrand, M. (2006). Research on the role of discussion as it affects reading comprehension. Research
in the Teaching of English, 40(4) 392-412.
Pennsylvania Common Core Standards for English Language Arts Grades 6-12
available at http://static.pdesas.org/content/documents/PA_CC_Standards_6-12_ELA.pdf
Rex, I. (2001). The remaking of a high school reader. Reading Research Quarterly. 36, 288-314.
Shanahan, T. & Shanahan, C. (2008). Teaching disciplinary literacy to adolescents: rethinking contentarea literacy. Harvard Educational Review. 78(1), 40-59.
Standards for Reading Professionals (2003r). International Reading Association: Newark, DE.
Strickland, D. (2002). Preparing our teachers: Opportunities for better reading instruction.
LB 2844 .I. R4 P74 2002
Tompkins, G.E.(2006). Literacy for the 21st century (4th ed.). Merrill/Prentice Hall: Upper Saddle
River, NJ.
Tovani, C. (2004). Do I really have to teach reading?: Content comprehension, grades 6-12.
Stenhouse: Portland, MA. 2004. LB 1050 .455 .T69
Tovani, C. (2000). I read it, but I don’t get it: Comprehension strategies for adolescent readers.
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Tovani, C. (2011). So what do they already know? Assessment that informs teaching and learning.
Stenhouse: Portland, MA..
Vacca, J.A., Vacca, M.K., Gove, L., Burkey, L., Lenhart, L. & McKeon, C. (2006). Reading and
learning to read (6th ed.). Allyn and Bacon: Boston, MA.
Vogt, M. & Shearer, B. (2003). Reading specialists in the real world. New York, NY: Pearson.
Washington, D.C.: J. Henry Press.
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Curriculum Development. Educational Leadership, 61(6).
Wilhelm, J. (2008). “You gotta be the book:”Teaching engaged and reflective reading with
adolescents. Teachers College Press: NY. LB 1632 .W54 1997
Wilhelm, J. (2001). Strategic reading: Guiding students to lifelong literacy 6-12. Portsmouth, NH:
Boynton/Cook Publishers. LB 1632 .W538 2001
Wineburg, S, Marttin, D. & Monte-Sano, C. (2011). Reading like a historian: Teaching reading in
middle and high school history classrooms. Teachers College Press: NY. 2011.
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Zwiers, J. (2010). Building reading comprehension habits in grades 6-12: A tool kit of classroom
activities. International Reading Association: Newark, DE.