(EDR 623) Developmental Literacy for Adolescents
Syllabus of Record
Catalog Description: Course examines the developmental nature of literacy and its
integration and application into secondary school curricula. Focus is on the integration
among the variables: student prior knowledge, text, teaching methods, and strategies to
enhance comprehension and learning. This course is appropriate for middle school and
secondary teachers. Three credits.
Unit Mission, Philosophy, Values:
Our Mission:
“Teaching, Leading and Learning in a Democratic Society”
The College of Education prepares candidates who enhance the individual growth of their
students while working to establish policies and practices that promote the principles of
democratic education. The College articulates this mission as Teaching, Leading, and
Learning in a Democratic Society.
Philosophy:
Student Potential, Ethical Implications
Believing that schools function as social and political entities as well as for the growth of
individuals, the College of Education prepares teachers and leaders
a) to enhance the academic and personal potential of their students
b) to evaluate the social and ethical implications of educational policies and practices.
Values:
“Expertise, Equity, Liberal Education, Social Responsibility”
The College of Education values expertise to guide our practice, equity to guide our
interactions, liberal education to guide our perspectives, and social responsibility to guide
our commitment to democratic education. We value these ideals in our preparation of
candidates, our development of faculty, and our relationships with the larger community we
serve.
Unit and Program Standards:
Common Unit Standards: Michigan Department of Education (MDE), National Association
for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
The course conforms to specialty program standards set forth by the International Reading
Association.
Course Standards and Assessments:
The course conforms to unit-wide standards set forth by the National Board for Professional
Teaching Standards.
Common Assessments: Literacy Unit
 Program Performance Outcomes IRA 1.3 (knowledge of language development
and literacy acquisition), 1.4 (knowledge of major elements in literacy), 2.1
(grouping strategies), 2.2 (wide range of instructional practices), 2.3 (wide range
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of curricular materials), 3.1 wide range of assessment tools and practices), 3.2
(developmental issues), 3.3 using assessment information), 4.1 (students’
interests, abilities, and backgrounds as foundation for reading program),
4.2(wide range of texts), 4.3 (teacher modeling)
Course Performance Outcome: NBPTS 2a (appreciate knowledge structures), 2b
(multiple paths to knowledge), 2c (multiple paths to knowledge)
Course Performance Assessment: Literacy Unit Assignment (addresses
scaffolding, knowledge structures, assessment, accessing prior knowledge,
conversation structures for authentic classroom conversations, developmental
issues)
Major Topics:
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Thematic units
Literature Circles
Literacy research and theory
Text evaluation
Readability
Student engagement
Schema
Course Knowledge Base:
Anderson-Inman, L. & Horney, M. (1997). Electronic books for secondary students.
Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 40, 6, 486-491.
Armbruster, V., Anderson, T. H., Meyer, J. (1991). Improving content area reading
using instructional graphics. Reading Research Quarterly, 26, 4, 393-416.
Barton, J. (1995). Conducting effective classroom discussions. Journal of Reading,
38, 346-350.
Beck, I. L., McKeown, M. G., Hamilton, R. L., & Kucan, L. (1997). Questioning the
author: An approach for enhancing student engagement with text. Newark,
DE: International Reading Association.
Burke, J. (2000). Caught in the web: Reading the internet. Voices from the Middle, 7,
(3), 15-20.
Cummins, J. (1994). The acquisition of English as a second language. In K. SpangenbergUrbschat & R. Prichard (Eds). Kids come in all languages: Reading instruction for
ESL students (pp. 36-62). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Gambrell, L. B. (1996). What research reveals about discussion. In L.B. Gambrell & J. F.
Almasi (Eds.). Lively discussions! Fostering engaged reading (pp. 25-38). Newark,
DE: International Reading Association.
Greenlee-Moore, M. E. & Smith, L. L. (1996). Interactive computer software: The effects
on young children’s reading achievement. Reading Psychology, 17, 43-64.
King, C. M., & Mattox, S. R. (2007). Learning Through Inquiry: Weaving Science with
Thinking and Literature. Norwood, MA: Christoper-Gordon.
King, C. M. & Sudol, P. (1998). Fusing science with literature: Strategies and lessons for
successful classrooms. Toronto: Pippin.
Leu, D. J. Jr. & Leu, D. D. (1997). Teaching with the Internet: Lessons from the
classroom. Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon.
Mike, D. G. (1996). Internet in the schools: A literacy perspective. Journal of Adolescent
and Adult Literacy, 40, 4-13.
Raphael, T. E. (1986). Teaching question-answer relationships. Reading Teacher, 39, 516520.
Stahl, S., Jacobson, M., Davis, C., & Davis, R. (1989). Prior knowledge and difficult
vocabulary in the comprehension of unfamiliar text. Reading Research Quarterly,
24, 1, 27-43.
Wood, K. D., Lapp, D., & Flood, J. (1992). Guiding readers through text: A review of study
guides. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Worthy, J. (2000). Conducting research on topics of student interest. The Reading
Teacher, 54 (3), 298-299.