SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY
College of Education
ED201: INTRODUCTION TO LITERACY COURSE SYLLABUS
Instructor:
Offices:
Office Hours:
Phone:
Email:
Class:
Margaret A. Gallego, PhD.
217A/School of Teacher Education/EBA
By appointment
(619) 594-2707
mgallego@mail.sdsu.edu
M – 4:00 – 5:30 NE 73
Course Overview
What does it mean to be literate? How do children learn to read, write, speak, and listen? The
focus of this class is on the basic processes of literacy and instructional strategies that support reading
acquisition. All aspects of literacy will be addressed (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) with
particular emphasis on emergent and beginning readers. Students will plan, develop, and experiment with
instructional approaches in both the university classroom and public school setting. Concurrently,
students will complete the field-based requirement of 30 hours (approximately 4 hours weekly) tutoring in
K-3 classrooms at Rosa Parks Elementary School. The purposes of this course are to provide:
 a knowledge base that will lead to competency in designing literacy instructional practices for a
diverse elementary population; and
 experiences that lead to competence in the ongoing assessment and successful instruction of children’s
literacy development.
Competencies
Students completing this course will be able to:
 demonstrate how to foster literacy acquisition for first and second language learners through reading,
writing, speaking, and listening processes;
 explain the cueing systems utilized by readers to make meaning;
 discuss the developmental stages of reading;
 organize learning environments that support literacy acquisition;
 develop and deliver phonemic awareness, phonics, and word study activities as part of a balanced
approach to literacy;
 incorporate quality children’s literature into meaningful learning activities;
 construct and conduct instruction that supports emergent and beginning readers, including read-alouds
and shared reading lessons;
 select, deliver, and interpret several types of informal assessments; and
 design lessons based on those assessments.
Resource/Website: www.readingrockets.org
This is a public website that offers a wealth of articles, lesson plans, and suggestions for instruction. We
will NOT have a textbook for the course; but I may provide you with additional Internet resources and/or
e-mail additional articles as necessary.
READINGS
All assigned readings should be read prior to the scheduled dates for class providing the background
information vital for informed in-class discussion.
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ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION
Attendance is mandatory. Tardiness will result in point deductions from the student’s attendance and
participation grade.
GRADING POLICY
All assignments:
 Should be typed;
 Should use precise terminology;
 Should reflect appropriate language;
 Require correct grammar and spelling; and
 Should be turned in on the established due date (late assignments will be marked down).
Professional Quality: Work is presented in a form that will be acceptable to show a parent or colleague
in a professional meeting. Time and attention appears to have been given this activity (carefully prepared
versus being “thrown together”).
Completed on Time: Assignments are due on the assigned day. Problems with the policy should be
discussed and negotiated well in advance. Late assignments will be accepted only if such arrangements
are possible and are made before the due date; otherwise and the equivalent of a letter grade will be
deducted for each day it is late.
A Word about Student Privacy
The students you will be working with are guaranteed the same right to privacy that all of us enjoy. For
that reason, it is essential that identifying information (last names, social security numbers or student
numbers, etc.) must be omitted from any document. If the document is being reproduced, the identifying
information must be blacked out before turning in any assignment.
GRADING SCALE
90% or above
80% - 89%
70% - 79%
60% - 69%
59% or lower
A (100-96% = A; 95-90% = A-)
B (89-87% = B+; 86-84% = B; 83-80% = B-)
C (same pattern repeated as for B)
D
F
Assignment Expectations: Because some of you are tutoring for varied hours at school sites; as such
some of you will have more/less opportunities for interaction with students directly, therefore mind I have
provided a “sliding scale” of assignments.
REQUIRED FOR EVERYONE: (total 50 %)
Class attendance and participation (10 pts.)
Your presence is essential to the quality of the class. Lively discussion, interesting questions, and
respectful disagreement are all part of a meaningful learning experience. In other words, when you’re not
here, we all miss what you can contribute to our community of learners. There are 4 seminars designed to
assist your interactions at the school site are incorporated into the ED 201class time; attendance to these
seminars are expected.
Responding to Reflective Questions (25 pts.)
Throughout the course, you will write responses to prompts related to our areas of study. These will not
be graded, per se; they are intended to give you an opportunity to reflect on your readings and classroom
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experiences. There is an expectation of a level of work expected of university students and should be
about 200 words in length. Late assignments will not be accepted. A prompt is featured each week in the
course schedule (below far right column).
Picture Book Tea Party (15 pts.)
Picture books are an essential component of a literacy instruction in the classroom. Choose five picture
books (narrative and expository) that you believe are excellent examples of the symbiotic relationship
between text and illustration. Prepare an annotated bibliography (APA or MLA) of your 5 books and
bring 5 copies to class (one for the instructor and 3 for your fellow group members). Be prepared to
share the virtues of the book with the class while we enjoy a tea party celebration.
Field Experience Log – (required of tutoring site). This log will be used to fill in hours and work
completed throughout the semester. A copy of the Field Experience Log is in the course reader. Your
classroom teacher will sign these logs to verify your time and work spent with students. An incomplete
log will result in a failing grade for the course.
CHOICES:(total 50%) Since others have more tutorial hours and therefore more opportunities to interact
with students, I have integrated some choices so that you are not put into a position that you can not
complete the requirements of the course.
Lesson Plans at least two (20 pts.) up to 5 (50 pts)
Select (at least) one lesson plan strategy to present in ED 201 class to your peers; the lessons can also be
used in your classroom with your student. Readingrockets.org  on left margin “Classroom strategies”
choose from among many strategies (scroll down to the grid of options): Print awareness; phonological
awareness; phonics; fluency; vocabulary; comprehension; writing.
Interview with Key Personnel (10 pt.) conduct interview with (a) particular child to identify areas of
need; special interests/talents and to build rapport between tutor and student and/or (b) teacher to
understand planning and professional aspects of teaching and/or (c) administrator to understand
demographics of school and overview of programs offered. Suggested questions will be provided.
Video/Podcasts (10 pt.) wwwreadingrockets.org home page on left margin; select one of many topics;
200 word reflections addressing the following prompts: Why is this important; What evidence do you see
of this in your (own) or student classroom? What questions do you have regarding the topic?
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Reading is very complex topic much more expansive than an introductory class can address; For
the purposes of this course/task (to serve as tutor in classrooms). We will necessarily focus on a few
topics and their application to classroom instruction.
All reading on the grid below can be found on website: wwwreadingrockets.com ABC’s of
Teaching Reading --> Reading 101
Each Topic selection has a short description a brief video example and the articles that are to be
read are indicated on the grid below (article/reading).
Date and Topic
9/9/13
Syllabus and introduction
Article/Reading
Syllabus
Assignments
ALL reading assignments are on
readingrockets.org UNLESS
otherwise indicated.
9/16/13 Reading 101:
Print Awareness: Description
And short video
9/23/13 READING 101:
Phonemic Awareness:
Description and video
9/30/13 #1 SEMINAR
(1) An Introduction …
(2) Guidelines for
instruction …
(1) Phonemic activities
for
Preschool/Elementary....
Prepare your lesson
plan for in-class
presentation
What is your most vivid memory of
learning to read and write? When did
you realize you could?
What is communication? How is it
different from speech or reading?
10/7/13 READING 101
Phonics:
Description and video
10/14/13 READING 101
Fluency
Description and video
10/21/13 #2 SEMINAR
(1) 5 Phive Phones of
Reading
10/ 28/13
Vocabulary
Description and video
11/04/13
Spelling:
Description and video
(1) Questions about
Fluency
Prepare your lesson
plan for in-class
presentation
(1) Introduction…
(2) Instruction
guidelines…
(1) How spelling
supports reading.
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What do you think will be the easiest
aspect of the tutoring experience; for
you to teach? The most challenging?
Why?
How can parents and families
become involved in teaching and
learning?
A parent asks you why his child
wants to hear the same story every
night. What do you tell him?
What types of books/writing do you
enjoy? Why do find these appealing?
A grandparent is eager to help her
child become a better reader. What’s
your advice?
Do you think spelling is important?
How does “spell check” influence
your spelling skills?
Prepare your lesson
plan for in-class
presentation
(1) Questions about
writing
Holiday
11/25/03 SEMINAR #3
Prepare your lesson
plan for in-class
presentation
12/02/13
Comprehension
Description and video
12/09/13 SEMINAR #4
(1) What works in
comprehension
instruction.
Prepare your lesson
plan for in-class
presentation
Visit a library (school or public) and
observe the children’s section. How
has it changed since you were a
child?
What are some strategies YOU use
when you don’t comprehend text?
12/16/13 All assignments
due/finals week session.
Picture book tea party
Prepare your lesson
plan for in-class
presentation
11/11/03 HOLIDAY
Veteran’s Day
11/18/13
Writing
Description and video
5
How can I develop speaking and
listening skills in students?
What do you think will be the easiest
aspect of the tutoring experience; for
you to teach? The most challenging?
Why?
Children’s book talk annotations due;
Bring 5 copies to class: Remaining
in-class lesson plan presentation