San Diego State University
TE 930: Teaching Reading and Language Arts in Elementary Schools
(Special Education Cohort)
Course Information:
Fall Semester 2013
Tuesdays 7:00-9:50
Three Units
Room: EBA 247
Instructor Information:
Dr. Virginia Loh-Hagan
Email: virginialoh@cs.com
Office Hours: By Appt. Only
Course Instructor:
Dr. Virginia Loh-Hagan is a Research Fellow for the University of Pittsburgh's Institute for
Learning where she is the Lead for online learning, develops CCSS-aligned curriculum units,
provides professional development to school districts, and researches best practices in education.
Prior to joining IFL, she was a K-8 teacher, community college reading instructor, and program
chair for an online university. She teaches graduate classes in the teacher education programs at
the University of Pittsburgh, San Diego State University, and University of San Diego. She has a
wide range of experience in the public school, e-Learning, and higher education/teacher
preparation settings. She has a B.A. in English and a Masters in Elementary Education (K-8) and
Special Education, specializing in Learning Disabilities (K-12), from the University of Virginia. Upon
graduation, she received the "Outstanding Woman Scholar in Education" award. She earned her
Doctorate in Education with an emphasis in Literacy from SDSU-USD in May 2008; her
dissertation—for which she received a ChLA Beiter Graduate Student Research Grant award from
the Children’s Literature Association and for which she has published peer-reviewed articles and
conducted presentations—was a qualitative study on the cultural authenticity of Asian-American
children's literature. She is also a multi-published author; she has a mid-grade chapter book with
Candlewick Press, a historical fiction picture book with Sleeping Bear Press, and several academic
publications about children and young adult literature with Guilford Press, Pearson Education, and
various professional journals. She presents/keynotes at professional conferences, consults, and
conducts author visits at schools. She has served on the Literature List Update Committee for the
California Department of Education and is serving on various book award committees (NAPPA,
Eureka, APALA). She is the Cover Editor for The California Reader, the peer-reviewed journal for
the California Reading Association. She is also an alumna of the San Diego Area Writing Project.
She is actively involved with the community serving on several local boards and has a mayoralappointed position as a Library Board of Trustee member. She currently lives in North County San
Diego with her low-maintenance husband and high-maintenance dog. Learn more about her at:
www.virginialoh.com
Course Description:
This section of TE 930 is designed specifically for the Special Education cohort. This course is
designed to develop understandings of the processes involved in literacy interactions by
introducing theories, issues and methodologies related to monolingual and multilingual language
acquisition. Through experiences with reading and discussion of literacy theory and practice,
review of literacy materials, websites and other media, students will be able to make informed
decisions about teaching reading, writing and related language arts.
Areas of emphasis will include comprehension, the relationship between reading and writing,
emergent literacy, phonemic awareness, phonics, using assessment for instruction, surveying
TE 930_Fall 2014
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children’s literature, fluency, developing academic language skills and creating effective literacy
instruction for all students, especially culturally and linguistically diverse learners. Teaching
linguistically diverse learners will be addressed during each class session, regardless of topic and
will be addressed within the context of the Common Core State Standards.
This course meets the guidelines under California legislation SB2042 (CLAD equivalent credential)
through lectures, discussions, demonstrations, group interactions and assignments. It specifically
addresses several Teaching Performance Expectations including TPE 1A, TPE 4, TPE 7, TPE 9
and TPE 13.
Please note: This course is a hybrid course and will require you to use Blackboard and other
webtools on a regular basis.
Course Objectives:
1) To prepare students for teaching reading, writing and the related language arts through and
understanding of literacy and language development. (TPE 1A)
2) To guide students toward an understanding of effective instructional strategies that meet the
needs of linguistically and culturally diverse students. (TPE 7)
TPE 1A: Candidates…know how to strategically plan and schedule instruction to ensure students meet or exceed the
standards…They understand how to make language comprehensible to students…Candidates teach students how to use
visual structures such as graphic organizers or outlines to comprehend or produce text…
TPE 7: Candidates…implement an instructional program that facilitates English language development…Based on
appropriate assessment information, candidates select instructional materials and strategies …to develop students’ abilities to
comprehend and produce English.
3) To develop students’ familiarity with children’s literature as relevant to the student’s teaching
assignment.
TPE 1A: Candidates…understand how to use instructional materials that include a range of textural, functional and
recreational texts and how to teach high quality literature and expository text.
4) To effectively administer and interpret curriculum based assessment measures.
TPE 3: Candidates for a Teaching Credential understand and use a variety of informal and formal as well as formative and
summative assessments to determine students’ progress and plan instruction…They use multiple measures, including
information from families, to assess student knowledge, skills and behaviors. They know when and how to use specialized
assessments based on students’ needs.
5) To engage the learner in making critical decisions about content, structure, and assessment in
language arts classrooms.
TPE 1A: Candidates…know how to strategically plan and schedule instruction to ensure students meet or exceed the
standards. Candidates…understand how to use instructional materials that include a range of textural, functional and
recreational texts and how to teach high quality literature and expository text…They understand that the advanced skills of
comprehending narrative and informational texts and literary response and analysis, and the creation of eloquent prose, all
depend on a foundation of solid vocabulary, decoding and word recognition skills.
TPE 4: Candidates… use instructional materials to reinforce state-adopted content standards for students and they prioritize
and sequence essential skills and strategies in a logical, coherent manner relative to students’ level and achievement. They
vary instructional strategies according to purpose and lesson content.
TPE 9: Candidates for a Teaching Credential plan instruction that is comprehensive in relation to the subject matter to be
taught and in accordance with state-adopted academic content standards for students.
TPE 13: Candidates for a Teaching Credential evaluate their own teaching practices and subject matter knowledge in light of
information about the state-adopted academic content standards for students and learning.
6) To increase student’s ability to assess readers’ and writers’ strengths and weaknesses and
then facilitate literacy growth through informed instructional decisions.
TPE 1A: Candidates…know how to determine the skill level of students through the use of meaningful indicators of reading
and language arts proficiency prior to instruction, how to determine whether students are making adequate progress on skills
and concepts taught directly and how to determine the effectiveness of instruction and students’ proficiency after instruction.
TPE 3: Candidates for a Teaching Credential understand and use a variety of informal and formal as well as formative and
summative assessments to determine students’ progress and plan instruction…They use multiple measures, including
information from families, to assess student knowledge, skills and behaviors. They know when and how to use specialized
assessments based on students effective lesson planning.
7) To design and plan effective integrated literacy lessons that demonstrate the ability to address
the needs of culturally and linguistically different learners.
TPE 1A: Candidates…know how to strategically plan and schedule instruction to ensure students meet or exceed the
standards…They understand how to make language comprehensible to students.
TE 930_Fall 2014
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8)To offer students the opportunity to explore a variety of instructional strategies and determine
their useful application in differentiated instruction.
TPE 1A: Candidates teach students how to use visual structures such as graphic organizers or outlines to comprehend or
produce text.
TPE 4: Candidates… use instructional materials to reinforce state-adopted content standards for students and they prioritize
and sequence essential skills and strategies in a logical, coherent manner relative to students’ level and achievement. They
vary instructional strategies according to purpose and lesson content.
9) To find ways to integrate theory into practice. (TPE 1A)
10) To apply the newly adopted Common Core State Standards and demonstrate the ability to
create and teach lessons based on those standards, as well as plan differentiated instruction for
English learners using them as a guide to instruction.
Statement on Cheating and Plagiarism:
Cheating is the actual or attempted practice of fraudulent or deceptive acts for the purpose of
improving one’s grade or obtaining course credit; such acts also include assisting another student
to do so. Typically, such acts occur in relation to examinations. However, it is the intent of this
definition that the term ‘cheating’ not be limited to examination situations only, but that it include
any and all actions by a student that are intended to gain an unearned academic advantage by
fraudulent or deceptive means. Plagiarism is a specific form of cheating which consists of the
misuse of the published and/or unpublished works of others by misrepresenting the material (i.e.,
their intellectual property) so used as one’s own work. Penalties for cheating and plagiarism range
from a 0 or F on a particular assignment, through an F for the course, to expulsion from the
University. For more information on the University’s policy regarding cheating and plagiarism, refer
to the Schedule of Courses (‘Legal Notices on Cheating and Plagiarism’) or the University Catalog
(‘Policies and Regulations’).
Students with Disabilities:
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the University is committed to
providing reasonable academic accommodation to students with disabilities. The Student Disability
Services Office provides university academic support services and specialized assistance to
students with disabilities. Individuals with physical, perceptual, or learning disabilities as addressed
by the Americans with Disabilities Act should contact Student Disability Services for information
regarding accommodations. Please notify your instructor so that reasonable efforts can be made to
accommodate you. If you expect accommodation through the Act, contact the Student Disability
Services Office (http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/dss/dss_home.html) at (619) 594-6473.
Religious Observances:
In accordance with University Policy on Absence for Religious Observances: By the end of the
second week of classes, students should notify the instructors of affected courses of planned
absences for religious observances. Instructors shall reasonably accommodate students who notify
them in advance of planned absences for religious observances. Please notify the instructor in a
timely manner and a reasonable accommodation will be reached.
Course Texts:
(1) Common Core State Standards website: http://www.corestandards.org/
(2) Common Core State Standards-English Language Arts: http://www.corestandards.org/wpcontent/uploads/ELA_Standards.pdf
(3) Reading Rockets Reading Modules:
http://www.readingrockets.org/teachers/firstyear/fyt_program/modules
(4) Additional articles will be provided by the professor on Blackboard. Blackboard is an
important tool for success in this course.
(5) OPTIONAL: Moss, B. & Loh, V. (2012) 35 strategies for guiding readers through
informational texts. NJ: Guilford Press
TE 930_Fall 2014
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Expectations About Readings:
All assigned readings should be read PRIOR to the scheduled dates of class coverage (unless otherwise
indicated) in order to provide background information vital to informed discussions. It is expected that
information from assigned readings will be integrated into course assignments; as such, cite readings.
Expectations About Attendance and Participation:
Attendance and participation in all scheduled classes is required. If an emergency should arise, it
is the responsibility of the student to contact the instructor in a timely manner. In such cases,
students are responsible for making up their work and obtaining class notes, etc. Students who
miss class/classes, have excessive tardies/early departures, and/or do not participate fully during
class risk not passing this course. Points will be deducted from a student’s final grade for excessive
tardies, excessive early departures, unexcused/multiple absences, and/or lack of participation in
class activities and assignments. Your grade will be lowered for every missed class. (See
Professionalism for more information). It is very important that you make every effort to attend
each and every class, on time and prepared (Presence is more than just being present). You are
expected to participate in a thoughtful manner in all in-class activities and assignments. To earn full
credit for this course, you are expected to be prepared each day having carefully completed all
readings and commitments, including written assignments and various commitments to each other
for group tasks. Early in the semester, exchange phone numbers and email addresses with several
classmates so you can get notes and assignments if you must miss a class. It is not the
professor’s responsibility to review missed material.
General Expectations:
 The professor is not in the business of negotiating grades. If students are unhappy with
their scores, they may choose to re-do the assignment, following the given feedback. (A redo does not mean an automatic grade increase; a re-do is not simply changing around a
couple of words.) These assignments must be re-done and re-submitted with the original
assignment one week after they were returned. The point values of the original paper and
the revision will be averaged for a final grade on the assignment. (Please note: I value
good writing and have high expectations. Students will be required to redo work I consider
to be inferior if you want a grade. My time is valuable as well.)
 It is very important that students keep up with the assignments. Late assignments will be
lowered one grade for each day they are late. If students fail to meet their obligations to a
group, they will not have an opportunity to make this up. For the most part, assignments
cannot be made up.
 The SDSU plagiarism policy will be strictly enforced. Copying text from a website
constitutes plagiarism. If students do this, they will receive an F on the assignment in
addition to other measures as deemed appropriate by SDSU.
 Students must conduct themselves professionally at all times. Cell phones should be
turned off during class. Students should not be texting, internet-searching, reading,
prepping, having side conversations, passing notes, sleeping, etc. (This is rude.) Students
will also write professional emails with proper titles, deference, etc.
Responsible use of
technology!!!
 The syllabus/schedule is subject to change as needed.
 Students are expected to complete ALL assignments if you would like to earn a passing
grade of B-. (As a general policy, I do not give Incomplete grades.)
 Dispositions and attitudes go a long way. Be mindful of your reputation as a student.
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Grading Policy:
All assignments/deliverables:
1. Must be typed in 12-point font;
2. Must be error-free in regard to conventions and spelling;
3. Must include evidence of having read assigned texts;
4. Must be turned in on the established due date.
The purpose of the assignments is to develop and demonstrate competencies expected of a
teacher/researcher. Please note: Lower than a B- means the course will not count in the credential
program and will need to be repeated.
You must complete ALL assignments on time and attend ALL classes in order to earn the
opportunity for an A/A+/A-. You must complete ALL assignments in order to receive a
passing grade.
Grade
A







B




C





D and F





Criteria
Earns 90-100 points for course assignments and completes C/NC
tasks.
Completes all class assignments in their entirety.
Actively participates in class discussions and assignments (onsite and
online).
Reads all required readings and is prepared to discuss.
Demonstrates strong evidence of having read texts and is responsive to
colleagues.
Attends ALL online and onsite classes on time. No tardies or leaving
class early.
Is respectful when colleagues (including professor) is talking and/or
presenting.
Earns 80-100 points for course assignments and completes C/NC
tasks.
Participates in class discussions and assignments.
Reads all required readings and is prepared to discuss.
Is respectful when colleagues (including professor) is talking and/or
presenting.
Earns 70-79 points for course assignments.
Minimally participates in class discussions and assignments.
Sometimes reads required readings and is not fully prepared to
discuss.
Misses more than one class and/or has excessive tardies.
Is respectful when colleagues (including professor) is talking and/or
presenting.
Earns 1-69 points for course assignments.
Does not participate.
Does not read and is not prepared.
Misses two or more classes and/or has excessive tardies.
Is disrespectful when colleagues (including professor) is talking and/or
presenting.
TE 930_Fall 2014
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Course Requirements:
Professionalism & Participation
Final Exam or Perfect Attendance
Reading Rockets Program
Blackboard/Online Modules
Best Practice Demonstration
Balanced Literacy Lesson Plan
Case Study
Text Modification
Lesson Plan Critique and Modification
10
5
10
15
10
15
15
10
10
TOTAL 100
Course Assignments:
All assignments are due on the dates given, especially when you are held accountable to a
group. A late submission will be docked points. For your final assignments, if you want your work
back, then you must provide a SASE; I will keep it until January 1, 2014 before recycling. Please
note that ‘A’ grades mean outstanding work. If you ever have questions about the
assessment/grade of a particular assignment, please see me.

Professionalism and Participation. The professionalism grade will be based upon onsite
and online class attendance, participation, preparation, and completion of in-class and
credit/noncredit assignments; this grade will also reflect your attitudes and dispositions.
Active attendance/participation is required. Frequent tardiness and absences will not be
tolerated. Please inform professor of extenuating circumstances BEFORE missing class
(Professor reserves the right to define excused absences.) It is the student’s responsibility
to make sure that your presence is accounted for. Failure to do so is in indication of
absence. Students must also adhere to professional standards of behavior in class, in
email and face-to-face communications, etc. It is imperative that students maintain an
open-mind and a positive attitude. Respectful, honest dialogues and questions are
expected. ALL students are expected to have done the reading so you are responsible for
going deeper into the content. Each missed class will lower your final grade.
o Reading in your profession for an hour a day for seven years will make you an
expert on the subject. To that end, I encourage you to tweet regularly on #VLH2014
any thing that you have learned that will improve your teaching practice.

Final Exam: Students will be given an exam addressing any of the topics covered over the
course of the semester. Students may use their notes, but not their neighbors. [If you have
completed all the assignments and have perfect attendance and perfect participation, then
you will automatically receive full credit for this assignment and will not need to take the
final exam.]

Reading Rockets Program. Students will complete all ten modules in the Reading
Rockets program: http://www.readingrockets.org/teachers/firstyear/fyt_program/modules.
Students will take the pre- and post-tests, read the texts, watch the videos, and complete
the assignments. Students will submit the following:
o Assignments from each module.
o Reflection paper (2-3 pages) summarizing what you learned from the modules and
how you will apply your learning to your future teaching.
TE 930_Fall 2014
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
Blackboard/Online Modules. (Learning Notebook) For each week, students will be
required to read/watch all the texts in the assigned modules. Then, students will respond to
each module in a meaningful and substantial manner. (See Professionalism.) Students will
write 4 new things they learned, 3 things that confirmed or supported what they already
knew, 2 questions, and 1 way they will apply your learning to your future teaching.
Students are encouraged to respond to each other but this is not required unless otherwise
stated. I will be reading your comments to guide instruction for our next class session. (15
points for outstanding work, 10 points for having met the minimum requirements, 5 points
for doing some but not all discussion boards.)

Best Practice Demonstration. Following the practice developed by the National Writing
Project which posits that teachers teaching teachers is a powerful and effective professional
development strategy, students will prepare a demonstration of a research-based best
practice (with a focus on literacy and CCSS). The best practice must focus on one of the
following language functions: analyze, argue, categorize, compare/contrast, describe,
explain, interpret, predict, question, retell, and/or summarize. The best practice must
support students with comprehending a complex informational text. Students will submit
the following:
o Complex Informational Text – you can choose any text as long as it is relevant to K12 classroom.
o Text Complexity Analysis of complex informational text
o Handout of best practice – your handout must include the research base and
instructions for application and an explanation of how the best practice supports
students’ development of the selected language function. Design the handout so
that your colleagues will be able to replicate the strategy. The rationale is for us all
to walk away from this class with a notebook of strategies.
o Visual of artifact – you will create a student-friendly model of the product.
o 2-3 minute presentation – you will present your best practice to the class.
o Submit deliverables to Blackboard.

Balanced Literacy Lesson Plan. (Students may choose to work with a partner or
individually.) Students will design a CCSS-aligned, text-based balanced literacy lesson.
The unit must be designed around a central focus which helps students to develop an
essential strategy for comprehending or composing texts. The lesson must consider the
appropriate grade level standards, grouping, and ways to differentiate or personalize
instruction. Students may use a lesson plan template of their choice; however, this lesson
plan/unit must not be “canned.” (You may borrow but you may not steal.) The lesson plan
must include the following:
o Text Complexity Analysis for Read-Aloud text
o Read-Aloud: QtA Script
o Guided Reading Lesson
o Independent Reading Activities
o Formative assessments
o Summative Assessment Task that has students summarizing their learning from the
whole lesson
o Commentary -Describe options for differentiation, accommodation, personalization,
etc.
o Reflection – How would you support your case study student for successfully
completion this lesson plan?
TE 930_Fall 2014
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
Case Study - Assessments: Students will conduct a case study of a struggling reader
(preferably with an IEP). This case study will include the following parts:
o Student Profile: Describe the student. What does he/she look like? What do you
know about the student’s learning abilities, attitude/disposition, socio-emotional
status, family background, etc.?
o Assessments:
o First, you must administer at least 3 running records.
o Second, you must administer four of the following assessments - the Garfield
Attitude Survey, a Word List, a running record, a retelling, Words Their Way
Spelling Inventory, Letter Identification Test, Concepts About Print, Word
Test, Writing Vocabulary (timed word writing), Hearing and Recording
Sounds in Words, Yopp Singer Test of Phonemic Awareness, The Basic
Phonics Skills Test, the NAMES Test, San Diego Quick Word List,
Cloze/Maze Passage. (Include samples of these assessments.)
o Assessment Commentary: Explain why you chose the assessments you did and
explain the results for each assessment. Reflect on the child’s performance on
these assessments and identify target areas of instruction.

Text Modification: Choose a content area textbook and modify it for a special education
student. Submit a copy of the original text, your modifications, and a reflection on how the
modifications will support your student.

Lesson Plan Critique and Modification: (Students may choose to work with a partner or
individually.) Choose a lesson plan (found on the internet, etc.) and critique it from the
perspective of a special education teacher: Does the lesson plan provide “reasonable
accommodations”? How so? How would you modify the lesson to accommodate your
special education students? Submit original lesson plan, your commentary, and
modification of lesson.
RUBRIC FOR PRESENTATIONS
Criteria
Time
Delivery
Employment of
Technology and
Best Practices
Important versus
Interesting
Task Alignment
Description
Did the presenter(s) stay within the time limit?
Did the presenter(s) use time wisely?
Did the presenter(s) show evidence of practicing for time?
Were the presenter(s) engaging?
Did the presenter(s) appear to be competent in his/her/their
knowledge?
Did the presenter(s) have props, visuals, etc. that enhanced the
presentation?
Did the presenter(s) use a form or forms of technology/media?
Did the presenter(s) employ best practices and/or strategies?
Did the presenter(s) focus on the important information?
Did the presenter(s) focus more on class discussion/engagement rather
than summary?
Did the presenter(s) complete the task in its entirety?
Did the presenter(s) follow the instructions?
Did the presenter(s) include an international/global/multicultural
component or connection?
TE 930_Fall 2014
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Part of being a good presenter is being a good audience member. You will be docked points on
your presentation for being rude (i.e. passing notes, sleeping, reading, working, having irrelevant
side conversations, not participating, etc.)
Course Schedule – see next page
TE 930_Fall 2014
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Session/Due
Guiding Questions and Activities
Dates
1. Aug 26
What does it mean to be a community of learners?
 Introductions
 Syllabus
 Brainwriting – Discussion Boards
2. Sept 2
What is literacy? What does it mean to be literate in the 21st
century?
 Quick Write
 Lecture: What is Literacy?
 Anticipation Guide Activity: Literacy
What do the CCSS mean for the ELA classroom? For special
education students?
 Discussion: What are the CCSS? What are the key
instructional shifts for ELA? What are advantages and
disadvantages of the CCSS? What are some problems of
practice presented by the CCSS? What do the CCSS mean
for students with disabilities?
ASSIGNMENTS
DUE
-Module 1:
Literacy
-Module 2:
CCSS
-Post Introduction
to Blackboard
-Discussion
Boards 1-2
What does CCSS-aligned teaching look like?
 Video
 Small group activity: Grade 5 Informational Text and Writing
Standards
3. Sept 9
What do “reasonable accommodations” mean?
 Discussion
 Chart of terms
What is text complexity and how is it measured?
 Discussion: What does text complexity mean for classroom
teachers? What are the problems of practice? Why does text
complexity matter?
 Demonstration
-Module 3: Texts
How can we scaffold complex texts for SPED students?
 Lecture: Mentor Texts, QtA, Modifications
 Best Practice Demonstration: “Where I’m From”
4. Sept 16
What texts are used in the ELA-SPED classroom?
 Discussion: What do we use? What should we use? What
does it mean when texts are inconsiderate and what can we
do about it? What are the politics of text selection?
 Lecture: Text Structures and Text Features
What are your political and social ideologies and how do they
affect your teaching of reading?
 “Where I’m From” – sharing and discussion
What does it mean to teach print awareness and sounds of
speech to special education students?
 Discussion
 Activity
-Module 4: Print
Awareness and
Sounds of
Speech
-“Where I’m
From” paper
TE 930_Fall 2014
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What are language functions?
 Lecture
 Small group activity
5. Sept 23
6: Sept 30
-Module 5:
Phonemic
Awareness and
Phonics
-Demonstration of lesson plan critique
7. Oct 7
7: Oct 14
What are some research-based best practices for teaching
informational texts?
 Presentations
-Textbook
Modification Due
-Module 6:
Fluency and
Word Recognition
-Module 7:
Vocabulary and
Academic
Vocabulary
-Module 8: Word
Study and
Spelling
-Best Practice
Due
-Module 9:
Comprehension
8. Oct 21
9: Oct 28
-Module 10:
Writing
-Lesson Plan
Critique and
Modifications Due
10: Nov 4
ONLINE
CLASS
Nov 11
11. Nov 18
-Module 11:
Assessments
NO CLASS – VETERANS DAY
-Module 12:
Balanced Literacy
-Case Study Due
-Reading Rockets
Program Due
-Module 13: RICA
12: Nov 25
ONLINE
CLASS
13: Dec 2
WORKSHOP – Lesson Plan
-Module 14:
TE 930_Fall 2014
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Critical issues in
Special
Education
-BL lesson plan
Draft due
14: Dec 9
15. Dec 16
**Final Exam or Perfect Attendance
-BL Lesson Plan
Final Due
What does it take to be an effective special education literacy
teacher?
 Panel of teachers
TE 930_Fall 2014
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