COURSE SYLLABUS
B
ILINGUAL AND
L
ITERACY
S
TUDIES
D
EPARTMENT
C
OLLEGE OF
E
DUCATION AND
P-16 I
NTEGRATION
COURSE NAME: Read 3324.01 Reading Comprehension & Assessment
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Jaime Lopez
TERM: Fall 2015
MEETING TIMES: Every Monday and Wednesday from 1:40 – 2:55 in Rm EIDM 1
OFFICE: MAIN 1.501
EMAIL: jaime,lopez02@utrgv.edu
OFFICE HOURS: Mondays and Wednesdays 2:55 – 4:40 / Thursdays 3:10 – 4:40
Textbook and/or Resource Material
Vacca, J. L., Vacca, R. T., Gove, M. K., Burkey, L., Lenhart, L. A., & McKeon, C. (2012). Reading and learning to read
(9th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Course Description and Prerequisites
This course examines theories, issues and culturally relevant instructional practices and assessments related to how children actively construct meaning from fiction and nonfiction print and digital takes across all content areas.
Participant explore reading comprehension, including assessment, fluency, vocabulary instruction, digital literacy's, building and assessing background knowledge, genre organization, and critical analysis of multimodal text.
Learning Objectives/Outcomes for the Course
Student Learning Outcomes
1.
Teacher candidates will plan and prepare instruction demonstrating knowledge of content and pedagogy, knowledge of student diversity, and ability to select appropriate instructional goals in inclusive learning environments.
2.
Teacher candidates will deliver instruction demonstrating ability to communicate clearly and accurately, to use questioning and discussion techniques, and to engage and motivate diverse students to learn.
3.
Teacher candidates will foster a positive classroom environment by creating a climate of respect and rapport, establishing a culture for learning, and managing classrooms.
4.
Teacher candidates will know, understand and use formal and informal assessments to plan, evaluate and strengthen instruction that will promote academic achievement of diverse students.
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COURSE SYLLABUS
MAJOR REQUIREMENTS, DEMONSTRATION OF MASTERY AND EVALUATION
Assignments and Assessments
G
RADING
P
OLICIES AND
A
SSIGNMENTS
Participation/Attendance: 10%
 Class Discussion; On-line Blackboard Discussion (Projects); In-Class Cooperative Activities and
Homework.
 Daily assignments/Discussions: These will consist of activities done cooperatively in class and any other homework assignments—including online discussions—that occur naturally from chapter readings.
DR-TA (Project): 10%
Pre-service teachers will be responsible for planning a DR-TA activity with a book approved by the instructor. The student should then present the activity with a child or group of children. Instructor will provide more details.
Reading Philosophy Paper: 10%
You will be writing a reading philosophy paper that reflects your belief about reading. This paper must include a cover page, one page in length and must be typed (double-space).
Writing Analysis (Project) : ( 10%)
Collect 2-3 different writing samples. Note the age, gender and grade of the child for each writing sample.
An individual mini-lesson plan for writing instruction will be developed.
Reading Analysis (Project): (10%)
More information will be given throughout the course.
Reading Intervention Plan & Presentation #1: (10%)
Based on your reading analysis you are to develop a reading intervention plan with the intent to provide support for the child. These assignments combine pedagogy and classroom application, assignments that are put together with the intent to use them in your future classrooms. This will also have a presentation component.
Some project choice may include the following;
Using Trade Book Across the Curriculum
Elements of Literature
Character Analysis
Text Set
Reading Literacy Activity
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COURSE SYLLABUS
Comprehension Activity & Presentation #2: (10%)
ARTICLE REVIEW
This assignment will consist of finding and reading current articles on various reading topics discussed in the course of the semester. Student will be responsible for finding two articles on a chosen topic related to reading and write a formal paper on the key points, connections to the classroom and opinions on the topic. A total of one review using both articles will be completed during the semester. A Formal Paper will be turned in with an attached copy of the articles.
Reflection Journals: (10%)
These are a set of reflection journals that will be assigned periodically. This will be reflections based on chapter reading, discussions and or articles.
Exam #1: (10%)
Exam #2: (10%)
GRADE SCALE
A= 100 - 90 POINTS
B= 89 - 80 POINTS
C= 79 - 70 POINTS
D= 69 - 60 POINTS
F= 59 POINTS AND BELOW
LATE WORK
Acceptance of late work is at the discretion of the professor. All assignments are due at the beginning of class, if assignment is turned in after class has begun, 5 points will be deducted from the total score.
Additionally, late work will not receive full credit and will be penalized one letter grade per day that it is late. Arrangements must be made with the professor for submitting late assignments. Therefore:
1 day late: Highest possible grade is a B (80-89)
2 days late: Highest possible grade is a C (70-79)
3 days late: Highest possible grade is a D (60-69)
4 days late: Highest possible grade is an F (50-59)
5+ days late: The grade recorded will be a zero (0)
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COURSE SYLLABUS
Calendar of Activities
Include in this section a table or list that provides information for students regarding important dates, assignments or activities. The UTRGV academic calendar can be found at http://my.utrgv.edu at the bottom of the screen, prior to login. Important dates for Fall 2015 include:
August 31
September 7
September 16
November 18
Classes Begin
Labor Day Holiday; university closed
Last day to drop a class before it appears on the transcript and counts toward the “6-drop” limit. Last day to receive a 100% refund for dropped classes (other policies apply when a student is withdrawing from all classes).
Drop/Withdrawal Deadline; last day for students to drop the course and receive a DR grade. After this date, students will be assigned a letter grade for the course that will count on the GPA.
Thanksgiving Holiday; university closed November 26-27
December 10 Study Day; no classes
December 11-17
Final Exams (schedule is posted at my.utrgv.edu – check your scheduled time and list it on the syllabus)
Other Course Information
In this section, please provide any other information that is pertinent to your course and your expectations for students.
UTRGV Policy Statements
The UTRGV disability accommodation, mandatory course evaluation statement and sexual harassment statement are required on all syllabi.
Additional policy statements are optional, such as those covering attendance, academic integrity, and course drop policies.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: Required on all syllabi.
Do not modify.
If you have a documented disability (physical, psychological, learning, or other disability which affects your academic performance) and would like to receive academic accommodations, please inform your instructor and contact Student Accessibility Services to schedule an appointment to initiate services. It is recommended that you schedule an appointment with Student Accessibility Services before classes start. However, accommodations can be provided at any time. Brownsville Campus : Student Accessibility Services is located in Cortez Hall Room 129 and can be contacted by phone at (956) 882-7374 (Voice) or via email at accessibility@utrgv.edu
. Edinburg
Campus: Student Accessibility Services is located in 108 University Center and can be contacted by phone at (956)
665-7005 (Voice), (956) 665-3840 (Fax), or via email at accessibility@utrgv.edu
.
MANDATORY COURSE EVALUATION PERIOD: Required on all syllabi.
Do not modify.
Students are required to complete an ONLINE evaluation of this course, accessed through your UTRGV account
( http://my.utrgv.edu
); you will be contacted through email with further instructions. Online evaluations will be available Nov. 18 – Dec. 9, 2015. Students who complete their evaluations will have priority access to their grades.
ATTENDANCE: Recommended on all syllabi; may be modified by the instructor as long as it is not inconsistent with
UTRGV policy.
Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes and may be dropped from the course for excessive absences.
UTRGV’s attendance policy excuses students from attending class if they are participating in officially sponsored university activities, such as athletics; for observance of religious holy days; or for military service. Students should contact the instructor in advance of the excused absence and arrange to make up missed work or examinations.
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COURSE SYLLABUS
SCHOLASTIC INTEGRITY: Recommended on all syllabi.
As members of a community dedicated to Honesty, Integrity and Respect, students are reminded that those who engage in scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and expulsion from the University. Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to: cheating, plagiarism, and collusion; submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person; taking an examination for another person; any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student; or the attempt to commit such acts. Since scholastic dishonesty harms the individual, all students and the integrity of the
University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced (Board of Regents Rules and Regulations and
UTRGV Academic Integrity Guidelines). All scholastic dishonesty incidents will be reported to the Dean of Students.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT, DISCRIMINATION, and VIOLENCE: Required on all syllabi. Do not modify.
In accordance with UT System regulations, your instructor is a “responsible employee” for reporting purposes under Title IX regulations and so must report any instance, occurring during a student’s time in college, of sexual assault, stalking, dating violence, domestic violence, or sexual harassment about which she/he becomes aware during this course through writing, discussion, or personal disclosure. More information can be found at www.utrgv.edu/equity , including confidential resources available on campus. The faculty and staff of UTRGV actively strive to provide a learning, working, and living environment that promotes personal integrity, civility, and mutual respect in an environment free from sexual misconduct and discrimination.
COURSE DROPS: Recommended on all syllabi; may be modified by the instructor as long as it is not inconsistent with UTRGV policy. According to UTRGV policy, students may drop any class without penalty earning a grade of
DR until the official drop date. Following that date, students must be assigned a letter grade and can no longer drop the class. Students considering dropping the class should be aware of the “3-peat rule” and the “6-drop” rule so they can recognize how dropped classes may affect their academic success. The 6-drop rule refers to Texas law that dictates that undergraduate students may not drop more than six courses during their undergraduate career.
Courses dropped at other Texas public higher education institutions will count toward the six-course drop limit.
The 3-peat rule refers to additional fees charged to students who take the same class for the third time.
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COURSE SYLLABUS
R E A D 3 3 2 4 R E A D I N G C O M P R E H E N S I O N A N D A S S E S S M E N T
T E N T A T I V E C A L E N D A R
F A L L 2 0 1 5
R E A D I N G S , A C T I V I T E S A N D D A T E S A R E S U B J E C T T O C H A N G E W I T H A D V A N C E
N O T I C E A T T H E D I S C R E T I O N O F T H E I N S T R U C T O R
Week
1
Date
08/31/15
9/2/15
Topics Readings
Vacca Textbook
Introduction
Course Overview
Student Introductions
Knowledge and Beliefs
About Reading learning influence instructional decisions and practices.
Demonstrate an understanding of different theoretical models of the reading process, including bottom-up, top-down, and interactive models
Vacca Textbook
Chapter 1
Activities/
Assignments
Whole Class: Think-
PairShare ‘How I learned to Read’
Whole Class: Think-
Pair-Share
Whole Class: Think-
Pair-Share
TEXES
Competency
1,4
1,4
2 9/07/15 No Class/ Labor Day
Approaches to
Reading Instruction
9/9/15 Approaches to
Reading Instruction
Vacca Textbook
Chapter 2
Vacca Textbook
Chapter 2
Homework
Explain how teachers’ beliefs about reading instruction connect to various theoretical models of reading.
List and explain new technologies that may be used to supplement traditional methods of reading instruction.
Explain how teachers’ beliefs about reading instruction connect to various theoretical models of reading.
List and explain new technologies that may be used to supplement traditional methods of reading instruction.
4,6,7,8
4,6,7,8
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COURSE SYLLABUS
3
4
5
6
9/14/15
9/16/15
9/21/15
9/23/15
9/28/15
9/30/15
Vacca Textbook
Chapter 3
Demonstrate an understanding of issues, such as dialect differences and cultural expectations, with respect to learning to read.
Chapter 3 cont
Recognize the challenges that diverse learners, especially ELLs, encounter in the classroom setting and implement strategies for overcoming cultural and language barriers.
Field Experience 1
Early Literacy: From
Birth To School
Articulate effective instructional strategies for fostering the literacy learning of children from diverse backgrounds
Introduce
Directed
Reading
Thinking
Activity
Chapter 4
Describe how technology can be used to enhance early literacy learning.
Describe a classroom environment that is conducive to early literacy learning.
Meeting the Literacy
Needs of Diverse
Learners
Cooperative
Activity:Co op. Actv.: skills-based vs. whole language T-Chart
Creating a balanced literacy unit of instruction
Cooperative Activity
Demonstrate an understanding of developmentally appropriate practices with respect to early literacy.
DRTA Instructional
Strategy
Phases of Early
Literacy Development
Group Work: Problem-
Based Scenarios
Field Experience 2
Literacy Instruction for
Beginning Readers and Writers
Field Experience 3
Chapter 5
Explain how to develop and assess linguistic knowledge, concepts of print, and literacy-related knowledge and skills.
Cooperative Activity
Demonstrate how storybooks and language experience can be effectively used to teach beginning reading.
4,6,7,8
4,6,7,8,9,
1,4,5,6,7,8,
11
4,5,6,12
5,6,7,12
1,4,5,6
1,4,5,6
10/06/15
10/07/15 Assessing Reading
Performance
Chapter 6
Articulate current trends in assessment, such as highstakes tests and authentic assessments .
7
Demonstrate an understanding of the purposes of formal assessment.
1,4,5,6,7,8,10
, 11

COURSE SYLLABUS
8
9
7 10/12/15
10/14/15
Word Identification
Word Identification
10/19/15
10/21/15
10/26/15
10/28/15
Reading Fluency
Reading Fluency
Chapter 8
Demonstrate an understanding of how to assess fluency.
Field Activity
Reading
Fluency
Chapter 8
Demonstrate an understanding of how to assess fluency.
Field Activity
Reading
Fluency
Field Experience 4
Vocabulary
Knowledge & Concept
Development
Vacca Textbook
Chapter 9
Chapter 7
Explain the importance of providing students with a balanced approach to word identification.
Chapter 7
Explain the importance of providing students with a balanced approach to word identification.
Describe strategies for teaching reading unknown words using context clues
Describe strategies for teaching structural analysis to identify words.
Describe strategies for teaching rapid recognition of words.
Describe strategies for teaching reading unknown words using context clues
Describe strategies for teaching structural analysis to identify words.
Describe strategies for teaching rapid recognition of words.
Test #1
Chapters 1-7
Begin planning implementation in field
Directed Reading Thinking
Activity
Explain the significance of developing fluency in young readers.
(Think-Pair-Share)
1, 4, 5, 6
1,4,5,6,7,8,10
, 11
1,5,6,7,
Begin planning implementation in field
Directed Reading Thinking
Activity
Explain the significance of developing fluency in young readers.
(Think-Pair-Share)
Describe the relationship between vocabulary and comprehension.
Explain how children’s experiences and concepts of words are related.
DRTA Due
Demonstrate effective instructional strategies for developing vocabulary with children.
Explain how vocabulary in literature functions
1,4,5,6,7,8,10
, 11
5,6,7,8
5,6,7,8
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COURSE SYLLABUS
10
11
12
11/04/15 Reading
Comprehension
11/09/15
Field Experience 5
11/11/15
11/16/15
11/18/15
Reading-Writing
Connections
Field Experience 6
Reading-Writing
Connections
Ch. 10 cont.
Chapter 11
Chapter 11
13
11/02/15
11/23/15
Reading
Comprehension
Bringing Children and
Literature Together
Chapter 10
Chapter 12
. differently than vocabulary in content area material.
Explain how to use the dictionary effectively to enhance vocabulary development.
Demonstrate a variety of explicit instructional strategies that guide the children’s understanding of text.
Demonstrate knowledge of story structure and its importance as an aid to comprehension .
Think-Pair-Share
Model instructional strategies that scaffold children’s awareness of story structure.
Reading comprehension activities and presentations
Demonstrate instructional strategies that guide children’s interactions with text.
Demonstrate an understanding of Webbased reading comprehension strategies.
Explain the important role that writing plays in literacy development.
5,6,7
1,4,5,6,7,8,9,
10, 11,12
9,10,
1,4,5,6,7,8,9,
10, 11,12
9,10
Demonstrate an understanding of how to implement a variety of journal and alternate writing strategies with children.
Describe meaningful ways in which technology can be incorporated into the reading – writing classroom environment, including integrating children’s literature and technology.
Explain the personal nature of literacy and what a classroom that supports a community of readers might look like.
Articulate a variety of ways in which teachers can bring children and literature together.
Demonstrate an understanding of how to
4, 9,10
10, 11
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COURSE SYLLABUS
14
15
16
11/05/15
11/30/15
12/02/15
12/07/15
Bringing Children and
Literature Together
Making the Transition to Content Area Texts
Using Trade Books
Across the Curriculum
Effective Readiness
Instruction
Chapter 12
Textbook,
Ch. 14; science or social studies elementary
Textbook;
Nonfiction picture book choose appropriate literature-response activities.
Comprehension
Activity & presentation 1;
Reading Analysis and Writing
Analysis Due.
Comprehension
Activity & presentation 1;
Reading Analysis and Writing
Analysis Due.
Demonstrate an appreciation for the difficulties that some content textbooks pose for students.
Demonstrate how to engage children in specific instructional strategies before reading content textbooks in order to assist them in content area learning.
Cooperative Activity: planning a interesting focus activity
Articulate a variety of ways that literature, trade books, and electronic texts can enhance content learning
Comprehension
Activity
Presentation 2
Making the Transition to Content Area Texts
Using Trade Books
Across the Curriculum
Effective Readiness
Instruction
Ch. 14
Instructional Materials Chapter 13
Describe how different districts select and implement reading materials.
Comprehension
Activity
Presentation 2
1,4,5,6,7,8,9,
10, 11,12
1,4,5,6,7,8,9,
10, 11
1,4,5,6,7,8,9,
10, 11,12
1,4,5,6,7,8,9,
10, 11,12
12/10/15
12/14/15
University Study Day
Test # 2
Chapters
8-14
Encouraging responses to
Literature Storytelling,
Listening to
Literature, Reading
1,4,5,6,7,8,9,
10, 11
10

Workshop, Literature
Circles
COURSE SYLLABUS
11