COURSE SYLLABUS
RE – 3150-439
LANGUAGE ARTS IN THE MIDDLE GRADES

Appalachian State University – Fall Semester, 2003
Three Semester Hours
Monday and Wednesday – 10:00 – 11:50 a.m.
Meeting Site: Room 317, Edwin Duncan Hall, ASU Campus
Instructor:
Home Telephone:
Office Telephone:
Hours:
E-Mail:
Dr. Tracy W. Smith
Office:
(828) 268-0222
FAX:
(828) 262-2274
As posted and by appointment
smithtw@appstate.edu
202E Duncan Hall
(828) 262-2686
Mailing Address:
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
PO Box 32047
Boone, NC 28608
COURSE DESCRIPTION
A study of communication skills: literacy, speaking, reading, writing, and vocabulary; a
comparison of current teaching methods and materials; emphasis on the language arts as the core
of the middle grades curriculum.
MAJOR COURSE TOPICS
The following topics will be emphasized in this course:
· Time, Ownership, and Response in the English Language Arts Classroom
· Teaching Reading in the English Language Arts Classroom
 Seminars (Teacher and Student Led)
 Literature Circles
 Reading Workshop
 Reading Response
 Reading Aloud (teachers and students)
 Types of Readers
 Strategies to Improve Reading Skills
· Teaching Writing in the English Language Arts Classroom
 Components of an effective program
 Writing Workshop
 Conventions
 Responding to Student Writing
 Performance Standards
· Teaching Speaking and Listening in the English Language Arts Classroom
· Assessment and Evaluation in the English Language Arts Classroom
 Formal and Informal Assessments
 Formative and Summative Evaluation
· Students with Special Needs
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· Issues of Diversity
· Creating an Environment for Literacy Learning in the Middle Grades Classroom
· The Role of the Teacher in the Middle Grades Language Arts Classroom/Team
COURSE GOALS (Taken from ASU Middle Grades Program Standards)
The goals for this course are based on the following beliefs about middle school teachers.
Prospective middle grades teachers:
 Understand and use the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of content in
their chosen teaching fields and create meaningful learning experiences that develop
young adolescents’ competence in subject matter and skills (Content Knowledge,
Standard 4).
 Understand and use the major concepts, principles, theories, and research related to
effective instruction and employ a variety of instructional strategies which are
developmentally appropriate for the varying abilities and learning styles of young
adolescents (Middle Grades Instruction, Standard 5).
 Understand and use formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the
continuous learning of young adolescents within the context of young adolescent
development (Assessment, Standard 8).
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Course objectives are derived from the knowledge, dispositions, and performance indicators for
Standards 4, 5, and 8, and are as follows:
1. Students will value, develop, and use a deep understanding of the major topics and issues in
the language arts content area.
2. Students will learn to use content knowledge in their teaching to make interdisciplinary
connections among subject areas and will commit to making these connections for students.
3. Students will learn, value, and use a variety of effective (research-based) instructional
strategies that are effective and appropriate for teaching and evaluating language arts.
4. Students will aim for basic understanding as well as higher levels of learning among their
students.
5. Students will learn and use effective, developmentally responsive classroom management
strategies (integrated with engaging classroom instruction).
6. Students will use developmentally responsive strategies, materials, and resources to facilitate
and motivate student learning.
7. Students will value the need for creating and maintaining environments that maximize
student learning, often collaborating with teammates and other colleagues.
8. Students will value and use a variety of formal and informal assessment techniques to modify
teaching and learning strategies.
9. Students will plan effective instruction, individually and with colleagues.
10. Students will understand the role that state accountability systems plan in the language arts
classroom.
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Writing Designation
This course requires a significant amount of writing and therefore is a writing (“W”) designated
course. This means that you will be doing a substantial amount of writing and receiving
feedback about ways to improve your written communication skills.
REQUIRED TEXTS
Atwell, N. (1998). In the middle: New understandings about writing, reading, and
learning (2nd ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Reif, L. (1992). Seeking diversity: Language arts with adolescents. Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemann.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
1. DAILY ASSIGNMENTS: Students will be responsible for all class readings (including the
Reading Response Log) and assignments. Since this class is highly dependent on
participant interaction, being present and prepared for class is a critical condition for success
in the class. The course syllabus will often detail topics for class discussion and specific
related assignments.
2. COURSE TOPIC REFLECTIONS: As an integral part of preparing to teach language arts
to young adolescents, students will participate in reflective analysis in reading response logs,
journal writings, and a course topic reflections that will allow them to synthesize discussions,
readings, visitations, personal experiences, and their own literacy as learner, reader, and
writer.
Assigned Reflection Topic
· Assessment/Evaluation in the English Language Arts Classroom
3. RESOURCE PORTFOLIO: This ongoing project will require students to prepare a vertical
portfolio that includes methods, strategies, bibliographies, young adolescent book lists, and
materials necessary for an integrated language arts program for young adolescents. Students
in the course will determine criteria for an exemplary portfolio. Additional information for
this assignment will be provided in class.
4. LESSON PLANS: Students will develop at least three mini-lessons to be used in the middle
grades language arts classroom. Using the lesson types in Chapter 6 of Atwell’s text,
students should create a variety of lesson types, including procedural, craft, and
convention/strategy (skill). Beginning on September 24, we will begin sharing these lessons
at the beginning of class as mini-lessons would be shared in a Reading/Writing Workshop.
After these lessons have been evaluated, they should be included in your resource portfolio.
You may provide copies for the class, but I will also try to post them on my resource
webpage, so that class members may have them for their resource portfolios, field
experiences, and future classrooms.
5. EXHIBITION-QUALITY STANDARDS-BASED PORTFOLIO ARTIFACTS: In lieu
of a final written exam, students will be asked to submit three artifacts that demonstrate their
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competence and mastery of the three major standards for this course (Standards 4, 5, and 8).
In class, we will discuss a range of possibilities for demonstrating knowledge, performances,
and dispositions related to each standard. In this course, if students plan well, earlier
assignments and internship activities will easily provide standards-based portfolio artifacts.
Each artifact will be worth 10 points of the final course grade.
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS AND WEIGHT
Daily Assignments/Participation/Attendance
Course Topic Reflection (Writing Designation)
Resource Portfolio
Lesson Plans (Writing Designation)
Exhibition-Quality Standards-Based Portfolio Artifacts
TOTAL
10 points
10 points
20 points
30 points
30 Points
100 points
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS NEEDED
· Reading Response/Dialogue Journal
· Vertical File for Resource Portfolio
EVALUATION AND GRADING
A = 93-100%
B = 86-92%
C = 79-85%
F = Below 79%
TENTATIVE CONTENT OUTLINE
Date
Topic
Assignment Due
8/25
Purchase Textbooks
Course Overview
Introductions of Class Members
Complete Writing/Reading Surveys
8/27
“Learning How to Teach Writing”
“Learning How to Teach Reading”
Atwell, Chs. 1-2
IRA/NCTE Standards for the English Language Arts
9/1
9/3
LABOR DAY HOLIDAY
“Making the Best of Adolescence”
“From the Middle to the Edge”
Atwell, Ch. 3
Rief, Ch. 1
9/8
Writing and Reading Workshop
Atwell, Chs. 4-5
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9/10
Writing and Reading Workshop (Mini-lessons)
“Preparing for the Lesson: Organizing the Room,
Materials, and Expectations”
Atwell, Chs. 6
Rief, Ch. 2
Draft Mini-lessons (Procedural, Craft, and Skill)
9/17
Seminar Strategy (Teacher-Led)
Read Seminar Piece: “Of
Studies” by Francis Bacon
“Immersion: Writing and Reading”
Sign up for Mini-lesson
presentations
9/22
Responding to Readers and Writers
9/24
Begin Mini-lesson Presentations
Rief, Ch. 3
Atwell, Chs. 7-8
Mini-lesson presentations
begin
“Generations: Writing and Reading for Life”
“Yes! Sometimes We All Read the Same Book”
9/29
Literature Circles Video
“Bringing It All Together: Reader’s-Writer’s Project”
10/1
EVALUATION IN THE LANGUAGE ARTS
CLASSROOM
· Self-Evaluation/Reflections
· Student Portfolios
· Student Led Conferences
· Methods of Evaluation: Holistic grading, testing,
analytic scales, rubrics, etc.
10/6
Assessment and Testing in North Carolina
10/8
End-of-Grade Testing in Reading, Writing, and
Computer Skills
“Beyond Words: The Art of Literature/The
Language of the Arts”
The Role of the Teacher in the Middle of the
Language Arts Classroom
Rief, Chs. 4-5
Article: “Expository Text in
Literature Circles”
Rief, Ch. 6
Atwell, Ch. 9
Rief, Chs. 7-8
Course Topic Reflection Due:
“Assessment/Evaluation in
the English/Language Arts
Classroom”
Rief, Ch. 9, 10
10/13
Making Sense of It All: A Teacher’s Perspective
Guest Speaker: Kelly Sechrist
Additional Topics and Issues: Vocabulary and
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Atwell, Ch. 10
Assigned Readings
10/15
Spelling Instruction, Mixed Methodology, Diverse
Field Experiences, Integrating Literature, Another
Perspective on RWW
MODES OF WRITING
Atwell, Chs. 11-13
“Call Home the Child: Memoir”
“Hanging with Big Sis: Fiction”
“Finding Poetry Everywhere”
10/20
“Taking Care of Business”
10/22
Exploring other topics of interest
10/27
Wrapping up
11/611/8
NATIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
CONFERENCE in Portland, Oregon
For more information:
http://www.nmsa.org/annualconf2002/index.htm
Atwell, Ch. 14
11/3: Public school internships begin
12/10
all day
or
12/11
12:002:30
Presentation of Artifacts/Final Exam
Exact exam time to be determined
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION
The instructor will integrate strategies such as lecture, small group discussions, team teaching,
literature circles, seminars, double-entry journaling, and guest lecturers. Throughout this course,
students will be expected to work as collaborative groups to investigate current research about
characteristics of young adolescents and appropriate strategies for teaching them and report this
research to the rest of the group.
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Students are required to attend all class meetings. One absence during the semester will be
excused. Beyond the first absence, two points will be deducted from the course grade for each
additional absence. Students should not schedule personal appointments or plan to work during
class time. Two tardies to class equal an absence, unless the student misses more than half the
class. If a student misses more than half of a class session, the student will be counted absent for
that class session.
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LATE ASSIGNMENTS
Assignments are due on the dates specified in the syllabus, unless the instructor makes changes
for the entire class. Five points are deducted from the assignment grade for each day that an
assignment is late.
STATEMENT OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
It is the responsibility of every student to abide by the Code of Academic Integrity. It is also the
formal responsibility of the instructional faculty to maintain academic honesty and integrity.
Commitment to academic integrity is inherent in the policies of the institution.
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