Institute 2015
Accelerating Learning in Reading
Homework Packet
Homework Instructions – Please Read Carefully
1. This homework packet includes seven (7) homework assignments. Some assignments will require
several hours while others can be completed quickly. It is suggested that you read the complete
homework packet before beginning the assignments.
2. We expect ALL participants to complete ALL the homework assignments so that during Institute you are
familiar with the material and can participate in discussions. If you are enrolled for academic credit,
your homework will count for 15% of your final grade. Completion of homework is also a requirement
to become a Certified Resource Specialist.
3. Written assignments should be word-processed using a 12-point font, with 1-inch margins, and
double-spacing. Your last name should appear as the “header” in the upper right corner of every page
of the written assignment. Limit written assignment length to the number of pages indicated, i.e., be
concise in what you write.
4. Assignments are DUE the first day of Institute when you arrive at the classroom. After you have
completed all of your assignments print two copies of your completed homework assignments, one to
turn in on Sunday when you arrive at class and the other to use as a reference during Institute. Staple
or paperclip all of your assignments into one packet so that pages won’t get lost. Please include a
signed copy of the contract with your homework. Be sure to keep a copy of your homework packet
for reference during Institute.
5. You are encouraged to submit your homework either as a pdf or a Word document attached to an
email to either Dianne or Steve. Those submitting their homework via email by May 21st at 5:00 PM
will be registered for a drawing to win a valuable prize!
6. If you do not have all assignments completed by the due date, please email a written plan of action for
completion to barberdb@appstate.edu by the due date. An instructor will review your plan and discuss
it with you during the week.
7. If you have questions about homework requirements, please contact Steve if you are taking Institute
as a workshop participant or Dianne if you are taking Institute for graduate credit.
Workshop Participant Questions:
Graduate Credit Participant Questions:
Steve Schmidt
Dianne Barber
schmidtsj@appstate.edu
barberdb@appstate.edu
(828) 262-2262
(828) 262-2384
Institute 2015 Homework Packet
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Institute 2015: Accelerating Learning in Reading
Grade Contract & Institute Responsibilities
Pre-Institute Homework
 Assignment 1: Reading and You
 Assignment 2: Professional Learning Communities
 Assignment 3: Assessing Reading Assessment
 Assignment 4: How Skilled is Your School?
 Assignment 5: Why Reading Matters
 Assignment 6: Identify Practicum Needs
 Assignment 7: Part 1: Practicum Contract
 Optional: Help us with Thursday Evening Entertainment
 Print two copies (one to turn in, one for your reference during Institute) of all homework assignments with
name in header of all pages
During Institute
 Turn in written homework on Sunday afternoon in the classroom
 Attend all Institute 2015 sessions on time
 Participate in Institute 2015 large groups, small groups, and work sessions
 Complete your Practicum plan and turn it in on Thursday during Institute
 Complete all evaluation forms
Post-Institute Homework
 Complete the Practicum Project
 Send ABSPD Assignment 7, Part 2: Practicum Verification
***********************************************
 I am completing all of the above requirements for academic credit, a grade of “A” for outstanding
work, and certification as a Certified Resource Specialist after completing 3 institutes and
completing at least two Practicum and/or Trainings.
 I am completing all the above requirements for workshop participation and certification as a Certified
Resource Specialist after completion of 3 institutes and completing at least two Practicum and/or
Trainings.
_____________________________________________
__________________________
Signature
Date
Institute 2015 Homework Packet
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Institute 2015: Accelerating Learning in Reading
Assignment 1: Reading and You
The focus of Institute 2015 is enhancing reading instruction in literacy, basic skills, and college and
career readiness programs throughout North Carolina. This assignment asks you to reflect on
some questions relating to your personal experiences in reading, reading instruction, and some
global questions about reading and society.
Write two ½ page responses to questions 1 and 2. Then choose two other questions from
numbers 3 to 11 and write ½ page for each response.
1. If you could have a dinner date with any author living or dead, who would you choose to
dine with and why?
2. Tell about a book you have used successfully with students over the years. How have you
used the book? Why has it been so successful? What do students learn from it?
3. What are your earliest memories of being read to or reading? What emotions does that
create in you as you remember this experience?
4. Did you ever struggle with reading? How has this helped or hurt your effectiveness as a
reading teacher?
5. What frustrates you the most as you work with struggling readers in your program? What
resources would you like to have to better help these students?
6. As the world becomes more technology driven and media saturated, are the needs for
strong reading skills more or less important? Why?
7. Describe a time you read something you absolutely loved. What made this such an
enjoyable experience?
8. Describe a time you read something you hated. What made this such a miserable
experience?
9. Describe what life would be like for someone who struggles to read.
10. What would an ideal program to help struggling readers look like?
11. React to the article, An Urban Myth That Should Be True, which can be found by holding
down control and clicking on the following link:
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/07/an-urban-myth-that-should-betrue/259329/ or clicking on An Urban Myth That Should Be True on the ABSPD Institute
homework page.
Institute 2015 Homework Packet
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Institute 2015: Accelerating Learning in Reading
Assignment 2: Professional Learning Communities
An increasing number of successful adult basic education programs use professional
learning communities (PLC). In this assignment, you will be asked to research and then
report your findings about PLCs.
Creating a PLC in your program could be a possible activity that you may do for your
practicum.
1. Read the four sections listed below from the Professional Learning Communities article.
It can be found by clicking on the Professional Learning Communities 1 link on the
ABSPD Institute homework page.
For each section listed below, complete a one paragraph summary:
Introduction
What is a PLC?
Elements that Define a PLC
What Supports are Necessary to Develop and Sustain a PLC?
2. Read the brief article Professional Learning Communities in Adult Education Programs.
It can be found by holding down control and clicking on this link http://wwwtcall.tamu.edu/newsletr/spring13/spring13d.htm or by clicking on the Professional
Learning Communities 2 link on the ABSPD Institute homework page.
Write a paragraph describing the two features you liked the most about the PLC
described in the article.
3. Write one half to one page describing how a PLC might look like in your program or if
your program has a PLC, describe how it looks.
Institute 2015 Homework Packet
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Institute 2015: Accelerating Learning in Reading
Assignment 3: Assessing Reading Assessment
This assignment has some reflection questions to do based on your programs’ reading
assessments and a short article to read.
Please answer the following questions:
1. What assessments does your program currently give students in reading?
2. Is your reading assessment data used for class placement? How?
3. Is your reading assessment data used for diagnosis of students’ strengths and learning needs?
How?
4. How do the reading assessments given to students tie into instruction?
5. Does your program give any of the evidence-based reading assessments (such as the Quick
Adult Reading Inventory or the Word Meaning Test)? How is this information used?
6. Read the section Part Two: Doing your Best on Standardized Tests on pages 6 to 11 in the
Adventures in Assessment reading link on the ABSPD website in the homework section.
Does your program provide the information about how to do your best on standardized tests to
your students on a formal or informal basis? How? If not, how could you create ways to share
this information with your students?
7. Talk to at least three other instructors in your program. What do they consider to be the
strengths and weaknesses of the reading assessment process in your program? What changes
would they make in the reading assessment process if they could? Why?
Institute 2015 Homework Packet
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Institute 2015: Accelerating Learning in Reading
Assignment 4: How Skilled is Your School?
This assignment has a reading to complete, a reflection activity to do, a paper to write, and a
presentation to prepare.
Making Skills Everyone’s Business
In 2014, the Department of Education’s Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE)
created a report after a review of the performance of state adult education programs and a study
of research and best practices in adult education. They created a report Making Skills Everyone’s
Business that highlights best practices in adult education.
1. Download and read the paper Making Skills Everyone’s Business (6 pages) from the ABSPD
website: http://abspd.appstate.edu/institutes/institute-2015-accelerating-learning-reading
2. Write a 2 to 3 page paper in which you reflect on how your school is doing on four of the
seven best practices mentioned in the article. Talk with your program’s leadership and
your co-workers as you reflect on how your program is doing. The seven areas are:
1. Create joint ownership of solutions
2. Expand opportunities for adults to improve foundation skills
3. Make career pathways available and accessible in every community
4. Ensure all students have access to highly effective teachers, leaders, and
programs
5. Align federal policies and programs to integrate services for adults
6. Increase the return on investment in skills training for business, industry, and
labor
7. Commit to closing the equity gap for vulnerable sub-populations
3. Prepare a five minute presentation where you will highlight the practice you feel your
program is doing the best at as well as the one area you would most like to see your program
improve. You will give this presentation during Institute.
Institute 2015 Homework Packet
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Institute 2015: Accelerating Learning in Reading
Assignment 5: Why Reading Matters
In this assignment, you will watch a video and write a reflection paper about it.
1. Watch the 58 minute video Why Reading Matters. It can be found by holding down the
control key and clicking the link here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6_vVn8o654 or
by following the why reading matters link on the institute homework page.
2. Write a one page paper responding to this question: After watching this video, how would
you answer the question, why does reading matter?
Institute 2015 Homework Packet
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Institute 2015: Accelerating Learning in Reading
Assignment 6: Identify Practicum Needs
During Institute 2015, you will work with a small group of 3-4 participants to plan a practicum
to offer instructional support within your home program.
1. Discuss with your colleagues, instructors, students, and director the needs of your
program concerning reading instruction.
2. Type a one page summary of what you learned about the needs of your program
relating to reading instruction.
3. Based on the needs of your program and the research you read, begin to think about
where you want to focus your practicum project. You may want to meet with your
director to discuss the focus of your practicum.
4. Do not plan your practicum before arriving for Institute. You will be given planning
time during Institute and you are expected to work with a team to plan your practicum
around information you learn at Institute and the research you read as part of this
homework packet. Note: Completion of at least two practicum projects over a two year
period are required to become a Certified Resource Specialist. The practicum project
replaces the former training requirement.
5. You will be asked to discuss and list your instructional support needs on a card during
class on Sunday afternoon. This information will be used to identify others with
similar needs to form teams to work together during the week.
Instructional Support can be delivered in many different forms: workshops, classroom
observation and feedback, curriculum design, planning lessons, aligning standards with
curriculum, etc.
Institute 2015 Homework Packet
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Institute 2015: Accelerating Learning in Reading
Assignment 7: Professional Development Contract and Verification Form
In Assignment # 6 you identified program needs by consulting with your director and/or
colleagues. To complete Part 1 of this assignment: Complete the Practicum Contract on the
following page.
Part 1: Practicum Contract (Due on Sunday at the beginning of Institute).
You and your director will need to sign and date the contract. You will be given time at Institute
to work on your practicum with colleagues who plan to do a practicum on the same or similar
topic. Please be prepared to turn in the signed copy with your homework on Sunday afternoon
in the classroom.
Part 2: Practicum Verification Form (Due after you complete your training).
Your completed Practicum Verification Form is due on or before April 4, 2016. This verification
material is part of the certification requirement to become a Certified Resource Specialist as
well as a course requirement for CI 5545.
Your Practicum Verification Package should include the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Title of Practicum
Description/Abstract of Practicum
Goals and Objectives
Benefits to Program
Signed Practicum Verification form
Upon completion of your practicum, submit the complete Practicum Verification Package to
Becky Morris via:
Email: morrisdw@appstate.edu
Fax:
828-262-6086
US Mail:
Institute 2015 Homework Packet
Becky Morris
Adult Basic Skills Professional Development Project
Appalachian State University
ASU Box 32169
Boone, NC 28608-2169
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Institute 2015: Accelerating Learning in Reading
Part 1: Practicum Contract
Institute 2015 Participant
______________________________________________________________
Requirements for Director: The director agrees to
 support the participant in planning and conducting a practicum project to offer
instructional support for their adult educators at their home campus,
 participate in the selection of a practicum project focus,
 sign the Practicum Contract, and
 verify completion of the practicum project by signing the Practicum Verification form.
Requirements for Institute Participant: The participant agrees to
 consult with his/her director and/or colleagues to identify needs in their program,
 plan a practicum project using research, methods, strategies, and techniques learned
during Institute,
 complete a Practicum Action Plan during Institute,
 complete the Practicum Project between June 8, 2015 and April 4, 2016, and
submit the Practicum Verification form upon project completion.
My signature below indicates my support and agreement to the above requirements.
________________________________________________
Signature of Director
_________________
Date
________________________________________________
Signature of Institute 2015 Participant(s)
_________________
Date
Institute 2015 Homework Packet
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Institute 2015: Accelerating Learning in Reading
Part 2: Practicum Verification Form
Due after you complete your Practicum
Title of Practicum:
Brief Description of Practicum:
Practicum Goals & Objectives:
Impact on (Benefits to) Local Program:
The signatures below indicate that the signed participant has completed the Practicum requirements for
Institute 2015.
_______________________________________________
Signature of Director
_________________
Date
_______________________________________________
Signature of Institute 2015 Participant
_________________
Date
Submit your complete Practicum Verification Package to Becky Morris via email, fax, or US mail:
Email: morrisdw@appstate.edu
US Mail:
Fax: 828-262-6086
Ms. Becky Morris, Administrative Support Specialist
Adult Basic Skills Professional Development Project
Appalachian State University, ASU Box 32169, Boone, NC 28608-2169
Institute 2015 Homework Packet
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Institute 2015: Accelerating Learning in Reading
Optional: Thursday Evening Entertainment
Do you sing, dance, play an instrument, tell jokes, read poetry, or have another skill/talent you would
like to share with the group? We invite you to showcase your talents Thursday evening! If you would like
to participate, complete the information below and email it to barberdb@appstate.edu with your
homework assignments.
We will allow approximately 3 minutes for each “act.”
We will provide a CD player and sound system. You bring your instrument, music, and/or other props.
Name(s):
Briefly describe your “act”:
Additional Comments:
Institute 2015 Homework Packet
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