Course Name and Number:
LSLS4014 Disciplinary Literacy in the Secondary School
Description:
This course addresses how literacy strategies are used in each of
the secondary school disciplines of social studies, mathematics,
science and the foreign languages. Candidates will learn how to
create lessons suitable for all types of learners in their content
specializations. In addition, candidates will learn how to utilize a
variety of technologies for secondary school students (grades 7 to
12) in their respective content areas. This course should be taken
concurrently with a field experience.
Credit Hours:
Required or elective:
Faculty members who teach the
course:
Prerequisites:
Textbooks:
3 semester hours
Required
Marilyn Russell, Dianna Greivenkamp, Chet Laine
Other resource materials:
Pitcher, S.M., Albright, L.A., DeLaney, C.J., Walker, N.T.,
Seunarinesingh, K., Mogge, S., Headley, K.N., Ridgeway, V.G., Peck,
S., Hunt, R., & Dunston, P.J. (2007). Assessing adolescents'
motivation to read. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 50(5),
378-396.
Vacca, R.T., Vacca, J.A.L., & Mraz, M.E. (2010). Content area
reading: Literacy and learning across the curriculum. Boston: Allyn
& Bacon.
IRIS Center for Training Enhancements:
http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/
National Institute for Literacy. (2007). What content teachers
should know about adolescent literacy. Washington, DC: National
Institute for Literacy.
Morrell, E. (2008). Critical literacy and urban youth: Pedagogies of
access, dissent, and liberation. New York: Routledge.
Beers, K., Probst, R.E., & Rief, L. (Eds.). (2007). Adolescent literacy:
Turning promise into practice. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Learning Outcome:
• explain reading and composing
processes and define concepts of
disciplinary literacy;
How is this outcome assessed?
Participate in Blackboard Discussion Groups: Small
groups will gather to engage in long-term discussions of
the texts. Participants will be evaluated on the
frequency and quality of their discussion board
participation. Participants are required to post a
minimum of two substantial postings each session,
including one that begins a new thread and one that
responds to an existing thread. Postings that begin new
threads will be reviewed based on their relevance,
demonstrated understanding of course concepts,
examples cited, and overall quality. Postings that
respond to other participants will be evaluated on
relevance, degree to which they extend the discussion,
and tone.
• create and implement lesson plans
for grades 7 to 12 utilizing reading,
writing and learning strategies
appropriate to specific content areas;
• facilitate secondary students’ draw
upon their past experiences,
sociocultural backgrounds, interests,
capabilities, and understandings to
make meaning of texts;
Specific Strategies for Different Content Areas: Using
the resources provided, candidates will investigate the
reading and writing requirements for specific content
areas, and explore together how to support students in
developing their literacy skills in content area learning.
As an activity, participants will write their own “stories”
about a literacy skill they teach (or have taught) in a
content area based on the readings.
Mini-Lesson: Using data gathered from your Analysis of
Student Work (New Teacher Center, 2002), design a
mini-lesson and implement it with your target students.
Create a Census, Map and Calendar: Carefully describe
the students in your classroom, how your cooperating
teacher organizes his or her classroom, and the routines
that he or she follows.
Adolescent Motivation to Read Profile: Administer and
interpret the Adolescent Motivation to Read Profile
(Pitcher, et al., 2007) to your target students. Identify
their past experiences, sociocultural backgrounds,
interests, capabilities, and understandings to make
meaning of texts.
• integrate into students’ learning
experiences a wide variety of strategies
to interpret, evaluate and appreciate
texts and assess the effectiveness of
such strategies in promoting student
learning in specific disciplines at the
high school level;
Analysis of Student Work: Administer and interpret the
Analysis of Student Work (New Teacher Center, 2002),
to your target students.
Intervention: Using data gathered from your Analysis of
Student Work (New Teacher Center, 2002) and
Adolescent Motivation to Read Profile (Pitcher, et al.,
2007), design a lesson based on a standard in your
discipline and implement the lesson with your target
students. Analyze the results identifying those who are
(a) far below the standard, (b) approaching the
standard, (c) meeting the standard and (d) exceeding
the standard. Finally, describe what you learned about
• design learning experiences that
encourage students to demonstrate
their ability to read and respond to a
range of texts of varying complexity
and difficulty; and
• explain how reading comprehension
strategies are flexible for making and
monitoring meaning in both print and
nonprint texts and teach a wide variety
of such strategies to all students.
your students and describe how you might differentiate
your instruction and re-teach to the standard.
Creating a Content Area Lesson Plan: Candidates will
create and share content area lesson plans, and review
the essential concepts of the course. They will explore
several lesson plan models and assessment resources.
As a final activity, participants will use the lesson plan
template to design a lesson that uses a strategy for
helping students with content area reading and/or
writing. Finished templates will be shared in the
discussion board.
Text Structures: Candidates will explore text structures,
or the organizational arrangements a writer chooses to
present written information. Candidates will also
experiment with some online activities they may wish to
use in the classroom. Using the resources available in
this course, candidates will study the research on text
structure, including the importance of signal words for
different structures. Finally, candidates will choose from
a variety of online activities and will try out the activity
with a target student who struggles with reading.
Alignment with Transformational Initiatives: In view of this conceptual framework and our urban
mission, the goal for our Transformation Initiative is to improve the performance of students in high
needs schools by preparing educators who recognize the moral imperative to meet the needs of each
student. We will prepare educators who are committed to each student, caring about each individual,
and competent in evidence-based and data driven instruction. In this course, Disciplinary Literacy in the
Secondary School (LSLS4014), we address the following TI Themes:
Theme: Helping candidates come to terms with unintentional barriers and bias. Candidates in this
course, Disciplinary Literacy in the Secondary School (LSLS4014) are seeking an Ohio Adolescent to
Young Adult teaching license (grade 7 to 12) in science, social studies, mathematics or an Ohio multiage teaching license in a foreign language. This course is taken concurrently with a field experience and
candidates will critically examine unintentional barriers and bias, dangerous assumptions.
Theme: Help candidates create A "third space", an alternative space, different from the "first space"
of students’ home, community, and peers and the "second space" of school. The assignments in
Disciplinary Literacy in the Secondary School (LSLS4014) are designed to help candidates identify ways
to merge first and second spaces, to create a space in which the “official” space of school is
transformed by the “unofficial” brought to school by the students. This is particularly true in their
expanding view of “texts” (e.g., new literacies, digital technologies, media literacy). Coming to
understand the media lives of contemporary young people is a step toward learning to merge first and
second spaces. Barton and Tan (2009) found that when students’ funds of knowledge were used in the
classroom through the creation of a third space, their participation and learning increased.
Theme: Implementing a reliable and valid Teacher Performance Assessment to improve the
consistency and quality of teacher effectiveness. The TPA system consists of two components: (1)
Embedded Signature Assessments and (2) the culminating Teaching Event, the common portfolio
assessment that is completed during student teaching. This course, Disciplinary Literacy in the
Secondary School (LSLS4014), provides opportunities to design signature assignments that reflect the
key components of the Teacher Performance Assessment (e.g., differentiating instruction, aligning
objectives with activities and assessments, providing meaningful feedback to students, reflection).
Theme: Implementation of research-based strategies. The assignments in Disciplinary Literacy in the
Secondary School (LSLS4014) require candidates to provide a justification for teaching each learning
segment to a particular group of students, with special attention to students with special needs.
Candidates must indicate how specific research/theory guided their selection of specific strategies and
materials to help their students develop the strategies and skills for understanding, interpreting, and
responding to texts that are needed to meet the learning objectives. The assignments in this course are
tied particular target students, with particular attention to students with special needs. The strategies
employed in the design and implementation of the activities are based on sources such as Richard
Allington’s What really matters for struggling readers: Designing research-based practices; Deshler,
Palincsar, Biancarosa and Nair’s Informed choices for struggling adolescent readers: A research-based
guide to instructional programs and practices; and research and research reviews by Nist and Simpson.
The texts used in the course unpack research-based strategies for the candidates.
Theme: Academic language development: The assignments in Disciplinary Literacy in the Secondary
School (LSLS4014) require candidates to identify the language demands embedded in each learning
segment (e.g., relevant genres, key vocabulary or phrases for the concepts being taught and linguistic
features that enable students to understand or produce the oral and/or written texts in the learning
segment).
Theme: Reflection: Ohio Adolescent to Young Adult candidates practice reflection in Disciplinary
Literacy in the Secondary School (LSLS4014). They must consider what they learned about their
teaching (e.g., What is working? What is not? For whom? If you could teach these lessons again, what
would you change? Why?) The candidates are asked to consider teaching and student learning with
respect to content, text structure and academic language development (How does this reflection
inform what you plan to do in the next lesson?).
Alignment with Conceptual Framework:
This course addresses these institutional standards, in particular, candidates of the University of
Cincinnati are committed, caring, competent educators
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with foundation knowledge, including knowledge of how each individual learns and
develops within a unique developmental context.
with content knowledge, able to articulate the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and the
structures of their discipline.
who successfully collaborate, demonstrate leadership, and engage in positive systems
change.
who demonstrate the moral imperative to teach all students and address the responsibility
to teach all students with tenacity.
able to address issues of diversity with equity and posses skills unique to urban education
including culturally responsive practice.
able to use technology to support their practice.
who use assessment and research to inform their efforts and improve student outcomes.
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who demonstrate pedagogical content knowledge, grounded in evidence- based practices,
and maximizing the opportunity for learning, and professionalism.
Alignment with Specialized Program Association:
Disciplinary Literacy in the Secondary School (LSLS4014) is aligned with the Ohio reading mandate and
the guidelines of the International Reading Association.
 Candidates demonstrate their knowledge of reading processes.
 helping students to draw upon their past experiences, sociocultural backgrounds, interests,
capabilities, and under-standings to make meaning of texts
 Integrate into students' learning experiences a wide variety of strategies to interpret, evaluate,
and appreciate texts and assess the effectiveness of such strategies in promoting student
learning
 carefully designed learning experiences that encourage students to demonstrate their ability to
read and respond to a range of texts of varying complexity and difficulty;
 Demonstrate how reading comprehension strategies are flexible for making and monitoring
meaning in both print and nonprint texts and teach a wide variety of such strategies to all
students;
Alignment with Ohio Standards for the Teaching Profession:
The Ohio Standards for the Teaching Profession is the bases for two seminars: Secondary Practicum
Experience II (SEC 5026) and Secondary Practicum Experience II (SEC 5026). Candidates for the Ohio
Adolescent to Young Adult and Multiage Foreign Language teaching licenses complete these seminars
while engaged with 7-12 students in field experiences. The syllabi for these two experiences address
the Ohio Standards for the Teaching Profession and these standards are reflected in the Collaborative
Assessment Logs and Goal Setting Agreements completed by candidates in these practicum
experiences.
Alignment with State Requirements:
In this course candidates learn to apply Ohio’s Academic Content Standards in daily planning, managing
learning environments, and methods for effective instruction.
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEPrimary.aspx?page=2&TopicID=1699&Top
icRelationID=1696
Attendance Policies: Students are expected to attend all required class sessions, to actively participate
in class and in the Blackboard learning environment, and to complete all assignments in a timely
manner. Infrequent and inconsistent attendance, participation, and work completion will negatively
influence the benefits that may be obtained from the course as well as lead to a lower grade. If it is
necessary for you to miss class due to extenuating circumstances, it is your responsibility to obtain class
notes, assignments, and/or handouts from Blackboard and/or from a classmate as well as to become
aware of any announcements that were made in class. You do not need to report your absence to the
instructor; it is your responsibility to determine what was addressed in the class.
Academic Integrity Policy The University Rules, including the Student Code of Conduct, and other
policies of the department, college, and university related to academic integrity will be enforced. Any
violation of these regulations, including acts of plagiarism, cheating, or falsifying field work will be dealt
with according to the severity of the misconduct. Dishonesty in any form may result in a failing grade in
a course and/or suspension or dismissal from a program (e.g., graduate or undergraduate).
Electronic Communication Policy: University of Cincinnati Information Technologies (UCIT) provides
access to email for all students, faculty and staff. Email is an official method of communication at the
University of Cincinnati. Students, faculty and staff are responsible for the consequences of not reading
college related communications sent to their official UC email address. This is also used to post official
messages and university, college and program announcements. As users of listservs, Blackboard
websites, and other forms of electronic communication, candidates in this course agree to participate
in a professional manner. In particular, not to harass other users of information technology services or
facilities; not to attempt to disrupt, degrade, or interfere with the normal operation of any information
technology service or facility; not to post or forward humor or “chain-letter” messages, or any
defamatory, abusive, threatening, offensive, or illegal materials.
Useful university web sites related to electronic communication include:
http://www.uc.edu/ucomm/web/social_media/students.html
http://www.uc.edu/ucit/policies.html
Participants are responsible for checking Blackboard and email on a regular basis. Students are
encouraged to use email when interacting with the instructor. When using email, students are to be
professional and courteous. Students should also remember email is an asynchronous form of
communication. Thus, while a prompt response may be desired, it may not always be possible
(especially late at night and on weekends). Students should allow at least 24 hours (48 hours on
weekends) for a response. That said, the instructor answers emails in the timeliest fashion possible.
Grading: We will grade the assignments using rubrics that you will find under Course Documents →
Rubrics on your Blackboard site. We will assign course grades using the following scale:
A = 93% - 100%
B = 83% - 92%
C = 73% - 82%
D = 63% - 72%
F = 62% - or less.
We have high expectations for you and plan to work to help you learn new ideas and develop
important skills that will make you a more successful teacher. We also expect that you will put forth the
effort necessary to produce high quality products to meet the assignments of this course. We expect
everyone to study the assigned readings prior to each class session and to come prepared to discuss
the ideas studied.
Course Schedule:
Topic
Week
1
Learners, Literacies, and Texts
2
Literacy Matters: Bringing Students and Texts Together
3
What is reading? What is writing?
4
Learning with New Literacies
5
Culturally Responsive teaching in Diverse Classrooms
6
Instructional Practices and Strategies
7
RTI for Adolescent Learners
8
Assessing Students and Texts
9
Activating Prior Knowledge and Interest
10
Thinking and Learning with Text
11
Developing Vocabulary and Concepts
12
Writing to Learn
13
Study Strategies
14
Learning with Trade Books
Exam Week