CTGE 5548 Comprehension & Vocabulary Gateway Assignment
Guidelines for Comprehension & Vocabulary Gateway Assignment
PURPOSE
The objective of this semester-long project is to prepare you to effectively plan
vocabulary and comprehension instruction based on a high-quality children’s book.
Using Fordham’s lesson plan format (provided in your coursework and in your student
handbook), your challenge is to consider the vocabulary and comprehension
opportunities in a children’s book of your choice. You are expected not only to plan this
instruction, but also to teach all of it (or a portion of it) and then reflect on your
instruction.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
This project will be completed in two parts and must include the following elements. Part
One consists of the Lesson Overview and Planning. Part Two contains the Lesson
Sequence & Reflection.
PART I – Lesson Overview & Planning
Part One is a 4-6 page overview of the planning of the scope and sequence of the lessons,
including a rationale for your planning. Three major components of Part One will be
graded: 1) your vocabulary lesson plan, 2) your comprehension lesson plan, and the
overview itself. More specifically, Part I includes the following elements:
a. A context of the setting of your teaching, including a brief description of
the students/classroom for which the lessons were designed
b. Brief summary of text you’ve selected including genre, reading level,
overview of plot, your rationale for selecting this text, and why this text is
both appealing to and appropriate for young readers
c. A summary of your comprehension instructional sequence, including
which comprehension skills and strategies you will use before, during, and
after reading, opportunities for guided and independent practice, and an
explanation of why you’ve selected this comprehension focus for this
particular text. Be sure to explain how you are following the Gradual
Release of Responsibility as an instructional framework.
d. A detailed lesson plan addressing reading comprehension, based on
Fordham’s lesson plan format. Be sure to include what you will do beforeduring-after to support student learning, guided and independent practice,
and any assessment activities to evaluate students’ understandings of the
text and the comprehension strategy. This lesson should teach using the
Gradual Release of Responsibility as an instructional framework.
e. A summary of your vocabulary instructional sequence, including the
appropriate vocabulary words you’ve chosen and your rationale for
selecting these particular words
f. A detailed lesson plan addressing vocabulary instruction for your text,
based on Fordham’s lesson plan format. Be sure to include which words
CTGE 5548 Comprehension & Vocabulary Gateway Assignment
you’ve selected, their student-friendly definition, follow-up activities to
reinforce students’ vocabulary acquisition and retention, and any
assessment activities to evaluate students’ understandings of these new
words
g. An explanation of how your instruction addresses state standards
h. Initial (pre-teaching) thoughts on how you will motivate your young
readers, including your plans to foster active engagement in learning, self
motivation, and positive social interaction, and to create supportive
learning environments
PART II – Lesson Sequence & Reflection
In Part Two, you provide a 4-6 page reflection on the teaching of your lesson, including
the following elements.
a. Walk the reader through your instruction. What did you do? What did
your students do? Provide concrete examples of student / teacher
interaction. What did your students say? How did they respond to the text
and your instruction?
b. An evaluation of student learning, including the following: How do you
know your students ‘got it’? What measures did you use to assess their
learning? In other words, were they successful in applying the
comprehension strategy? What was their understanding of the vocabulary
instruction you provided? What evidence do you have? Explain any areas
where students may have struggled. Include copies of student work (with
names removed). What do they show? Make sense of them and interpret
their work.
c. A reflection in which you demonstrate yourself to be a reflective
practitioner and lifelong learner. What went well? What didn’t go so well?
What did you learn from the experience? How can you improve future
comprehension and vocabulary lessons? What lingering questions do you
have?
d. At least three references (in APA style) to course readings, in which you
relate your instruction to relevant research and readings.