EDEL 4309: Developing Competent & Democratic Professional
1
UWCC COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
EDEL
Instructor: Dr. Keonghee Tao Han
Phone: (W) 307-268-2056
Email: khan@uwyo.edu
LITERACY METHODS
4309, Section 50
(5 credits)
Fall 2012
Office: Tate Museum 122
Office Hours: Tuesday & Thursday.
12:30-2:30 PM & by appointment
Class Meeting Times and Location: Tuesday & Thursday (9:00-11:30 a.m.) Tate 111
Prerequisites: 2.75 GPA; successful completion of EDST 3000 (grade C or better).
Course Description: This course is designed to develop the reflective practitioner for teaching
literacy in the elementary school by exploring curriculum, theory, philosophy, literacy strategies,
practice, and materials. Requires minimum 35 hours of practicum/field work.
Course Outcomes:

Develop knowledge of literacy content specific foundations and pedagogy;

Understand the groundwork of language/literacy assessments and literacy pedagogies to
become skilled at designing developmentally appropriate language/literacy instructions;

Be able to address global, demographic, and technical changes and adapt to the New
Literacies and varied needs of all students including diverse learners; and

Grow to be both a learner/researcher and a reflective practitioner for self-development and
one who strives for the success of ALL students.
Professional Behaviors/Dispositions Assessment
The Wyoming Teacher Education Program (WTEP), as a requirement for accreditation, assesses
teacher candidates’ “professional behaviors and dispositions.” This assessment is completed by
UW faculty members and mentor teachers in specified courses throughout the WTEP and can
also be completed at the discretion of any UW instructor. These evaluations will be shared with
students/teacher candidates. Any candidate receiving 3 or more ratings of “1” on a professional
dispositions assessment, or any teacher candidate receiving 3 or more “1” ratings across multiple
professional dispositions assessments, will be required to complete a professional dispositions
improvement plan in collaboration with the remediation counselor/Associate Dean. Students not
successfully completing a required improvement plan will not be allowed to continue in the
WTEP.
Academic dishonesty: It is expected that each student will do his or her own work, and
contribute equitably to group projects and processes. If there is any question about academic
honesty, consult the University Link.
http://www.uwyo.edu/generalcounselsupport/clean%20uw%20regulations/UW%20Reg%206-802.pdf
Under University policy, no student should have any penalty imposed without full due process.
The due process system ensures that students are treated equitably.
EDEL 4309: Developing Competent & Democratic Professional
Required Text and Supplemental Article Resources:
Authors
Title
Donald R. Bear, Marcia
Invernizzi, Shane
Templeton, and
Francine Johnston
Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics,
Helpful Websites
readwritethink.org
writingfix.com
PUBL
Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction (5th Edition)
Pearson: Prentice
Hall (2012)
*Required Text
ISBN
9780137035106.
http://wiki.ed.uiuc.edu/index.php/Wiki in a K-12
classroom
www.newhorizons.org/strategies/
multicultural/higgins.htm.
www.sandi.net/depts/instructional_materials/
Additional Reading
2
Use APA style for
bibliography. APA
refers to American
Psychological
Association
10ways.pdf.
Check eCompanion Doc Sharing on WYOweb
Course Assignments: This course is based on 200 points. See rubrics on eCompanion.
In-&-out of class Literacy
Practicum
Technology &
Case Study
activities
Development
Teaching:
Literacy Project
Total 46 pts.-Check-points
TPA Read
Participation
Total 90 pts.
Aloud
30 points (pts.)
Assignment
25 pts. each
except group
In-Class Ticket
24 pts.
10 pts.
30 pts.
to Ride—16 pts. demonstration
15 pts.
8 times @2 pts.
each
Participation
1. Check Point
Lesson Plan &
Incorporating
Due: 4:30 PM
& Preparedness
#1—Mid-Term
Planning
Technology in
12-11
with reading
on Th. 10-11;
Commentary
Literacy
Drop Box
assignments
2. Check Point #2 Due:
outside of my
Group Projects
TH. 10-17
Group
office
(Written report)
Reflection
Demonstrations
Due: T. 11-13
Commentary & on 11-20 & 11-27
3. Check Point #3 Video clip:
(Sign up for
T. 10-30
Group
Demonstration):
12-04
4. Check point
#4:
Final Exam on T.
12-06
EDEL 4309: Developing Competent & Democratic Professional
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1. Participation (discussion, reading, viewing, writing, & collaboration) in-and-some outof-class activities, 30 pts.)
a) Participation & Professional Disposition: Throughout the semester your positive and
professional participation is vital to your success. The Dispositions Rating Form will be
used by methods instructors as a team to assess your participation and potential success as
a teacher. A copy of the dispositions form, or a link to online materials, will be provided.
The final rating score may affect your successful completion of methods. Candidates
cannot receive more than one rating of “B” or “U” in any section: Candidates cannot
receive more than four B’s total to progress through the program without completing a
remediation plan.
b) Ticket to Ride ( 8 times @ 2 pt. each=16 pts.): Most Thursdays (~8 times throughout the
semester), you will write main ideas of the reading assignments a few minutes before the
class is dismissed. The purpose for this activity is to check to see you are carefully reading
the assigned reading materials.
2. Literacy Development Checkpoints (90 pts. total)
Three times during the semester you will be provided with vignettes/exercises highlighting key
concepts that have been introduced, examined, and practiced in class and in the text.
Three Literacy Check Points include the following:
1. Literacy Check Point #1 (25 pts. Mid-Term on 10-11)—Mid-term exam that covers the
beginning to Thursday, October 11;
2. Literacy Check Point #2 (25 pts. Group Project Written Report)—Due on 11-13 (Group
work report);
3. Literacy Check Point #3 (15 pts. Demonstrations of Written Report)—Sign up for 11-15
or 12-04
4. Literacy Check Point #4 (25 pts. Final Exam. On 12-06)—Final exam that covers the rest
of the materials after the Check Point #1
These checkpoint assessments serve as the Teacher Education Program Common
Assessment- you must successfully pass each at the “proficient” level in order to pass the
class. This is the common assessment required by the College of Education. In past years it was
a high stakes final exam administered at one time. By using checkpoints you can be informed of
your progress along the way and as such you can solidly demonstrate your proficiency in all key
areas of literacy instruction on four different occasions. Each checkpoint will serve as a
culminating assessment for the content areas of literacy instruction.
Group Project Literacy Check Point #2 Written Report and Check Point #3 Group InClass Demonstrations: You will team with two to three classmates as the following:
A) Assessment: Administer Early Literacy Assessments for Emergent learners (if needed), and
Primary Spelling Inventory (PSI) or Elementary Spelling Inventory (ESI) to your 1st to 5th
EDEL 4309: Developing Competent & Democratic Professional
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graders in your practicum classrooms. Usually, you will have a good range of developing
readers/writers such as Emergent, Letter Name-Alphabetic (LN-A), Within Word Pattern
(WWP), and Syllables and Affixes (SA), or Derivational Relations (DR) stage learners in a
classroom. Of course, in primary grades (K-2), you will not have all the above range literacy
learners. This is why you are teaming with your classmates who are placed in intermediate
grades;
B) Grouping: Once you have completed your Early Literacy Assessments, PSI, or ESI in your
practicum classrooms, you as a group determine which three to four groups you will analyze and
plan for reading/writing groups. Requirement: Your group must have at least 3 distinctive
reading/spelling level groups. For example, I recommend that you choose minimum three groups
of differing literacy levels up to 25 students ranging the Emergent, LN-A, etc. In this grouping,
you must include one of the advanced stage learners (SA or DR);
C) Designing Lessons: You will write a report to show your grouping is based on the above
assessments. In this group formation, it is critical for you to demonstrate how you arrived in the
kinds of particular grouping as I demonstrate in class. Once the grouping is complete, then you
will devise reading and writing lessons to show whole-class and follow-up differentiated
instructions for your minimum 3 different reading/spelling groups. In the whole-class lessons,
you show how you introduce and open up the lesson contents. Then you follow up by providing
three differentiated reading/writing groups. In these whole-class and small group reading/writing
lessons, you must be clear about “WHAT” you are teaching and “HOW” you are teaching in
whole-class and 3 different small groups. That is, you will use specific reading methods and
materials specifically targeted the literacy contents and aspects the whole-class as a grade level
and a follow-up small group in differentiated instructions; and
D) In-Class Demonstration: Literacy Check Point #3 is the demonstration/presentation of your
Check Point #2 to your classmates on either on December 6 or 8. Your group will sign up.
E) Case Study from the Literacy Check Point #2: Using a part of your group project, you will
also conduct your case study with a partner. I strongly recommend that you pair yourself with a
classmate who works with a higher or lower functioning focus student compared to your focus
student. Group pairing will be distributed in class. Please discuss with me if any
misunderstanding arises.
3. Practicum Teaching Experience (Read Aloud/TPA Assignment, 24 pts.)
Please refer to the description of this assignment attached and also posted on eCompanion.
During your student teaching experience you will be engaged in a reflective process through a
Teacher Performance Assessment (TPA). This assignment will introduce you to the components
of this assessment. Additionally, as an elementary teacher you will be reading aloud to students
and this takes practice. You must use voice inflection, read fluently, and find a balance between
asking questions of students, checking for understanding, and simply allowing a good piece of
literature to be savored and enjoyed. The written lesson plan will allow you to thoughtfully find
this balance with a clear purpose for students.
Due dates for TPA Read Aloud Assignment:
Planning and Commentary and Lesson Plan: Thursday, 10-17
Instruction and Reflection Commentary and Video Clip: Tuesday, 10-30
EDEL 4309: Developing Competent & Democratic Professional
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4. Incorporating Technology in Literacy (10 pts.).
Schedule a week to learn about incorporating technology in teaching literacy aspects, for e.g.,
vocabulary, comprehension (reader’s theater), writing (blogging), etc. You will work with a few
members to do this project. For your Technology & Literacy project, you may work with your
mentor teacher or Lloyd Curtis, Instructional Technology Educational Specialist. You can
contact Lloyd by phone 307.268.3090 or email, lcurtis@uwyo.edu during two-week periods, 1022 to 10-26 and the other week, 11-12-11-16. You can also ask Lloyd if he can schedule to meet
with you other times. We will have some class time to present your results once after the MidTerm on November 20 and 27.
We will do a Jig Saw reading activities using reading and resource materials/articles, for e.g.,
Gill & Islam (2011); Sylvester & Greenidge (2009); Thoermer & Williams (2012); Vasinda &
McLeod (2011); Zawilinski (2009), etc.
5. Case Study: Assessment and Intervention (Paper 30 pts.)
You will use a variety of tools to assess two elementary reader(s) to determine children’s
strengths and areas of needs in reading and writing. Some assessment tools will be introduced in
class before you assess the child, interpret the data, and write up your results. Although you are
also encouraged to explore and practice the assessment tools used in your practicum classroom,
you must include Early Literacy Assessments, Informal Reading Inventory, or Running Records
as appropriate as your focus student(s). You will also practice teaching three lessons including
narrative, expository, and poetry lessons and appropriate word study and vocabulary instruction
in all three-genre lessons. The Case Study guidelines and rubric will be handed out in class. You
will probably work as duos or trios for this project.
Please follow the case study rubric (see on eCompanion, Doc Sharing). Write a double-spaced,
8-10 page paper. Include references (not counted for the page limit) and student work samples in
the appendix at the end of the paper.
Due date for your Case Study: 4:30 PM Tuesday, December 11 in the drop box outside of
my office.
Grading Standards:
This is a competency-based course; your grade is based on assignment of your performance of
specified course outcomes, based on designated criteria, not in comparison to other students.
While content is the most important of the three, organization and mechanics are essential in
professional work.
Grading Scale: Total 200 pts. Please read all rubrics and all rubrics are available on
eCompanion Doc Sharing.
GRADING:
93 – 100% (186-200 pts.) = A
85 – 92% (172-185 pts.) = B
75 – 84% (152-171 pts.)
=C
69 – 74% (136-151 pts.)
=D
Below 67.5 % (135 pts.) =F
EDEL 4309: Developing Competent & Democratic Professional
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*Tentative Course Calendar
*I reserve the right to modify the syllabus content as I see fit so that you equip yourself
effectively with literacy content and pedagogy. You will be notified any changes one week in
advance.
Weeks / Dates
Course Topics/Goals
Activities/
Case Study
Reading Assignments (RA)
Assignment Due Dates
Reminder
Goals:
8-21
Week 1:
Create expectations & community First Day at Natrona County School
8-21 & 8-23
of learners and teachers
District (NCSD) schools
Define literacy
*Talk with your
-Read the course syllabus before the
Understand the course assignments Thursday, 8-23 class meeting
mentor teacher
and rubrics
about the case
-Understand the purpose and expectations
study project and
of the assignments
selection of your
focus student
Build background knowledge
about comprehension and other
aspects of literacy
Rubin & Opitz (2007) Ch. 12
8-23
Review the assignments & rubrics
Q & A about syllabus, assignments,
rubrics, & grading
Jig Saw Reading:
Comprehension Background Knowledge:
Reading Assignments (RA):
Build background about comprehension
The link among Vocabulary, Fluency, &
Reading Comprehension
Week 2:
8-28 & 8-30
*Talk with your
mentor teacher
about the case study
project & your
focus student & set
the dates for
spelling inventories
and lessons
RA:
Tompkins Chs. 7 & 8 “Facilitating
Students’ Comprehension: Reader
Factors and Text Factors”
Comprehension Background Knowledge
Comprehension & Fluency exercises with
different genre texts (Narrative, Expository, &
Poetry)
Goals:
Become familiar with some “big
ideas” that guide our teaching
practices
Understand the link among
literacy aspects such as
reading/decoding, vocabulary,
and comprehension
Develop a firm background
understanding about vocabulary
and comprehension
Week 3:
9-04 &
RA:
Lane & Wright (2008)
Comprehension Exercises Continues…
EDEL 4309: Developing Competent & Democratic Professional
9-06
Dooley (2010)
JIG SAW Reading Activities:
Goals:
Build comprehension and
vocabulary background knowledge
Week 4:
9-11 & 9-13
For your case
study,
administer a
spelling test
(PSI, ESI, or
USI)
RA:
Bear, Invernizzi, Templeton, &
Johnston (2012) Chs. 1 &
Appendix A (pp. 312-322)
Williams, Phillips-Birdsong,
Hufnagel, Hungler, & Lundstrom
(2009)
Goals:
Understand developmental
spelling stages and spelling
features for each stage
Read aloud;
Vocabulary, Fluency, & Comprehension: &
Expository Text & Comprehension
Overview of developmental spelling
Overview of the basis for developmental
word study and five stages
Administer and Spelling Inventories:
Primary Spelling Inventory (PSI)
Elementary Spelling Inventory (ESI)
Upper Spelling Inventory (USI)
Understand the importance of
spelling assessments and learn to
interpret assessment results
literacy instruction
Understand and articulate the
interwoven nature of assessment
and instruction
Week 5
9-18 & 9-20
7
RA:
Bear et al. Chs. 2 & 3
Roskos & Neuman (2012)
Goals:
Understand developmental
spelling stages and spelling
features for each stage
Understand the importance of
spelling assessments and learn to
interpret assessment results for
whole-class and differentiated
instructions
Understand and articulate the
interwoven nature of assessment
and instruction
Grouping
Word study
Scheduling for word study
Circle-Seat-Center
EDEL 4309: Developing Competent & Democratic Professional
Week 6
9-25 & 27
For your case
study,
administer a
spelling test
(PSI, ESI, or
USI)
**Observe a
week of Guided
Reading with
your group
members
RA:
Bear et al. Ch. 4
Rubin & Opitz (2007) Ch. 7
Morris, Lomax, & Perney (2003)
Williams, Sherry, Robinson, &
Hungler (2012)
Goals:
Develop a thorough
understanding of the Emergent
Stage Learners’ characteristics
8
Linguistics for the Emergent Stage
Appropriate spelling, vocabulary, &
literacy lessons for the Emergent Stage
A variety of assessment tools for the
Emergent Stage
Secret stories for the Emergent Stage
Make & Take word or concept sort and/or
Understand the importance of
word sorting, word study for word share songs for the emergent stage
study for literacy development
learners
Understand the connections
between oral and written language
Devise a word study lesson plans
for the beginning stage, Emergent
Stage Learners
Develop understanding of
phonological awareness, alphabet
knowledge, concepts about print,
concepts of word in text, and
literacy approaches for this stage
Week 7:
10-02 & 04
For your case
study,
administer a
spelling test
(PSI, ESI, or
USI)
RA:
Bear et al. Ch. 5
Appendix B & C (pp. 326-346)
Bintz (2010)
Frey & Fisher (2010)
Goals:
Develop understanding of
teaching phonological awareness
via child-friendly methods
Bear et al. Ch 4 Emergent Stage activities
(as needed)
Secret stories
Bear Text Ch. 5
Spelling, vocabulary, & literacy resources
for the Letter Name-Alphabetic Stage
(LNA)
**Observe a
week of Guided
Reading with
your group
members
Understand the Letter NameAlphabetic Stage features
Assessment tools for the
LNA Stage
Become familiar with this stage
learner traits to provide
appropriate assessments and
literacy instructions
Linguistics for vowels
Secret Stories for the LNA stage
Week 8:
RA:
**10-11 Literacy Check Point #1
EDEL 4309: Developing Competent & Democratic Professional
10-09 & 10-11
For your case
study,
administer a
Early literacy
assessment,
running records,
or IRI
(and PSI or ESI
if not completed,
yet)
**Observe a
week of Guided
Reading with
your group
members
Week 9:
10-16 &
10-18
Administer a
Early literacy
assessment,
running records,
or IRI
By the end of
this week, you
should have
observed a week
of Guided
Reading with
your group
members
Week 10:
10-23 &
10-25
Complete your
Read aloud
lesson and create
a video clip and
Bear et al. Ch. 6
Appendix D & E (pp. 351-364)
Rubin & Opitz (2007) Ch. 8 (pp.
193-236)
Goals:
Learn about the spelling features
of Transitional readers/writers in
the Within Word Pattern Stage
9
Mid-Term
Bear Text Ch. 6
Transitional Learners in the Within Word
Pattern Stage (WWP)
Word study notebook
Review the Informal Reading Inventories
(IRI)—Rubin & Opitz (2007) Ch. 8 (pp. 193236)
Running records and the IRI
Try informal assessment tools
such as running records and the
Informal Reading Inventory (IRI)
Implement appropriate instructions and
word study for the WWP
Be able to plan and provide
lessons to target transitional
readers/writers
*Bring one transitional reader level book
to share
10-16 Fall Break: No Class
Meeting
RA:
McNair & Brooks (2012)
Goals:
Learn about the spelling features
of Transitional readers/writers in
the Within Word Pattern Stage
Try informal assessment tools
such as running records and the
Informal Reading Inventory (IRI)
10-15 & 16 Fall Break
** 10-17 TPA Read-aloud Lesson Plan
& Planning Commentary Due
Continue
Bear Ch. 6 WWP readers/writers
Allow in-class Group Project time
*Bring one transitional reader level book
to share
Be able to plan and provide
lessons to target transitional
readers/writers
RA:
Bear et al. Ch. 7
Goals:
Understand the intermediate
learners, Syllables and Affixes
Stage (SA) and features
Bear Text Ch. 7
Syllables and Affixes Stage (SA)
Stage
Linguistics background knowledge for the
intermediate and advanced stages
EDEL 4309: Developing Competent & Democratic Professional
edit your
teaching.
Week 11:
10-30 &
11-01
Teach lessons:
one narrative,
Expository, and
poetry genres
Build background linguistics
knowledge for the intermediate
and advanced readers/writers
10
SA stage appropriate word study
instructional methods, word study
notebook, word study, & games
Be able to appropriate literacy
methods and strategies for the
SA readers/writers
Book Club Activities
RA:
Bear et al. Ch. 8
Templeton (1983)
**10-30
Reflection Commentary and Video clip
Due
Literature Circles
Goals:
Understand the advanced stage,
The Derivational Relations
Stage (DR) and learn to apply
literacy methods and strategies
for the DR stage readers/writers
Explore uses of literature in the
classroom and learn to organize
and implement literature circles
Become familiar and conscious of
critical literacy themes in
children’s literature
Relevant linguistics for the DR Stage
The Derivational Relations Stage (DR)
Linguistics background knowledge for the
intermediate and advanced stages
DR stage appropriate word study
instructional methods, word study
notebook, word study, & games
Literature Circles
Children’s literature selections
(Literature Circles discussions including a
one page reflection for each in-class
literature circle meeting)
* Review case study rubric
Start drafting/writing the case study
Week 12:
11-06 &
11-08
Teach 3 different
genre lessons:
one narrative,
one
Expository, &
one Poetry
New Literacies & Global
Education
SA & DR Stages Strategies Comprehension
Windows Strategy (CWS)
ELs and Students of Color
Struggling Readers/Writers
Shadow Puppetry
RA:
Frye et al. (2010)
Kucan (2007)
Bass & Woo (2008)
Han & Scull (2012)
Yoon (2007)
Goals:
Design lessons and activities to
Literature Circle Discussions
Multicultural and global education
Complete all assessments and lessons with
your focus students and write up the
Literacy Checkpoint #2 Group Project
Prepare for the Group Demonstrations I
Literacy Check Point #3
EDEL 4309: Developing Competent & Democratic Professional
11
promote & monitor
comprehension & vocabulary
development
Understand different genres,
approaches, and the importance of
vocabulary for “reading to learn”
Week 13:
11- 13 &
11-15
Teach lessons:
Narrative,
Expository, &
Poetry
RA:
Christi, Enz, & Vukelich:
Writer’s workshop
Ch. 8
Bogard & McMackin (2012)
Morgan (2010)
Richards & Hawes (2006)
Goals:
Explore literature (poetry forms
and other related literature and
literacy modes such as technology
related literacy) to motivate all
learners
**11-13 Literacy Check Point #2
Group Project Due
** 11-15 Literacy Check Point #3
Group Demonstrations I
Writer’s Workshop
4-Square Writing
Step-Up-to Writing
Reciprocal Teaching
Literature Circle Discussions
Case Study rubrics
Ascertain Writer’s Workshop
components
Week 14:
11-20 &
11-22
Technology & Literacy
Demonstrations
RA: Jig Saw Reading:
Gill & Islam (2011);
Sylvester & Greenidge (2009);
Thoermer & Williams (2012);
Vasinda & McLeod (2011);
Zawilinski (2009)
Week 15
11-27 & 11-29
Thanksgiving—No Class
Meeting on 11-22
11-27
RA: Jig Saw Reading:
Technology & Literacy:
Gill & Islam (2011);
Sylvester & Greenidge (2009);
Thoermer & Williams (2012);
Vasinda & McLeod (2011);
Zawilinski (2009)
No Class Meeting on 11-29
due to international Literacy
*11-20 Technology & Literacy
Group Demonstrations A
Thanksgiving Week 11-20
Finish all assessments and lessons with
your focus students and write up the
report.
*11-27 Technology & Literacy
Group Demonstrations B
Complete all assessments and lessons with
your focus students and write up the Case
Study report
Prepare for the Group Demonstrations II
EDEL 4309: Developing Competent & Democratic Professional
Week 16
12-04 & 12-06
12
conference in California
Literacy Check Point #3
Literacy Check Point #3 & 4
**12-04 Literacy Check Point #3 Group
Demonstrations II & III
**12-06 Literacy Check Point #4 Final
Exam
Finals Week
12-10~12-13
** 4:30 PM 12-11
Case Study Due
EDEL 4309: Developing Competent & Democratic Professional
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