Assignments Overview

Lesson 4.1: Effective Instructional Practices
Focus: Understand the various developmental stages of reading and how to deliver effective instructional practices.

Standards for Reading Professionals (International Reading Association, 1998, pp. 11, 18, 21)
The reading professional will:
3.1 recognize how differences among learners influence their literacy development.
12.2 adapt instruction to meet the needs of different learners to accomplish different purposes.
16.2 reflect on one’s practice to improve instruction and other services to students.

Materials
Reflection journal
On Solid Ground
Literacy Education Certificate Course IV
Local DOE/MOE standards
Student data (e.g., observation notes, assessment data)

Estimated Time
3.0 hours independent work
1.5 hours Collaboration Group meeting

Lesson 4.2: Reading Aloud
Focus: Understand why it is important to read aloud to children.

Standards for Reading Professionals (International Reading Association, 1998, pp. 12, 21)
The reading professional will:
2.5 understand the interrelation of reading and writing, and listening and speaking.
3.3 use texts and trade books to stimulate interest, promote reading growth, foster appreciation for the written word, and increase the motivation of learners to read widely and independently for information, pleasure, and personal growth.
16.2 reflect on one’s practice to improve instruction and other services to students.

Materials
Reflection journal
On Solid Ground
Literacy Education Certificate Course II
Various children’s books to read aloud

Estimated time
3.0 hours independent work
1.5 hours Collaboration Group meeting

Lesson 4.3: Language Experience Approach
Focus: Become familiar with the Language Experience Approach (LEA) and why it is effective with culturally diverse students.

Standards for Reading Professionals (International Reading Association, 1998, pp. 10-11, 21)
The reading professional will:
2.1 understand that written language is a symbolic system.
2.7 understand emergent literacy and the experiences that support it.
3.1 recognize how differences among learners influence their literacy development. 16.2 reflect on one’s practice to improve instruction and other services to students.

Materials
Reflection journal
Literacy Education Certificate Course II

Estimated Time
3.0 hours independent work
1.5 hours Collaboration Group meeting

Lesson 4.4: Shared Reading
Focus: Learn about the importance of shared reading and how to plan and conduct shared reading lessons for primary students.

Standards for Reading Professionals (International Reading Association, 1998, pp. 9-10, 21)
The reading professional will:
1.1 recognize that reading should be taught as a process.
1.5 perceive reading as the process of constructing meaning through the interaction of the reader’s existing knowledge, the information suggested by the written language, and the context of the reading situation.
2.7 understand emergent literacy and the experiences that support it.
16.2 reflect on one’s practice to improve instruction and other services to students;

Materials
Reflection journal
On Solid Ground
Literacy Education Certificate Course IV
An appropriate book or text selected from the classroom or school library

Estimated Time
3.0 hours independent work
1.5 hours Collaboration Group meeting

Lesson 4.5: Phonological and Phonemic Awareness Activities
Focus: Understand why phonological and phonemic awareness is an important factor in reading development, and learn how to conduct effective lessons with students.

Standards for Reading Professionals (International Reading Association, 1998, pp. 10, 14, 21)
The reading professional will:
2.4 understand the phonemic, morphemic, semantic, syntactic, and pragmatic systems of language and their relation to the reading and writing process.
6.2 use phonics to teach students to use their knowledge of letter/sound correspondence to identify sounds in the construction of meaning.
16.2 reflect on one’s practice to improve instruction and other services to students.

Materials
Reflection journal
Put Reading First: The Research Building Blocks for Teaching Children to Read
Starting Out Right: A Guide to Promoting Children’s Reading Success
Optional: On Solid Ground

Estimated Time
3.0 hours independent work
1.5 hours Collaboration Group meeting

Lesson 4.6: Phonics and Interactive Writing
Focus: Understand the importance of phonics and how letter and sound symbol associations play an important role in learning to read. Learn how to provide phonics instruction through interactive writing.

Standards for Reading Professionals (International Reading Association, 1998, pp. 10, 21)
The reading professional will:
2.1 understand that written language is a symbolic system.
2.5 understand the interrelation of reading and writing, and listening and speaking.
2.7 understand emergent literacy and the experiences that support it.
16.2 reflect on one’s practice to improve instruction and other services to students.

Materials
Reflection journal
Put Reading First: The Research Building Blocks for Teaching Children to Read
Literacy Education Certificate Course IV
Starting Out Right: A Guide to Promoting Children’s Reading Success

Estimated Time
3.0 hours independent work
1.5 hours Collaboration Group meeting

Lesson 4.7: Structured Independent Reading and Dialogue Journals
Focus: Understand the importance of a structured independent reading time during the school day. Discuss ways to monitor this time carefully in order to make it an effective use of time.

Standards for Reading Professionals (International Reading Association, 1998, pp. 9, 12-13, 21)
The reading professional will:
1.3 recognize the importance of literacy for personal and social growth.
1.7 understand the impact of physical, perceptual, emotional, social, cultural, environmental, and intellectual factors on learning, language development, and reading acquisition.
3.3 understand that spelling is developmental and is based on students’ knowledge of the phonological system and of the letter names, their judgments of phonetic similarities and differences, and their ability to abstract phonetic information from letter names.
5.1 create a literate environment that fosters interest and growth in all aspects of literacy.
5.2 model and discuss reading and writing as valuable, lifelong activities.
5.4 provide opportunities for learners to select from a variety of written materials, to read extended texts, and to read for many authentic purposes.
16.2 reflect on one’s practice to improve instruction and other services to students.

Materials
Reflection journal
On Solid Ground
Put Reading First: The Research Building Blocks for Teaching Children to Read

Estimated Time
3.0 hours independent work
1.5 hours Collaboration Group meeting

Lesson 4.8: Profile of Reading Instructional Practices
Focus: Use the Profile of Reading Instructional Practices, K-3, in this lesson to observe and provide feedback to a colleague.

Standards for Reading Professionals (International Reading Association, 1998, pp. 17, 21)
The reading professional will:
11.2 communicate with allied professionals and paraprofessionals in assessing student achievement and planning instruction.
16.2 reflect on one’s practice to improve instruction and other services to students.
16.6 promote collegiality with other literacy professionals through regular conversations, discussions and consultations about learners, literacy theory, and assessment and instruction.

Materials
Reflection journal

Estimated Time
3.0 hours independent work
1.5 hours Collaboration Group meeting

Lesson 4.9: Evaluation and Literacy Talk
Focus: Share your learning with other participants and evaluate the module.

Standards for Reading Professionals (International Reading Association, 1998, p. 21)
The reading professional will:
16.2 reflect on one’s practice to improve instruction and other services to students. 16.3 interact with and participate in decision making with teachers, teacher educators, theoreticians, and researchers.

Materials
Access to the Internet to post a reflection journal entry, complete the module evaluation, and participate in the online Literacy Talk discussion.

Estimated Time
3.0 hours independent work
1.5 hours Collaboration Group meeting