Reading and Writing Instruction for Intermediate Learners

1. Carla K. Meyer, Ph.D. Appalachian State University Reading and Writing Instruction for Intermediate Learners

2. Wake Up your Brain • What do you remember about reading and writing in grades 4-6? • Thinking points: • How often were you assigned reading and writing? • Did you enjoy reading and writing for class? • Did you ever select your own reading materials. If so how often. • Do you believe you experienced instruction that scaffolded your learning or were you left to your own devices?

3. Required Books • Class Books • Notebook Know How • Blue • Hoot

4. Assignments

5. Blog Post • BLOGS: In order to receive full credit, your responses must be posted before 10:oo p.m. on the day prior to class. The idea is to engage in a dialogue. We cannot do this if people are posting last minute!!! Your response must also demonstrate in-depth, critical thought, be well-organized, and demonstrate considerable effort in order to receive full credit. Also, please use correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation as you blog. Remember your audience. 

6. Please carefully read the syllabus!

7. A Word on Academic Integrity • Academic honesty and integrity are expected of all students.  Any work that you or your team submits must be your own work.  Any ideas, information, approaches, or formats that you use based on the work of others must be acknowledged by citing the appropriate sources. Academic honesty and integrity are expected of all students. Any work that you or your team submits must be your own work. Any ideas, information, approaches, or formats that you use based on the work of others must be acknowledged by citing the appropriate sources. As a community of learners at Appalachian State University, we strive to create an atmosphere of honesty, fairness, and responsibility, without which we cannot earn the trust and respect of each other. Furthermore, we recognize that academic dishonesty detracts from the value of an Appalachian degree. Therefore, we shall not tolerate lying, cheating, or stealing in any form and will oppose any instance of academic dishonesty. This course will follow the provisions of the Academic Integrity Code, which can be found on the Office of Student Conduct Web Site: http://studentconduct.appstate.edu/

8. A Word about Dispositions • Attendance, Disposition and Participation: The learning that I aim for in this course (clarifying, testing, and justifying ideas) depends largely on your attendance and active participation.  Attendance is expected for all classes.  This class will involve much student participation, thus it is particularly important that you come prepared for class--complete readings and other writings--because class and group discussions will generally be based on them.  Your participation in our class activities and discussions is important not only for your learning but also the learning of others.  Participation and attendance are essential. You cannot participate if you are not here and if you are not prepared. Each of you is responsible for developing a professional disposition, and each of you is responsible for involving yourself in the class activities and discussions. In-Class Assignments cannot be made up. You just can’t make up a discussion that you missed in class. Included in this professional disposition is the attitude, which you choose to embrace. I expect you to be excited and enthusiastic about this course. Cell phones and anything else that generates noise should be silenced during class. Instant messaging and texting in class is inappropriate. Please be respectful of others. You will receive ONE warning. Any additional infractions will result in a reduction of grade. • You are strongly encouraged to be prompt for each class.  2 times tardy equals 1 absence. More than 1 absence will result in the lowering of your grade.  For every class absence after 1, you will have 5 percentage points deducted from your final course grade average

9. Five Minute Break

10. Activity—Think Pair Share • Think • In what ways did you think the literacy needs of intermediate grade differs from the literacy needs of the primary-aged counterparts? • Write your thoughts in your class notebook for 30 seconds. • Pair • Compare your thoughts with a partner in the class. • Share • Share your ideas with the class.

11. Adolescent Learners • Major difference between reading in K-3 and reading in grades 4-12 is the transition from learning to read and reading to learn.

12. So What Does This Mean? • Literacy instruction does not end in third grade. It changes. • As teachers of intermediate learners we must address the literacy needs of all intermediate learners.

13. Chall’s Stage Development Theory • Stage 0: Getting Ready to Read • Stages 1 and 2 Learning and Practicing Beginning Reading Skills • Stage 3: Reading for Learning the New • Stage 4: Reading Multiple Viewpoints • Stage 5: Constructing and Reconstructing Meaning

14. How Do We Foster Literacy Learning In the Intermediate Grades? • Framework • Shared Reading • Grade-level text • Comprehension strategies • Vocabulary • Instructional/Independent Reading • Leveled text • Opportunity for students to independently practice strategies

15. How Do We Foster Literacy Learning In the Intermediate Grades? • Framework • Spelling • Opportunity for students to learning about the orthography of our language. • Leveled • Scaffolds students’ ability to decode • Writing • Notebooks • Genre Study • The Writing Process

16. What will an ELA block look like? Two hour block • Shared Reading 45 minutes • Independent/Instructional Reading 30 minutes • Writing 30 minutes • Spelling 15 minutes

17. To Do: • Read Pardoarticle • Look over and begin preparing for Module I. The tentative schedule for Module I is posted on the course blog. • Order books!