Teaching strategies for classroom teachers to use for the continuous diagnostic and prescriptive teaching of reading.

• Introduction to a Diagnostic Reading Program
• Role of Diagnostic Reading Teachers
• Diagnostic Assessment
• Factors that Affect Reading Performance
• Helping Children Achieve in Reading
• Alternative Assessment Techniques Across the Grades
• Assessing and Teaching Early Literacy
• Listening in on Students' Oral Reading
• Using Texts to Help Children Overcome Reading Difficulties
• Helping Children Acquire and Apply Phonics Knowledge
• Helping Children Acquire and Apply Vocabulary
• Helping Children Comprehend
• Learning Strategies and Study Skills in a Diagnostic Program
• Teachers and Parents as Partners in the Diagnostic Program

Students are expected to finish the following assessments:

1. Participation:                                                                                                  50 points

Merely attending class is not sufficient to earn the class participation credit. You are expected to come to class prepared and ready to actively participate in each class session: ask questions, answer questions, share your knowledge and experiences, and actively participate in whole class and small group discussions and activities. Read any assigned course materials, bring your texts and course materials to every class session, and take responsibility for your share of the discussion. Absence will affect your participation grade. Each absence will lose 10 points for participation.

2.      Tutoring Performance:                                                                                50 points

a.       During the semester, you will design and carry out 8 tutoring lessons during designated tutoring hours (1:00-2:30pm), starting on Wednesday, Feb  18 and ending on Apr.24.  In case of illness, you should notify the instructor and the classroom teachers by 11:30 am on the day of your tutoring lesson. Appropriate attire is required. No jeans, shorts, sweats, tennis shoes, flip flops, etc. No bare midriff. No tongue rings.

b.      You must have a lesson plan for each tutoring session. Prepare two typed lesson plans (one for yourself and one for the instructor) with 2 inches of margin on the right side.

c.       Take anecdotal notes during and after your tutoring sessions to record your observations of student engagement in reading and writing activities.

d.      Demonstrate professionalism in your speech and action at all times when interacting with children, teachers, school staff, and the school principal.

e.       Write thoughtful reflective journals after each tutoring session.

f.       Details of writing lesson plans and reflective journals will be discussed.

g.      Turn in your lesson and reflection journal after finishing each lesson.

3.      Double-Entry Journal on Class Readings(Group Project)                       150 points

Each group needs 3 students. Each week you will write a journal entry outside of class in response to the each chapter’s  reading, which will be based on the Opitz, Rubin, & Erekson textbook (Reading diagnosis and improvement) and Johns Text (Basic Reading Inventory) or some supplemental materials which will be given in the class. Each journal entry has two columns. On one side, you’ll write at least 5 quotes that strike you during the reading; on the other side, you should write your personal responses to these quotes. The response can be related to your prior knowledge on this topic, other readings you have done, your own schooling/learning experiences, and/or how this quote makes you feel and why, etc. You are expected to bring your journal to each class for sharing in small groups or with the whole class. You need to turn in your journal entry after every 5 chapters and some supplemental reading materials. Since Chapter 15 only has a few pages, you do not have to write reflections for the chapter, but you need to write briefly five ideas that you have learned in this class and how you will  apply these ideas to your future classroom . An example of a Double Entry is listed on page number 19.  

1. Literacy Teaching Resource Notebook (Group Project)                           150  points

Each group needs 3 students to compile a notebook of 30 teaching strategies/activities/routines/ideas that you could use to support literacy development. These ideas could be from the two texts, adapted and written in your own words or from class sessions or other resources approved by the instructor. Reference all sources. You need this strategy notebook when you are tutoring students or doing student teaching next semester. Be creative! New ideas of teaching!!  Be well-prepared for your future career. An example of a Literacy Teaching Resource Notebook will be posted on the D2L.

The strategies should be divided into the following categories: breaking the code:  phonics (2), spelling (1), structural analysis, fluency (2), and vocabulary (5), strategies for understanding  narrative text and poetry (5), strategies for understanding expository text (5), grammar and mechanics (5), and writing process (5). Each entry should use the following format:

A.    Heading: Name of strategy/activity/routine/idea

B.     Purpose: what will the students learn? Why do the routine?

C.     Description of the procedures: How would you do this in a classroom or tell someone else how to do this?

D.    Materials needed.

E.     Activities that could extend the learning.

F.       Reference: Where did you get this idea?

You may cross-reference strategies if you feel that they fit into more than one category, however each strategy will be counted only once. Choose strategies that relate to your major areas. The rubric is listed on page number, 20. 

5.      Lesson plan(Individual Project )                                                                 120   points

The reason for conducting reading diagnosis is to ascertain one or two children’s reading strengths and needs in order to adjust your instruction to benefit their learning. It also depends on the school needs such as the numbers of students who need to receive tutoring sessions. In order to learn how to diagnose the children’s strengths and needs and how to adjust instruction, you will assess and tutor two children. On the basis of your analysis of the data from the assessments you administer and from your observations, you will design and implement approximately eight, 60-90  minute tutoring sessions in which you will utilize the children’s literacy strengths to improve their literacy needs. To conduct instructional sessions, you need to collect assessment data to assist you in planning for instruction. You will need to determine what data to collect and what instruction you must provide. You must make decisions about the reading strengths and needs of the children you are tutoring. You are to write a weekly tutoring lesson plan for each tutoring session. The format of the lesson will be discussed in class, and a form for writing the lesson plan is provided.

There are two lesson plan formats listed in the syllabus (pp.21-22). Session#1 (pre-test) will be focused on using a variety of assessments; you will apply different strategies to meet each child’s need after the tutoring session # 2. A hard copy of the typed, single-spaced, 12 font (Times New Roman font, like this syllabus), lesson plan is due in the class on Mondays so that I can give you feedback before the next tutoring session. The sessions 2-7 are a treatment period. This means that you not only provide a variety of strategies to meet the students’ instructional needs, but also include some informal assessments such as taking observation notes, asking questions, etc. Assessment and instruction are always tied together during your tutoring sessions. The final session will be an overview to determine whether the students have made improvement, and it is more like a post-test. An example of lesson plan will be posted to the D2L.

As Part of the Tutoring Lessons, You Will Administer and Analyze the Following Assessments for the Children You Are Tutoring: As part of the course requirements, you will be working at one of the local schools. You will use a variety of assessment instruments to identify the literacy strengths and needs of the student you will be tutoring. These assessments will be introduced and discussed in class during the semester. From the assessments discussed in class, you will select the informal assessments that are most appropriate for the child you are tutoring, based on the preliminary information you are given about that child. Please remember that any information about the children you are tutoring is confidential and should not be discussed or shared with anyone other than the children’s parents, teachers (if tutoring children recommended by their teacher and the clinic is located at the school), or within our READ 4223 course classroom discussions  

(1) Interest Inventory

Several interest inventories are available. You will administer the one most appropriate for the child you are tutoring. Administer the interest inventory during the first tutoring session. Following the tutoring session (do not take tutoring time to analyze the form), summarize in your lesson plan what you learned about the child from the interest inventory. In the written lesson reflection, reflect on that information. How will it affect your tutoring?

(2) Garfield, Burke’s, or the Metacognitive Reading Interview

You will be introduced to several reading interview forms during class. The objective of a reading interview is to discover how the child you are tutoring views reading. You will administer the most appropriate interview for the child you are tutoring. Administer the reading inventory during the first tutoring session. Following the tutoring session (do not take tutoring time to analyze the form), summarize in your lesson log what you learned about the child’s views of reading from the interview. In the written lesson reflection, reflect on that information. How will it affect your tutoring?

(3)Writing Sample

During one of the first tutoring sessions and during one of the last tutoring sessions (3 times), collect a writing sample from the children you are tutoring. Do not use tutoring time to do the analysis, use the form handed out in class to analyze each child’s writing in terms of syntactic usage, semantic usage, graphophonic usage, writing mechanics usage (capitalization, punctuation, spacing, and legibility/penmanship). In your lesson plan summarize what you learned about the children’s writing from the writing sample. In the written lesson reflection, reflect on that information. How will it affect your tutoring? How can you help each child with writing during the tutoring lessons?

(4) Writing Interview

During one of the first tutoring sessions, administer the writing interview to the children you are tutoring. You may need to reword some of the items for younger children. In your lesson plan summarize what you learned about the children’s views of writing from the writing interview. In the written lesson reflection, reflect on that information. How will it affect your tutoring? How can you help each child with writing during the tutoring lessons?

(5) Spelling Inventory

You will be introduced to more than one spelling inventory form during class. During one of the first tutoring sessions, administer the appropriate spelling inventory to the children you are tutoring. In your lesson plan summarize what you learned about their spelling from the spelling inventory. In the written lesson reflection, reflect on that information. How will it affect your tutoring? What are each child’s spelling strengths? What are each child’s spelling needs? What patterns do you see? How can you help the children with spelling during the tutoring lessons, or is spelling a strength on which you do not need to focus?

(6) Informal Reading Inventory (IRI) and Miscue Analysis Summary Sheets

Administer the various parts of the Johns Informal Reading Inventory. This includes the word lists and oral reading passages. You will only administer the silent reading passages and listening passages if the children you are tutoring are a certain age level. Each part of the inventory provides specific information about the children’s reading ability. After administering the IRI, score each part and complete the appropriate summary forms. Following the tutoring session, analyze the information from the forms (do not take tutoring time to do your analysis). Provide a brief summary of the information from each part of the IRI in your lesson plan for that tutoring session. In the written lesson reflection, reflect on that information. How will the IRI information affect your tutoring? What is each child’s reading level? What are their reading strengths—word ID or comprehension? What are their reading needs? What patterns do you see in their reading? How can you help each child with reading during the tutoring lessons?

(7) Tutoring Session Running Records

The running record should be completed on a familiar reading—a 100 to 150 word passage that each child read during the prior tutoring session. In order to administer the running record, you will need a copy of the material the children read. You will mark any miscues as they read. Analyze the reading miscues after the tutoring session. Do not take session time to complete your analysis of the reading. In your lesson plan summarize what you learned about each child’s reading from the running record. For example, what is your interpretation of the miscue analysis? What patterns do you see in the children’s reading? In the written lesson reflection, reflect on that information. How will it affect your tutoring? What are their reading strengths? What are their reading needs? Have the children’s reading levels changed? If so, why do you think they changed? If not, why didn’t they change? Based on information from the running record, how can you help the children with reading during the tutoring lessons?

(8) Other Assessments

Based on the strengths and needs of the children you are tutoring, are there other assessments that should be completed? Other assessments may be suggested by your professor which you may need to complete. If you complete another assessment for the children you are tutoring, identify the assessment and summarize the information from the assessment in the lesson plan. In the written lesson reflection, reflect on that information. How will this information affect your tutoring?

7.      Written Reflections  of the Tutoring Lessons(Individual Project)            120   points

Following each tutoring lesson, you will write a 1-1 ½  page written reflection of the lesson—what went well, what went wrong, why did it go well, why didn’t it go well, what might you have done differently, and so on. You also need to analyze the results of any assessments you administered during the lesson and write up your final tutoring report by the end of the semester. Written reflections are due with the typed lesson (double-spaced, 12 font, Times New Roman) in the class on Monday so that I can give you feedback before the next tutoring session.  A reflective indicator includes: (a) things that worked;(b) things that did not work;(c) things to be done differently;(d) plans for future lessons; (e) strengths and weaknesses of the child;(f) anything that stands out/unique/interesting;(g) reasons for lesson activity development; materials selections; (h) student progress in strategy use; (i) request for support of instructional materials and teaching strategies/activities. An example of a reflection will be posted on the D2L.

8.      Final  Tutoring Report(Individual Project)                                                200  points

At the end of your tutoring experience, you will synthesize all of the data you have gathered about the children you tutored into a case report presentation. Utilizing information from the assessment data, the tutoring lessons, and your written journal reflections, you will describe what you discovered about the tutored students’ reading levels, strengths and needs, useful instructional strategies, and so on. You will write a tutoring report and in this report you will describe the instructional strategies that you used with the student. Discuss the effectiveness of the different instructional strategies on the learner’s literacy development (i.e. word identification, vocabulary fluency, comprehension/meaning construction, writing), and include recommendations for continued literacy learning. Final tutoring report’s evaluation is listed in the syllabus (page 23). An example of a tutoring report will be posted on the D2L.  

9.      Comprehensive Tutoring Report Presentation(Individual Project)             100  points

In order to assist you in preparing your presentation, keep detailed and accurate notes and information from each assessment and tutoring session. Your lesson plans will also provide you with valuable information as you prepare your presentation. Plan to describe two instructional strategies that you have used with your tutoring student during the semester. Your presentation will include a complete explanation of the strategies with PowerPoint visual aids. An evaluation criterion is listed on page 24.

10.  Comprehensive Case Study Portfolio Folder(Individual Project)                60   points

On the first day of tutoring, begin to collect and store in a folder the materials from each tutoring session. Materials should be arranged chronologically with the most recent materials on top. The folder will include the original assessments, copies of your lesson logs, and copies of your written reflections. The folder and its contents will become part of the reading clinic files.

GRADES:

It is very important that you complete all tutoring lesson plans, assessments, and written reflections in a timely manner in order to prepare for the next tutoring lesson; therefore, late work will not be accepted. If you have any unfinished assignment, you will receive “incomplete” on your final grades till you completely finish all course required assignments. Meanwhile you will lose 100 points for your final grade.

Grades are determined by weighing the course requirements in the following manner:

Assignment                                                                            points

Participations/Tutoring Performance                                       100

Double Entry Journal                                                              150

Literacy Teaching Resource Notebook                                   150     

Lesson Plans                                                                           120

Written Reflections                                                                   120

Final Tutoring Report                                                                200

Comprehensive Case Study Portfolio Folder                             60  

Comprehensive Tutoring Report Presentation                         100

Total                                                                                       1000 points 

Grading Scale:

A= 1000- 900              Work that is outstanding and exemplary

B= 899-800                Work that is above the minimum requirements  

C= 799-700                 Work that meets expected level of performance for most students   

D= 699-700                Work that falls short of minimum criteria

F= 599 below              Work that falls well below the expected level of performance for most students

•  This course has a strict attendance policy. Professional teachers are dependable, reliable, and responsible.  Therefore, you are expected to be on time and in attendance at every class. Tardiness, leaving early, and absences are considered evidence of lack of dependability and are taken seriously. 
• If you are absent, your grade will be reduced.

1^st Absence – No penalty.

2^nd Absence – 70 points deducted from your final grade average

3^rd Absence – 150 points deducted from your final grade average

More than 3 absences – additional 100 points deducted from your final grade average for each absence beyond the first 3.

If you have an unexpected medical treatment, you must turn in a doctor's note at the time you return to class. It is your responsibility to provide the written documentation to the instructor to avoid the loss of points.

( a) Punctuality is also expected for all classes. When you arrive 7 minutes after classhas started you are considered tardy.  Three tardieswill result in a loss of 70 points from your final point total. Five tardies will lose 100 points in your final point. When you arrive 10 minutes after class has started or leave before it ends you will be counted absent for that class period.

(b) Disability Access: In accordance with the law, MSU provides academic    accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Students with documented disabilities who believe they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to notify the instructor and to contact the MSU Disability Support Services, Clark Student Center, Room 168, phone: 940 – 397 – 4140.   

•  Do not use your laptop to do any assignments in the class. You are supposed to your assignments after the class.
•  Turn cell phoneoff during class time. No texting is allowed. Texting is very distracting in the class. Do not do it!!Please turn off all communication devices (e.g. cell phones) during class. Be considerate of others and do not take calls or text messages during class because it interrupts the learning process of other students. Please use your cell phones on break and not during class.
•  Attendance for Tutoring: During part of this course, you will be tutoring two children in reading. It is very important to the children whom you are tutoring that you are present and are on time for the tutoring sessions. Scheduled tutoring sessions with the children must be made up if you miss a session; however, if the tutored children miss a scheduled tutoring session, you are not required to reschedule the tutoring session. If the children you are tutoring are absent, it is your responsibility to observe a fellow classmate's tutoring session. You will write and hand in a written lesson reflection based on what you observe during your classmate's tutoring session.
•  Special notes: some in-class projects may be required, but not listed specifically in the syllabus. You will be informed in class and/or-via email of any changes to the calendar.

No late work is acceptable. 50 points per day will be deducted for late assignments. Arrangements for exceptional cases must be made AT LEAST two days prior to the due date, but only one time per semester. Turn in your assignments with a hard copy on the due day which is listed on the course calendar.

Note: You may not submit a paper for a grade in this class that already has been (or will be) submitted for a grade in another course, unless you obtain the explicit written permission of me and the other instructor involved in advance.

Plagiarism is the use of someone else's thoughts, words, ideas, or lines of argument in your own work without appropriate documentation (a parenthetical citation at the end and a listing in "Works Cited")-whether you use that material in a quote, paraphrase, or summary. It is a theft of intellectual property and will not be tolerated, whether intentional or not.

Student Honor Creed

As an MSU Student, I pledge not to lie, cheat, steal, or help anyone else do so."

As students at MSU, we recognize that any great society must be composed of empowered, responsible citizens. We also recognize universities play an important role in helping mold these responsible citizens. We believe students themselves play an important part in developing responsible citizenship by maintaining a community where integrity and honorable character are the norm, not the exception.

Thus, We, the Students of Midwestern State University, resolve to uphold the honor of the University by affirming our commitment to complete academic honesty. We resolve not only to be honest but also to hold our peers accountable for complete honesty in all university matters.

We consider it dishonest to ask for, give, or receive help in examinations or quizzes, to use any unauthorized material in examinations, or to present, as one's own, work or ideas which are not entirely one's own. We recognize that any instructor has the right to expect that all student work is honest, original work. We accept and acknowledge that responsibility for lying, cheating, stealing, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty fundamentally rests within each individual student.

We expect of ourselves academic integrity, personal professionalism, and ethical character. We appreciate steps taken by University officials to protect the honor of the University against any who would disgrace the MSU student body by violating the spirit of this creed.

Written and adopted by the 2002-2003 MSU Student Senate.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Disability Support Services in Room 168 of the Clark Student Center, (940) 397-4140.

The professor considers this classroom to be a place where you will be treated with respect as a human being - regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, political beliefs, age, or ability. Additionally, diversity of thought is appreciated and encouraged, provided you can agree to disagree. It is the professor's expectation that ALL students consider the classroom a safe environment.

All instructors in the Department have voicemail in their offices and MSUTexas e-mail addresses. Make sure you add your instructor's phone number and e-mail address to both email and cell phone lists of contacts.

All students seeking a Bachelor's degree from Midwestern State University must satisfy a writing proficiency requirement once they've 1) passed the 6 hours of Communication Core and 2) earned 60 hours. Students may meet this requirement in one of three ways: by passing the Writing Proficiency Exam, passing two Writing Intensive Courses (only one can be in the core), or passing English 2113. If you have any questions about the exam, visit the Writing Proficiency Office website at https://msutexas.edu/academics/wpr, or call 397-4131.

Senate Bill 11 passed by the 84th Texas Legislature allows licensed handgun holders to carry concealed handguns on campus, effective August 1, 2016. Areas excluded from concealed carry are appropriately marked, in accordance with state law. For more information regarding campus carry, please refer to the University’s webpage at https://msutexas.edu/campus-carry/rules-policies.

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