Syllabus

 

Course Description

In this course you will be examining a variety of reading models, theories, and methods as they relate to elementary classrooms. The focus of the course is to gain an understanding of the various models and methods, and to create a working knowledge of how these models are implemented in the classroom settings.

Instructor

Debbie Murzyn
Language Education, School of Education
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN 47405
Home: (812) 331-0342
Email: dmurzyn@indiana.edu

Note to all students: You'll need to have an IU network id to access oncourse, which is where the class site is located. If you do not have an IU network id go to: http://itaccounts.iu.edu and then choose "I am a student" and "I need to create my first IU computing account and passwords."

You can find Oncourse at http://oncourse.iu.edu.

Required Texts

You can order your readings from either the IU Bookstore or TIS Bookstore. 

To order your readings from the IU Bookstore, just call Brenda Young at 1-800-553-6471 or (812) 855-4668 and state that you are a Distance Education student and provide your class number(s), or contact her via email at bkstext@indiana.edu. If you are in Bloomington, you can purchase the books and course packets at the Bookstore in the Indiana Memorial Union building. 
To order your readings from TIS Bookstore, call 1-800-238-1229 or (812) 332-3306, extension 251. If you are in Bloomington, you can purchase the books at TIS Bookstore, 1302 East Third Street, Bloomington, IN 47401. They are shelved with the other Education course texts. 



 

Themes

  • Theme #1
    Literacy Beliefs

Before reaching a decision about what to teach and how to teach reading, a teacher should reflect upon her own beliefs and understandings regarding literacy development. This theme gets the class started by asking for personal profiles, current literacy beliefs, and current understanding of terminology.
 

  • Theme #2
    Reading Materials, Frameworks and Assessment: The Stuff to Get Started

Understanding the variety of published reading programs and instructional frameworks is critical to establishing effective literacy learning classrooms. This theme presents strategies for implementing and revising reading strategies to meet individual needs. Included in this theme is a discussion of assessments from which teachers may choose to make effective decisions.
 
 

  • Theme #3
  • Emergent Literacy & Elements of Decoding

Children enter school settings with a variety of literacy experiences. This theme examines how emergent literacy perspectives differ from traditional readiness theories. Various methods to enhance literacy learning in young children are delineated.
 In addition this theme explores what is involved as readers begin to decode text and what cueing systems they use to make meaning of letters and sounds. Discussions related to vocabulary will also occur. Personal explorations focus on English language learners and students with special needs.
 

  • Theme #4
  • Comprehension, Children’s Literature and Content Area Reading

Hidden in classroom reading and writing activities are issues of stance and motivation. The purposes teachers establish for reading events will influence the ways in which children respond and react to the activity. This theme explores what stance is and strategies for enhancing children's motivation towards engagement and ways to facilitate comprehension. Critical literacy issues are included.


 

 

Projects and Assignments

  • Reader Response Entries (80% of you final grade)* 

Based on readings assigned for each theme, you will be required to write a reader response entry for classmates to respond to in the Discussion Forum. In addition to responding to the texts, you will also be expected to respond to two classmates’ ideas posted in the forum.
 

  • Self-Reflection (20% of your final grade)

 The self-reflection piece is an opportunity to reflect on the course as well as your own learning. What are your current beliefs about the teaching of literacy? Describe in detail one new approach to developing literacy you will implement in your classroom. This document is due at the end of the course and should be approximately 3-4 pages in length. 

Grading Policy

Our courses are designed to be highly interactive and to include regular dialogue between student and instructor and other students. Because of this, we need students to participate by keeping up with the course readings and assignments and responding by due dates in the discussion forums. Students should not assume that they will automatically be granted an Incomplete grade at the end of the semester.  The instructor will deduct 10% per day of possible points for lateness.

If a student has not completed the course requirements for the course by the end of the semester, the instructor will give the following grade that is most appropriate:

  • FN (failed for non-attendance) should be used to indicate that the failing grade was earned because the student failed to participate in the course or stopped participating, rather than for poor performance. Participation in an online course consists of communication with the instructor and other students, turning in assigned work on time, etc. A student that has ceased communication with his/her instructor may receive this grade. 
  • I (Incomplete) may be used to indicate that the work done is satisfactory as of the end of the semester, but has not been completed; this means that the majority of assignments have been done and only a fraction remain. The student also needs to make specific arrangements with his/her instructor regarding how and when the rest of the required work will be submitted. The maximum time allowed for the removal of an Incomplete grade is one calendar year, but most incompletes should extend for only a few weeks or months. After 12 months, the university automatically converts an Incomplete to a grade of F. 
  • If a student has completed some, but not all, of the required coursework, and has not made arrangements with the instructor to complete the rest of the requirements, the instructor may give a grade that reflects the graded coursework up to that point.