READ 535: Language & Literacy in the Content Areas

COURSE
DESCRIPTION

Develops competence in teaching the interactive processes of reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing, and thinking across the curriculum. Focuses on strategies for teaching students of varied backgrounds and abilities (Grades 4-12).

PREREQUISITES

There are no required prerequisites for this course. However, learners are assumed to be teachers with access to or experience with pK-12 students.

COURSE
STRUCTURE

Readings from recommended textbook and Internet with postings to discussion board; classroom-based assignments for K-12 students; culminating project.

STANDARDS

This course supports the following International Reading Association's 2010 Standards for Reading Professionals:

2.1	Candidates use foundational knowledge to design or implement an integrated, comprehensive, and balanced curriculum.
2.2	Candidates use appropriate and varied instructional approaches, including those that develop word recognition, language comprehension, strategic knowledge, and reading-writing connections.
2.3	Candidates use a wide range of texts (e.g., narrative, expository, and poetry) from traditional print, digital, and online resources.
4.1	Candidates recognize, understand, and value the forms of diversity that exist in society and their importance in learning to read and write.
5.2	Candidates design a social environment that is low risk and includes choice, motivation, and scaffolded support to optimize students' opportunities for learning to read and write.

PRACTICAL
APPLICATIONS

Participants will:

Understand the benefits and challenges of teaching literacy skills in the content areas, and be able to apply various literacy skills in their teaching;
Learn strategies to help their students identify the different ways text are structured to increase their comprehension;
Enhance their understanding of selected research-based instructional practices associated with positive effects for adolescent learners;
Explore detailed examples of how the practices look in action in educational settings.

CORE/ELECTIVE

This graduate course can be used as 3 elective credits in the Literacy Strategies & Methods thematic area in the 24-credit Reading Endorsement program, the 12-credit Literary Education program, or for individual professional development.

INSTRUCTOR

Dr. Amy Belcastro, Assistant Professior, Southern Oregon University School of Education. Belcastro's background includes working as a member of the research and development team for the California Department of Education; teaching in an alternative secondary setting, middle school PDS and an elementary school; as well as teaching at the post-secondary level in California and Oregon.(BA, University of California, Santa Cruz; MA, California State University, Sacramento; PhD, University of California, Davis)

TARGET
AUDIENCE

Teachers of grades 4-12 committed to improving student achievement across content areas through the integration of developmentally appropriate literacy strategies.

TIME
COMMITMENT

Students should expect to spend 9 hours per week for 10 weeks in course-related activities (e.g., reading course materials, posting to discussion forums, completing written reports/papers and classroom-based assignments). This course is online and does not require in-person attendance. Assignments are completed on the learner's time schedule and are due as posted.

TEXTBOOK

A textbook is recommended for this course.

COST

No course in the ReadOregon curriculum costs more than $359 per credit, including fees, for students in the ReadOregon program.

CONTACT

For more details on this course, please contact the instructor, Dr. Amy Belcastro, or Angela Huftill.