COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

RDNG 616: Language Acquisition and Development Course Description: Based on significant theories and practices for developing reading skills and reading comprehension, participants will create curriculum, assessment and evaluation tools that meet the language development needs of all students. Participants will develop teaching strategies to promote phonemic awareness, phonics instruction, and vocabulary knowledge, and will become familiar with a variety of informal and formal reading assessments. The course will focus on current theories of linguistic and cognitive development in children and adolescents as it relates to the timing of formal reading instruction; the history and evolving structure of the English language; second language learning and acquisition and its relationship to literacy development; and the socio-cultural contexts that influence literacy acquisition.

RDNG 617: Language Acquisition and Development Pre-practicum Course Description: In this pre-practicum, taken concurrently with RDNG 616, participants will work with a specific class to develop curriculum, pedagogical approaches and assessment strategies for literacy instruction that support the literacy acquisition and development of learners from a variety linguistic and cultural groups at different developmental stages. This field-based experience gives participants first-hand experience in teaching reading and writing and provides an opportunity to develop resources and materials for reading and writing strategies that address the unique literacy needs of particular students.

RDNG 701: Reading, Writing and Critical Pedagogy (formerly Evaluating Reading Programs) Course Description: Reading and writing are complex, interrelated cognitive processes for constructing meaning. Based on a review of significant theories, practices, and programs for developing reading and writing skills, course participants will employ a variety of developmentally appropriate, process oriented and student centered instruction models for reading and writing; develop an understanding of the relationship between reading, writing and cognition; explore literature and content-specific books for children and adolescents; and evaluate and develop assessment strategies that best address the diverse literacy needs and strengths of students from a variety of language and cultural groups. The course focuses on writing process and writing workshop methods for a variety of genres. Critical pedagogy will be emphasized, an approach that re-envisions traditional notions of the teacher-student relationship in order to draw on student-generated themes and understandings, thus preparing students to connect their literacy learning to larger social purposes and to be active participants in a multicultural, democratic society.

RDNG 702: Reading, Writing and Critical Pedagogy Pre-practicum Course Description: In this pre-practicum, taken concurrently with RDNG 701, participants will work with a specific class to develop curriculum and assessment methods for writing that draw on students’ interests, experiences and prior knowledge and foster students’ ability to place themselves within larger social contexts. Writing curriculum will be integrated with approaches that support reading skills and comprehension, using a variety of developmentally appropriate literary and content-specific texts.

RDNG 710: Literacy Assessment I: Understanding Literacy Difficulties Course Description: This course is designed to provide teachers with a theoretical foundation to conceptualize and enact assessment as an on-going, reflective, constructive process to inform their educational practice. By understanding the theoretical underpinnings of assessment and educating the whole child, teachers will be able to contribute to individuals’ literacy development by designing curricular approaches based on individuals’ strengths and interests. Emphasis will be placed on the knowledge teachers need to identify, address, and prevent difficulties in children’s literacy development.

RDNG 711: Literacy Assessment I Pre-practicum Course Description: In this pre-practicum, taken concurrently with RDNG 710, participants will investigate, by observation and administration, the strengths and weaknesses of a variety of formal and informal literacy assessments. Participants will complete a small case study involving one student.

RDNG 712: Literacy Assessment II: Exploring the Evolving Role of the Literacy Specialist Course Description: This course explores how the role of the literacy specialist is ever-changing in today’s schools. A person with a Master’s degree with any type of concentration in reading education will be expected to provide specialized reading and writing instruction, assessment in cooperation with other professionals (special educators, speech and language teachers, school psychologists, etc.), and diagnosis to students at a broad range of levels. In broadening our views of not only literacy assessment, but also our roles as professionals in the field of literacy, it is imperative that we explore how people with specialization in literacy education serve as resources in the area of reading and writing for paraprofessionals, teachers, administrators, and the community.

RDNG 713: Literacy Assessment II Pre-practicum Course Description: In this pre-practicum, taken concurrently with RDNG 712, participants will hone their skills in: 1. working collaboratively with other professionals in planning programs to meet the needs of diverse populations of learners; 2. providing professional development opportunities at the local and state levels; and 3. providing leadership in student advocacy.

RDNG 722: Critical Issues in Literature for Children and Adolescents Course Description: Children and adolescents learn about the world through literature written specifically for them. This course investigates the content of examples from the genres of children’s and young adult literature and considers how readers’ cognitive, psychosocial and emotional needs are met. Of particular interest is developing the ability to read critically, which enables the reader to identify and evaluate messages, both explicit and implicit comprising the particular worldview presented in any book.

RDNG 725: Pre K-12 Critical Literacy in the Content Areas: Students at all grade levels need support for their literacy development outside of formal reading classes. As members of a democratic society, students also need to develop critical literacy skills that help them understand and act upon the larger social and political contexts that affect their learning. This course explores pedagogical approaches and assessment strategies to support students at all grade levels in developing critical reading and writing skills across the academic disciplines; reflects on the socio-cultural contexts of literacy learning; and focuses on teaching and evaluation methods that particularly address the needs of struggling readers and writers. Participants will review current research on topics such as metacognition, multiple literacies, critical literacy, and cognitive development in children and adolescents. They will construct developmentally appropriate literacy curricula that integrate a variety of media and genres with academic content for Pre K-12 classrooms, including fiction and non-fiction texts, music, theater, film, visual arts and web-based technologies. Participants will develop curricular strategies across academic content areas in ways that integrate academic knowledge with literacy development while promoting a social conscience and a social imagination.

RDNG 726: Pre K-12 Critical Literacy in the Content Areas Pre-practicum Course Description: In this pre-practicum, taken concurrently with RDNG725, participants work with a specific class to create resources, materials, teaching approaches and assessment strategies that integrate literacy with the academic content areas, particularly for struggling readers and writers. This field-based experience gives participants opportunities to explore critical approaches to literacy development in specific content areas.