Methods of Content Area Literacy

Catalog description

Candidates will learn more about teaching and learning processes aligned with research-based comprehensive literacy instruction for grades 6-12 classrooms with a focus on content-area reading and writing and will emphasize the methodology around the Science of Reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, comprehension, fluency, and academic language, in particular the areas of fluency, comprehension and academic language for middle and high school learners. In this course, teacher candidates will learn appropriate and varied instructional approaches used before, during and after reading (BDA), including those that develop word knowledge, academic language, comprehension, fluency, graphic organizers and strategy-use in the content areas. Candidates will learn and practice varied instructional reading approaches with a focus on shared reading, close and rigorous reading and independent reading. Candidates will also learn about how meaning is constructed through the interaction of the reader's background knowledge and experiences and candidates will also study the connection among reading, writing and oral communication. Through lecture and lab, candidates will gain experience in planning and teaching middle and high school reading lessons designed to meet the needs of each learner with respect to achievement level, disability, cultural background, and primary language.