Best Practices in Literacy

Catalog description

An application of best literacy practices to classroom instruction and assessment of reading, writing, listening, and speaking. EDUC 471 Best Practices in Literacy (3) This course is offered to support the Masters of Education degree in Teaching and Curriculum at Penn State Harrisburg by providing an application of research in best language arts It is a required course in the Reading Specialist Certification Program. The course acquaints students with an instructional and assessment framework that has been embraced by the educational community on a nationwide basis. Objectives for the course include the following: (1) Students will demonstrate an understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of the established best practices in literacy. (2) Students will demonstrate the ability to implement effective literacy practices. (3) Students will be able to assess and evaluate student performance according to established best practices. Evaluation methods will include: (1) attendance and participation in class discussion and exercises (10%); (2) a 5-7 page paper dealing with the use of children's books to teach reading and writing (25%); (3) a 5-7 page paper on the most current methods of assessing students' reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills (25%); and (4) the creation of an integrated Thematic Unit for instruction (40%).