EDU 402 Integrated Methods to Teaching Elementary Language Arts/Reading

Wilmington University College of Education and Liberal Arts

EDU 402

Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education (K-6)

Course Number: EDU 402

Course Title: Integrated Methods to Teaching Elementary Language Arts/Reading

Faculty Contact Information:

Course Description: This course includes content, methods, and demonstration of proficiency in the literacy areas of reading, written composition, listening, oral communication, grammar and usage, and spelling. Emphasis will be placed on translating current research into practical applications to enhance literacy instruction and support K-12 students in becoming proficient readers. Candidates are expected to develop materials, lesson plans, units, and methods for teaching the elements of language arts/reading demonstrating an understanding of literacy development. Course activities and learning continue to build candidate skills related to phonological processing, phonics and word recognition development, text comprehension development, orthographic processing, morphological awareness, the structure of language, and written expression.

Use of Video: The use of technology is an integral part of the teaching/learning process and a necessary skill for success in teaching. As such, teacher candidates will engage in multiple forms of assessment including but not limited to creating and uploading digital recordings of various forms for evaluation and guidance. Candidate work is uploaded to secure sites and is not available to the public.

Minimum Time Requirements (in clock hours):

College Education Program Attributes

The manner in which we prepare educational personnel is informed by eight essential attributes:

1. ensuring that programs are knowledge-based;

2. viewing educational personnel as learners, including a focus on deconstructing past experiences as learners in coursework and field experiences and developing appropriate knowledge of the content and discourse of the disciplines to be taught;

3. contextual and cultural sensitivity;

4. facilitating inquiry and reflection, i.e., providing structured opportunities for critical reflection on and acting in one’s daily work;

5. enabling authentic participation, collegiality and collaboration;

6. building an ongoing developmental program that allows for continuous improvement, experimentation, and professional growth;

7. ensuring that programs are standards-driven; and

8. ensuring that programs promote the effective use of technology.

Delaware Teacher Standards: Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC)

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Specialized Professional Association Standards: CAEP K-6

Technology Standards: International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)

Wilmington University Graduation Competencies: Undergraduate Educational Competencies

Dispositions: Model Code of Ethics for Educators

Delaware Teacher Growth and Support System: DTGSS

Common Core Standards for ELA: CCSS

Global Awareness: Global awareness is knowledge of the interrelatedness of local, global, and international cultures. It is the understanding that our world is an interconnected system. Cultivating global awareness involves the ability to understand, respect, and get curious about challenges, trends, and systems present on a global level. College of Education and Liberal Arts Educator Preparation Programs foster global awareness by preparing and empowering teacher candidates to integrate that knowledge in their PreK - 12 classrooms. This course provides strategies for promoting intercultural learning through reading activities. By engaging in discussions about diverse cultures and sharing personal experiences, candidates develop a broader perspective and a sense of interconnectedness with the global community.

Cultural Differences: Culturally responsive practices acknowledge and honor the experiences and perspectives of children and their families as a tool to support them more effectively. This practice emphasizes the incorporation of different perspectives that create an inclusive, relevant, and supportive environment for learners from various backgrounds. The College of Education and Liberal Arts Educator Preparation Programs incorporate culturally relevant instruction that integrates a wide variety of instructional strategies connected to different approaches to learning. This course highlights the importance of using diverse and culturally relevant reading materials in the elementary classroom. Candidates will learn how to select books, stories, and texts that represent different cultures, ensuring that all students can see themselves and others in the stories they read.

Learning Methods: A variety of teaching methods including inquiry–based learning, game-based learning, personalized learning, differentiated instruction, collaborative projects, and class participation will be used in a student-centered approach to learning. Candidates will engage in observation, reflection, and analysis of teacher practice. Candidates will utilize reflective practices in planning for and evaluating instruction. Candidates are encouraged to move from passive receivers of information to active participants in their learning, where creativity and innovation are encouraged. The purposeful integration of technology is required.

Driving Question for the Course: How can we plan and deliver evidence-based Reading and Language Arts units that are differentiated and supportive of all learners?

Learning Outcome 1 – Candidates assess students, plan instruction, and design classroom contexts for learning. Candidates use formative and summative assessments to monitor students’ learning and guide instruction. Candidates plan learning activities to promote a full range of competencies for each student. They differentiate instructional materials and activities to address learners’ diversity. Candidates foster engagement in learning by establishing and maintaining social norms for classrooms. They plan for learning environments to cultivate interpersonal relationships with students that generate motivation and promote students' social and emotional development (CAEP Standard 3).

Learning Activities/Performance Tasks

:

1. Candidates will design a sequence of lessons to support instructional goals to engage students in meaningful learning in areas of Language Comprehension and Word Recognition.

2. Candidates will use the elements of Scarborough’s Rope to build coherence across multiple lessons.

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3. Candidates will align literacy lesson sequences including both formative and summative assessment plans.

Assessment: Candidates will design and submit a sequence of lesson plans and create formative and summative assessments within the lessons and the unit.

Learning Outcome 2 – Candidates make informed decisions about instruction guided by knowledge of children and assessment of children’s learning that result in the use of a variety of effective instructional practices that employ print, and digital appropriate resources. Instruction is delivered using a cohesive sequence of lessons and employing effective instructional practices. Candidates use explicit instruction and effective feedback as appropriate, and use whole class Candidates use flexible grouping arrangements, including small group and individual instruction to support effective instruction and improved learning for every child (CAEP 4).

Learning Activities/Performance Tasks:

1. Candidates will develop pedagogical skills within the context of teaching developing literacy skills through observation, exploration, and practice.

2. Candidates will analyze formative and summative data to adapt and develop individualized and group instruction.

3. Candidates’ lesson and assessment design will reflect an understanding of the progression of Oral Language, Phonemic Awareness, Fluency, Vocabulary and Comprehension. Specifically, instruction includes a plan for written expression.

4. Candidates will develop lessons and assessments with a multi-componential instructional focus on all of the following components of evidence-based reading instruction: literacy development, phonological processing, phonics and word recognition development, spelling, fluency and automaticity development, vocabulary development, text comprehension development, assessment administration and interpretation, letter formation, orthographic processing, morphological awareness, and the structure of language.

Assessment: Candidates will work collaboratively to identify a variety of strategies to engage and motivate students in Reading and ELA. Candidates will explore the CCSS standards to demonstrate an understanding of the teaching of ELA.

Learning Outcome 3 – Candidates make informed decisions about instruction guided by knowledge of children and assessment of children’s learning that result in the use of a variety of effective instructional practices that employ print and digital appropriate resources (CAEP Standard 3).

Learning Activities/Performance Tasks:

1. Candidates will design instruction with an understanding of students with exceptional needs, including those associated with disabilities and giftedness, and know how to use strategies/resources to address needs including language-based learning disabilities, and interventions for struggling readers.

2. Candidates will incorporate tools of language development into planning and instruction, including strategies for making reading and writing content accessible to English language learners and for evaluating and supporting their development of English proficiency.

3. Candidates will integrate digital-age tools purposefully to engage all learners in critical thinking, literacy assessment, and literacy development.

4. Candidates will plan for small group instruction to meet the literacy learning needs of young readers

Assessment: Candidates will provide specific implications for instruction and assessment based on student individual differences, community, school, and classroom characteristics that may affect learning in a diverse classroom.

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Learning Outcome 4 - Candidates demonstrate and apply understandings of major concepts, skills, and practices, as they interpret disciplinary curricular standards and related expectations within research-informed literacy instruction (CAEP Standard 2).

Learning Activities/Performance Tasks:

1. Candidates will demonstrate their understanding of the components of evidence-based reading instruction: language acquisition, literacy development, phonological processing, phonics and word recognition development, spelling, fluency and automaticity development, vocabulary development, text comprehension development, assessment administration and interpretation, letter formation, orthographic processing, morphological awareness, and the structure of language.

2. Candidates will integrate differentiated reading instruction into planning to meet the needs of all learners.

3. Candidates will analyze high-quality reading instructional materials and discuss how to implement them based on students’ prior knowledge, world experiences, and interests.

Assessment: Candidates will apply their knowledge of evidence-based reading instruction to analyze coherency of instruction within high-quality instructional materials.

Week Week at a Glance Essential Questions

1 How do educators use knowledge of evidence- based reading strategies to plan coherent lessons of instruction?

2 How do educators build learning environments to support integrated literacy skill development?

3 How can educators plan to use assessments in literacy instruction to evaluate, screen, and monitor in the feedback loop?

4 How do educators plan meaningful instruction demonstrating an understanding of the connections of the components of evidence-based reading instruction?

5 How can educators use High-Quality Instructional Materials to support diverse learners in integrated literacy instruction?

6 How can formative and summative assessments be used to guide differentiated instructional planning in small and whole groups to improve literacy achievement for all students?

7 How can educators foster student engagement and motivation based on student individual differences, community, school, and classroom characteristics that may affect learning in a differentiated environment?

Assignments and Grading

1. Class Discussions (20%)

2. Classroom Assignments (20%)

3. Literacy Lesson plans (30%)

4. SEA- Unit Sequence of lessons (30%)

These required projects are briefly described in the “Learning Outcomes” section of the syllabus. Additional details and resources, including Open Educational Resources (OERs), and the course outline, can be found on the course site.

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Procedure/Guidelines for

Receiving Special Accommodations

College of Education and Liberal Arts Attendance Policy:

In the College of Education, faculty must approve all requests for absences that are exceptions to the University policy. Vacations are not considered legitimate reasons for missing classes. Faculty must be contacted prior to class in all cases except valid emergencies. Failure to obtain approval for exceptions may result in lowering the final passing grade or assigning an FA (failure due to absence).

Students who have registered for a course and never attended the class at all will receive a grade of NA (never attended). Early departures and late arrivals will be cumulative toward class absences. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain and complete assignments on the due dates. Students who register and enter the course on the drop/add date have four days to complete the first week’s assignments.

Course Materials: No Textbook Required

Course Reading List:

 Various lectures/power points, as assigned

Course Resource Links:

 Exploring the Diversity & Inclusion Tool Kit

 How Students Benefit from School Diversity

 Supporting School-wide Culturally Responsive Practice

 Reading Rockets: Phonics and Decoding (

 Principles of Outstanding Classroom Management

 Reading Rockets: Reading Fluency (

 Common Formative Assessment Examples

 Reading Rockets: Basic Reading Comprehension

 Reading Rockets: Reading Comprehension

 Reading Rockets Module: Comprehension

 Reading Rockets: Vocabulary

 Four Practical Principles for Enhancing Vocabulary Instruction

 The Vocabulary Rich Classroom

 Effective Summative Assessment Examples for Classrooms

 What is Summative Assessment

 Edventures: STEM Education

 Reading Rockets: Writing

 5 Keys to Successful Teacher-Parent Communication

 NEA: Parent, Family, Community Involvement in Education

 Various videos, as assigned

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Structured External Assignment: Planning and Preparation

Planning and Preparation Language Arts/Reading

Using the Wilmington University Unit Plan Format found within in the SEA description on Canvas, and the Common Core Standards, the teacher candidate will complete and submit an age-appropriate unit of lesson plans which includes a variety of methods and materials to teach reading across content areas, including the application of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The thematic lesson must address cultural differences, different developmental levels, different learning styles and ability levels. Evidence of appropriate formative and summative assessments designed by the candidate must be included in the unit design. The candidate must incorporate the use of technology to support and engage the learners in assessment practices.

SEA Rubric

CAEP Standard 1.a

Candidate uses his/her understanding of how children grow, develop and learn to assess, plan, and implement developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences and environments that consider individual children’s strengths and needs.

Novice Emerging Proficient (TARGET) Advanced Performance

The candidate plans learning experiences based on the topic of the lesson or standard.

The candidate plans developmentally appropriate learning experiences or environments based on the learning topic content.

The candidate uses their understanding of how children grow and develop across the developmental domains, how development in each domain impacts growth in the other domains, and how all together they impact learning to plan and implement developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences and environments that consider individual children’s strengths and needs.

The candidate uses their understanding of how children grow and develop across the developmental domains, how development in each domain impacts growth in the other domains, and how all together they impact learning to plan and implement learning experiences and environments that consider individual children’s strengths and needs and are able to articulate the theoretical foundations for their plans and actions.

CAEP Standard 2.a Candidate demonstrates and applies understanding of the elements of literacy critical for purposeful oral, print, and digital communication.

The candidate demonstrates knowledge of elements of literacy.

The candidate is able to identify some of the foundational literacy elements in a structured literacy curriculum

The candidate demonstrates knowledge of elements of literacy.

The candidate is able to identify the elements of foundational literacy in an integrated, comprehensive, and structured literacy curriculum.

The candidate demonstrates knowledge and understanding of the elements of literacy that are critical for purposeful oral, print, and digital communication.

The candidate uses knowledge of the elements of foundational literacy to implement lessons and/or activities from an integrated, comprehensive, and structured literacy curriculum, and demonstrates an understanding of stages in the acquisition of reading skills.

The candidate demonstrates knowledge, understanding, and the ability to evaluate instructional materials for the elements of literacy critical for purposeful oral, print or digital communication.

The candidate uses knowledge and understanding of the elements of foundational literacy to design and implement integrated, comprehensive, and structured literacy lessons and activities that reflect and demonstrate an understanding of stages in the acquisition of reading skills.

The candidate plans for the use of summative assessments.

The candidate selects and plans for the administration of whole group

The candidate selects and plans for the administration of a

The candidate designs, selects, and plans for a variety of

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CAEP Standard 3.a Candidate administers formative and summative assessments regularly to determine students’ competencies and learning needs.

formative and summative assessments based on learning topics rather than student needs.

variety of formative and summative assessments. The candidate differentiates assessments using modifications based on students’ individual learning needs.

The candidate plans for the administration, and interpretation of formative and summative assessments to identify learners’ needs, to monitor learning and behavior, and to report progress.

formative and summative assessments and differentiates assessments using modifications based on students’ individual learning needs.

The candidate plans for the administration, and interpretation of formative and summative assessments to identify learners’ needs, to monitor learning and behavior, and to report progress.

The candidate plans opportunities for students’ choice about how they will demonstrate understanding by designing formative and summative assessment tasks that consider individual student needs.

The candidate’s instructional plans attempt to address goals, learning activities, materials, grouping models, educational technologies, assessments, and modifications or adaptations for students with special needs.

CAEP Standard 3.c Candidate plans instruction including goals, materials, learning activities and assessments.

Candidates plan for use of time in instruction is included.

The candidate’s instructional plans address some but not all of these components: goals, materials, learning activities, grouping models, educational technologies, assessments, and modifications or adaptations for students with special needs, and does not connect or relate these components.

The candidate’s instructional plans are based on evidence of individual student’s strengths and needs, and include use of goals, materials, learning activities, grouping models, educational technologies, assessments, and modifications or adaptations for students with special needs.

The candidate’s instructional plans are based on evidence of individual student’s strengths and needs, and include coordinated use of materials, learning activities, grouping models, educational technologies, and assessments, as well as and adaptations for students with special needs.

The candidate’s plans for use of instructional time for instruction, engaged student learning, and assessment.

The candidate plans for time includes a balance of instruction, academic engagement support, learning activities and assessments

CAEP Standard 3.f

Candidate explicitly supports motivation and engagement in learning for every student through a

The candidate attempts to facilitate motivation support such as scaffolding for cognitive tasks and providing limited feedback for student learning.

The candidate provides motivation support explicitly, through wellknown practices such as arranging for choice or collaboration, but the motivation support is not integrated with teaching central

The candidate explicitly supports student motivation through practices such as: designing classroom goals that emphasize conceptual knowledge; assisting students in setting goals for their

The candidate plans for adequate use of instructional time by allocating a balance of time for instruction, engaged student learning, and assessment. Rationale for time allocation is included.

The candidate supports student motivation through practices such as assuring success, sharing control with learners, making school learning relevant, sustaining collaborative

variety of evidencebased practices.

The candidate attempts to implement actions intended to increase student engagement in academic learning and activities and may display teacher-student interactions that are likely to decrease motivation and engagement such as over-control, disregard for students’ needs, sarcasm or negativity.

concept and skills.

The candidate supports student engagement in learning through problem solving and inquiry.

CAEP Standard 4.a

Candidate uses a variety of instructional practices to support the learning of every student.

The candidate uses instructional practices designed for group instruction.

The candidate plans for use of resources and materials during instruction to link to the lesson taught.

The candidate uses appropriate instructional practices but does not use a variety of strategies or differentiate instruction to meet the individual needs of each student.

The candidate uses appropriate resources although the variety of resources is limited and not readily adapted to differentiate instruction.

academic work; linking academic content to students experience and interests; arranging social learning structures such as partnerships and small group collaborations; and affording students’ choices of texts and tasks in learning.

The candidate supports student engagement in learning by implementing practices such as: affording students an abundance of materials for academic learning to assure a high volume of time spent on challenging and realistic learning tasks; scheduling sufficient time for students’ deep immersion in purposeful reading, mathematics, and content learning; and providing thought provoking questions that encourage reasoning individually and collaboratively.

The candidate uses a variety of appropriate instructional practices such as direct instruction, inquiry-based learning, and project-based learning, and makes attempts to differentiate instruction that supports the learning of every student.

The candidate uses a variety of appropriate resource materials during instruction that supports the learning of every student.

activities, and enabling students to become self-regulating learners in all subject areas.

The candidate supports engagement by setting academic goals that encourage students to generate products, displays or accomplishments that show extended disciplinary involvement and communication.

The candidate differentiates engagement support for students with special needs, English language learners, and students with varying achievement levels. The candidates use formative assessment to improve engagement support.

CAEP Standard 4.b

Candidate plans a cohesive sequence of lessons to ensure sequential and appropriate learning opportunities for

The candidate uses instructional approaches lacking in research support when planning a sequence of lessons.

The candidate uses researchsupported instructional approaches when planning a cohesive sequence of lessons.

The candidate sequences

The candidate consistently uses research-supported instructional approaches when planning a cohesive sequence of lessons.

The candidate sequences

The candidate varies the use of instructional practices and differentiates instruction to support the learning of every student.

The candidate differentially uses a variety of resource materials that provides students with guided opportunities to make their own choices and supports the development of skills requisite to problem solving and critical thinking of every student.

The candidate consistently uses research-supported instructional approaches when planning a cohesive sequence of lessons and differentiates instruction based on the needs of each student.

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each child.

The candidate sequences instruction that provides students with inconsistent or disconnected learning opportunities.

instruction that provides students with connected learning opportunities.

instruction that provides students with connected learning opportunities and sufficient opportunities to learn foundational concepts and skills with the intent of moving on to more advanced content in subsequent lessons. The candidate sequences instruction that provides students with connected learning opportunities and sufficient opportunities to learn foundational concepts and skills, and then extends learning of advanced content based on individual student needs.