EDUC9522 INTERVENTION STUDENTS LITERACY DIFFICULTIES

NON–SEMESTER 2: 2017 EDUC9522 INTERVENTION STUDENTS LITERACY DIFFICULTIES

You are expected to read the information in this booklet prior to your first class.

If you have a question please refer to this booklet first before contacting your Topic Lecturer or the Topic Coordinator.

There is a discussion forum on FLO where you may view and post questions.

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WELCOME

Dear Student

Welcome to EDUC9522: Intervention for Students with Literacy Difficulties.

This topic has been developed to familiarise you with the field of literacy in special education. There will be information and discussion about theories of literacy acquisition, factors that may influence literacy development, teaching and learning approaches, and the impact of current issues, policies, and practices.

We will consider an approach that draws on the most positive features of the whole language approach with an appropriate amount of systematic and explicit teaching of essential understandings, knowledge, and skills. It is this focus on explicit teaching that has proved to be one of the key factors for developing literacy competence.

Confidentiality: During our lessons we will have conversations about what we do and have done, what we observe and have observed, and what we believe and might believe about literacy teaching and learning. So that we may comfortably think aloud, debate and talk freely, you are asked to respect all participants’ confidentiality so that what is said in these lessons stays in these lessons.

Academic  integrity:  Please  familiarise  yourself  with  information  about  academic  integrity:

Referencing: If referencing does not clearly comply with APA style (6^th ed.) your paper will be returned unmarked. You will be invited to make the necessary alterations within 48 hours and send it back for marking. Information about APA can be found on the front screen of this topic.

Contact me at any time to discuss your studies.

Anne Bayetto

Topic Coordinator

Contacting Anne

Phone: 0403-458-318

Written: ONLY through the FLO Dialogue Tool. I will not respond through my Uni email.

Contacting Chris

Written: ONLY through the FLO Dialogue Tool. I will not respond through my Uni email.

INFORMATION ABOUT THIS TOPIC

EDUC9522: Intervention for Students with Literacy Difficulties

Value of topic: 4.5 units

Offered in Non-semester 2, 2017

Prerequisite

Admission to a postgraduate program

Awards serviced by this topic

Postgraduate courses in education

Study materials provided for this topic

Readings available through the Library link here on FLO or directly from the Internet

Topic Description

In this topic students will examine the causes of learning difficulties in reading, writing and spelling. Students will develop skills in administration and interpretation of literacy assessments, in planning a teaching program, and selecting appropriate resources. Consideration will be given to a range of instructional strategies that may support development of students’ literacy knowledge, skills and understandings.

Educational Aims

Through engaging in this topic participants will:

• be aware of current literacy research that informs curriculum development

• develop skills to carry out diagnostic assessments to determine literacy teaching and learning goals

• develop knowledge and skills to implement literacy intervention programs for students with learning difficulties

Expected Learning Outcomes

On completing this topic students will be able to:

• demonstrate understanding of key skills and knowledge needed for development of literacy

• identify factors which may inhibit literacy development

• demonstrate understanding of a range of effective, empirically-valid instructional strategies

• identify appropriate technologies that support instructional planning and individualised instruction

• administer a range of curriculum-based assessments to monitor students’ progress and to identify supports and adaptations required for individuals with diverse learning needs to access the curriculum

• plan an intervention program to meet the literacy learning needs of students with learning difficulties

Workload

Nine (9) hours each week is the expected time to be allocated when studying this 4.5 unit topic. Time will be spent reading, reflecting, sourcing further information, and preparing your assignments.

Further Readings (not compulsory)

These texts may be sourced from Flinders University Library

Afflerbach, P. (2012). Understanding and using reading assessment, K-12 (2nd ed.). Newark, DE:

International Reading Association.

INFORMATION ABOUT ASSESSMENT

Assignment 1: Responses to Two Readings (Weeks 5-13)

Assignment 1: Responses to Two Readings, Weeks 5-13 (200 words each week)

You will lodge responses to 2 readings from the weekly list on FLO.

• There may be set readings or a choice.
• Click on the tab “Lodge reading responses here”.
• Click “Reply” at the bottom RH corner of the screen.

• Answer the 3 questions by typing your responses straight onto the site OR cut and paste what you have written elsewhere.

• Respond separately to both readings.
• Cite the author/s only (full APA not needed).
• Do not re-type the questions JUST USE NUMBERS 1, 2, & 3.
• Dot points

• 15 minutes after lodgment you will be able to read what others have written

• Bring a print or digital copy of your responses to each class.

• There will be allocated time in class to discuss reading responses.

These three questions must be responded to every week for 2 readings.

1. What key ideas did you take from the reading?
2. What are the implications for teaching and learning?
3. What are your questions/reflections about what you read?

Assignment 1: Grading rubric

Assignment 2: Essay (2 000 words, counted)

Critically discuss this question.

With reference to students with learning difficulties/disabilities, why are oral language, vocabulary, phonological awareness, letter-sound knowledge, reading comprehension, and fluency interdependent?

What should teachers know, understand, and do to develop these literacy skills?

• Reference the readings and other authoritative research (2010 onwards).

• This is an academic paper so please write using third person (no use of I/me/we/you).

Assignment 2: Grading rubric

Assignment 3, MTeach Students: (2 000 words, not counted)

During your degree you will study the topic EDUC4721, Differentiation for Diverse Learners where you will be introduced to differentiation according to individual readiness, interest, and learning profile. This assignment is a first segue into differentiation at a more general level where you will plan three lessons that take into account the literacy learning needs of students who are working below, on, and beyond year level.

1. Go to the Australian Curriculum (Version 8.3).
2. Read the English Rationale.
3. Read the Aims.
4. Read the Key Ideas.
5. Read the
6. Scan the Sequence of Content.
7. Select one (1) year level (BUT NOT FOUNDATION).

8. Read the Year Level Description for your selected year level and for the year level below and above it.

9. Read the Literacy Strand for your selected year level and for the year level below and above it.

You may only select Descriptions from the Literacy Strand (Not Language or Literature.)

10. Read the Content Descriptions and select one or more of the LITERACY sub-strands.
11. Select a worded picture book
    1. You will nominate your book on a class list held by the Topic Lecturer.

1. If a book has already been nominated by a student you will need to choose another book.

12. Using your picture book as the main focus for the three lessons, write three sequential and related lesson plans that develop students’ skills to achieve your selected Content Descriptions.

13. The book must be used in every lesson.

14. By the end of the three lessons you need to have described at least one learning activity, for all students, for all of the following modes (You may choose to use these more than once.)
    • Listening

• Speaking

• Reading

• Viewing

• Writing

• Creating

15. Each lesson is to be at least 30 minutes in length.
    • Include an estimated time allocation for each part of the lesson.

• No worksheet activities at all.

• Write the lesson plans with enough detail such that another teacher could take over the lessons and know exactly what to do, what materials are needed etcetera.

• Remember that you can only be in one place at a time in the classroom.

• Include fully referenced published resources (if used) lesson by lesson.

16. In your class there is:

• One student who is on the autism spectrum

• One student who has auditory processing difficulties · One student who has foetal alcohol syndrome

• Select a DIFFERENT student for each lesson and discuss the teaching and learning approaches that should be used to support their full engagement and involvement in the lesson

• (Each student: 500 words, minimum 4 authoritative references, 2010 onwards).

• You need to clearly show how these students’ learning needs are being factored into your lesson by the type of planned activities selected.

6. This section considers theory and practical application. Recording and reporting assessment results (350 words).

Read:

• Krause, K., Duchesne, S., Bochner, S., & McMaugh, A. (2012). Educational psychology for learning and teaching (4th ed., Chapter 12). Online access through library. 

o Discuss, with reasoning, how you would report assessment information to your selected student and family to inform them about their progress and to support goal setting. 

o Discuss how all students’ involvement and learning may be recorded and reported to them, and their families, to inform about their progress and to support goal setting.

• Use a formal writing style

Lesson plans must be on the proforma that you download from FLO 

Example lesson (Not in full)

Lesson number: 1 

Year levels: 2-4

Sub-strand: Interpreting, analysing, evaluating

Full reference of text:

Patrick, T. (2009). Polar eyes. A journey to Antarctica. Dickson, ACT: CSIRO Education.

Type of disability named here: Dyslexia

500 word discussion here:

EDUC9522 INTERVENTION STUDENTS LITERACY DIFFICULTIES

10 mins             · Ask students to turn and share with a partner what they have heard others say, and what they know, about Antarctica, igloos, polar bears, and penguins.

• Record some of the feedback on the board.

Shared reading with whole class

• Use document camera to project book onto board.
• Flick through the book and highlight use of text and images.
• Read some excerpts to class.

• Hand out the collection of texts and ask students to find the section about igloos.
• Give a few minutes for partners to discuss the steps for building an igloo.

• Hand out a series of photos and have students work with their partner to put the photos into the correct order for building an igloo.

• Language books: using the sequenced photos students will independently write a sentence for each photo describing the steps for building an igloo.

• Give students a range of texts that include glossaries.

• Have students work with a partner to look up the meanings of designated words and complete a Frayer chart to show they know the words’ meanings and can apply them.

• crevasse, expedition, insulation, habitat, pristine

• Give students a range of texts about polar bears and penguins.
• Ask students to read sections about their diet, lifestyle, and threats.

• Language books have students write three sentences each about polar bears and penguins: diet, lifestyles, and threats.

10 mins         Lesson closure (How will you draw the lesson to a close?)

• Bring students back to front of the room.

• Tell class you will shortly ask them to share with others what they have been doing and what they have learned.

• Have students in each group number off.

• Give students in each group a few minutes to talk with each other about what they learned.

• Group by group: Randomly select a number and have student report to class.
• Assignment 3: Grading rubric: Lesson Plans

Assignment 3: Other Postgraduate Students, Case Study Report

• Select and read an educational psychologist’s report available on FLO.

• You will write this as a professional document that could be shared with other educators and/or allied professionals e.g., educational psychologist/speech pathologist.

• KEEP YOUR FOCUS ON THE STUDENT’S LITERACY DEVELOPMENT and NOT on behaviour, self-esteem, class management issues etcetera.

Section 1

1. Based on information gained from the educational psychologist’s report write a brief summary outlining what the student already knows, understands, and can do.

6. Insert here (in relation to what you noted in the report) a copy of the relevant part of the Australian Curriculum and shade the sections to show where the student’s present literacy skills are evident e.g., you may find yourself shading in parts of the Year 3 curriculum but the student is in Year 6.

1. Specifically, what does the student need to be taught nextg., decoding of CCVC words, sentence writing, inferencing, spelling of high-frequency words?

1. Write your explicit learning objective (or two at most) for the Intervention Program i.e., what do you recommend the student should know and be able to do by the end of the teaching lessons?

Learning Objectives

The following are not explicit learning objectives.

1. Claire will know all of the Oxford Wordlist.
2. Cooper will be able to write an interesting recount.

The following are explicit learning objectives.

1. By the end of 6 lessons Claire will independently name and correctly spell the first 20 Oxford high-frequency words.

1. By the end of 6 lessons Cooper will independently write a sequenced recount (set topic) of five or more sentences. All sentences will have correct capitalisation and punctuation.

Section 2

Teaching Program

Insert here full plans for 8 X 30 minute teaching lessons that fully describe the intended content and activities.

• Include fully referenced resources if used.

• DO NOT make use of any published worksheets.

• DO NOT use any commercially published programs or textbooks.

• Indicate the intended time for each activity.

Question: Do your lesson notes pass the Outsider Test? 

• Lesson notes should have enough detail so that another teacher could take over the lesson/s and know exactly what you planned to do.

Download this proforma from FLO

Lesson number

Lesson objective

All materials/resources

needed for lesson

Fully described activities

(with time allocation)

Section 3

Conclusions

This is the theory part of the assignment.

With reference to the overall Intervention Program and with consideration of what research recommends (minimum 750 words, minimum 10 authoritative references, 2007 onwards).

1. Why would these teaching approaches work well?

2. What teaching and learning recommendations would you make to another teacher if this Intervention Program was continued next term?

3. What would be the next explicit learning objective? Write this learning objective the same way as you did for the learning objective in 1d.

4. References (APA, 6th ed.) on a separate page.

FINAL GRADES

Pass Level (P) – The grade will be awarded where there is evidence that a student has undertaken the required core work for the topic and has demonstrated at least an adequate level of knowledge/ understanding/ competencies/ skills required for meeting topic objectives and satisfactorily completing essential assessment exercises.

The student would normally have attained an adequate knowledge of matter contained in set texts or reading materials, and demonstrated familiarity with major academic debates, approaches, methodologies and conceptual tools. A score in the range of 50-64 will be awarded.

Pass is the highest grade which can be achieved in a supplementary assessment granted on academic grounds.

Credit (CR) – The grade will be awarded where there is evidence that a student has undertaken all of the required core work for the topic and additional work in wider areas relevant to the topic, and has demonstrated a sound level of knowledge/understanding/competencies/skills required for meeting topic objectives and completing assessment exercises at a proficient standard.

The student would normally have attained a sound knowledge of matter contained in set texts or reading materials and have done wider reading, and demonstrated familiarity with and the ability to apply a range of major academic debates, approaches, methodologies and conceptual tools. Students should have a reasonable opportunity of reaching this grade provided they have completed all course requirements, demonstrated proficiency in the full range of course objectives and shown considerable evidence of a sound capacity to work with the range of relevant subject matter. A score in the range of 65-74 will be awarded.

Distinction (DN) – The grade will be awarded where there is evidence that a student has undertaken all of the required core work for the topic at a high level and considerable additional work in wider areas relevant to the topic, has demonstrated advanced knowledge/understanding/competencies/skills required for meeting topic objectives and completing assessment exercises at a high standard.

The student would normally have attained an advanced knowledge of matter beyond that contained in set texts or reading materials and have done considerable wider reading, and have demonstrated a broad familiarity with and facility at applying a range of major academic debates, approaches, methodologies and conceptual tools.

The grade should reflect very high quality work which shows the student generally works at a level which is beyond the requirements of the assessment exercise and is developing a capacity for original and creative thinking. A score in the range of 75-84 will be awarded.

High Distinction (HD) – The grade will be awarded where there is evidence that a student has undertaken the required core work for the topic at a high level and considerable additional work in wider areas relevant to the topic, has demonstrated the acquisition of an advanced level of knowledge/understanding/competencies/skills required for meeting topic objectives and passing the range of topic elements at the highest level.

The student would normally have attained an in-depth knowledge of matter contained in set texts or reading materials and undertaken extensive wider reading beyond that which is required or expected. The student would have consistently demonstrated a high level of proficiency at applying a range of major academic debates, approaches, methodologies and conceptual tools and combining a knowledge of the subject matter of the topic with original and creative thinking.