RDG/558 - Secondary Content Area Literacy

Course Description

This course focuses on the key principles of a comprehensive approach to teaching content-based literacy strategies in a single-subject classroom. Emphasis is placed on the development of students’ literacy skills through content-specific academic language; designing and differentiating curriculum and instruction; incorporating new literacies and assessment; and showcasing literacy through speech, writing, listening, and reading. In addition, students are required to complete a clinical experience based on observations in a single-subject classroom.

This graduate course is 6 weeks.

This course has a prerequisite. Please see details in the Prerequisite section below.

PLEASE NOTE:
Attendance and participation are mandatory in all university courses, and specific requirements may differ by course. If attendance requirements are not met, a student may be removed from the course. Please review the Course Attendance Policy in the Catalog for more information.

This course is only available for enrollment to residents of California.

Course Objectives

Week 1

• Examine the content and milestones for the literacy standards. 
• Describe disciplinary-based literacy. 
• Explain the role of the content-based teacher in teaching literacy. 
• Describe how the English Language Arts/English Language Development (ELA-ELD) Framework supports the acquisition of California literacy standards for students. 

Week 2

• Examine content standards for reading, writing, written, and oral language. 
• Explore the use of collaborative activities in the classroom to encourage engagement and support content comprehension. 
• Explain a variety of instructional strategies to support student learning. 
• Describe how to differentiate content, process, or product to support diverse learners' access to core content. 

Week 3

• Explore the structures and features of various types of texts and their impact on reading comprehension of informational text. 
• Evaluate the use of prior knowledge, pre-reading, guided reading, post-reading strategies, and vocabulary development in the content area classroom. 
• Incorporate the use of critical reading and thinking strategies in the content area classroom through the evaluation of literature, trade books, technology, and other resources for instructional use. 

Week 4

• Analyze the elements of writing instruction for grades 6–8 and 9–12: strategies and applications including development, organization, style-appropriate to task, and audience. 
• Integrate written English language conventions into teaching and learning. 
• Analyze the purpose of and teachings strategies for different writing genres (argument, informative, narrative). 
• Describe how the reading and writing processes conjointly contribute to instructional delivery.  

Week 5

• Analyze the speaking and listening standards in grades 6-8 or 9-12. 
• Integrate oral English language conventions into teaching and learning. 
• Evaluate effective listening strategies. 
• Examine methods and strategies that demonstrate students’ ability to articulate and support their perspective. 

Week 6

• Describe the relationship between formal and informal assessment and instruction. 
• Analyze and interpret assessment results for use in instructional planning and delivery. 
• Describe what is meant by the full range of learners in the single-subject classroom.  6.4 Discuss the use of assessment results in providing universal access to the reading and language arts across all content areas. 

Notes

Disclaimers

The University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses.

Although our continuing education for teacher’s courses are accepted by some state agencies in the United States toward teacher certifications and endorsements, this may not be the case in all states or foreign jurisdictions. If you plan to use courses for certification or endorsement, please check with your own state agency and your school district for applicability. Continuing education for teachers’ courses is not eligible to apply to degree programs at University of Phoenix. These courses are not eligible for federal financial aid.

Transferability of credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm whether credits earned at University of Phoenix will be accepted by another institution of the student’s choice.

While widely available, not all programs are available in all locations or in both online and on-campus formats. More information about eligibility requirements, policies, and procedures can be found in the catalog or please check with a University Enrollment Representative.