COURSE SYLLABUS



COURSE SYLLABUS

RE 3150-350

LANGUAGE ARTS IN THE MIDDLE GRADES

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Appalachian State University – Spring Semester, 2005

Three Semester Hours

Wednesday evenings, 6:00 – 8:40 p.m.

Meeting Site: 815 Randolph Hall, Wilkes Community College Campus



Instructor: Dr. Tracy W. Smith Office: 202E Duncan Hall

Home Telephone: (828) 268-0222 FAX: (828) 262-2686

Office Telephone: (828) 262-2274

Hours: As posted and by appointment

E-Mail: smithtw@appstate.edu

Mailing Address: Department of Curriculum and Instruction

PO Box 32047

Boone, NC 28608

COURSE DESCRIPTION

A study of communication skills: literacy, speaking, reading, writing, and vocabulary; an examination and comparison of current teaching methods and materials; emphasis on the language arts as the core of the middle grades curriculum.

MAJOR COURSE TOPICS

The following topics will be emphasized in this course:

• Time, Ownership, and Response in the English Language Arts Classroom

• Teaching Reading in the English Language Arts Classroom

← Types of Readers

← Strategies to Improve Reading Skills

← Seminars (Teacher and Student Led)

← Literature Circles

← Reading Workshop

← Reading Response

← Reading Aloud (teachers and students)

• Teaching Writing in the English Language Arts Classroom

• Components of an effective program

• Writing Workshop

• Conventions

• Responding to Student Writing

• Performance Standards

• Teaching Speaking and Listening in the English Language Arts Classroom

• Assessment and Evaluation in the English Language Arts Classroom

← Formal and Informal Assessments

← Formative and Summative Evaluation

• Students with Special Needs in the Middle Grades English Language Arts Classroom

• Issues of Learner Diversity in the Middle Grades English Language Arts

• Creating an Environment for Literacy Learning in the Middle Grades Classroom

• The Role of the Teacher in the Middle Grades Language Arts Classroom/Team

COURSE GOALS (Taken from ASU Middle Grades Program Standards)

The goals for this course are based on the following beliefs about middle school teachers.

Prospective middle grades teachers:

□ Understand and use the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of content in their chosen teaching fields and create meaningful learning experiences that develop young adolescents’ competence in subject matter and skills (Content Knowledge, Standard 4).

□ Understand and use the major concepts, principles, theories, and research related to effective instruction and employ a variety of instructional strategies which are developmentally appropriate for the varying abilities and learning styles of young adolescents (Middle Grades Instruction, Standard 5).

□ Understand and use formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous learning of young adolescents within the context of young adolescent development (Assessment, Standard 8).

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Course objectives are derived from the knowledge, dispositions, and performance indicators for Standards 4, 5, and 8, and are as follows:

1. Students will value, develop, and use a deep understanding of the major topics and issues in the language arts content area.

2. Students will learn to use content knowledge in their teaching to make interdisciplinary connections among subject areas and will commit to making these connections for students.

3. Students will learn, value, and use a variety of effective (research-based) instructional strategies that are effective and appropriate for teaching and evaluating language arts.

4. Students will aim for basic understanding as well as higher levels of learning among their students.

5. Students will learn and use effective, developmentally responsive classroom management strategies (integrated with engaging classroom instruction).

6. Students will use developmentally responsive strategies, materials, and resources to facilitate and motivate student learning.

7. Students will value the need for creating and maintaining environments that maximize student learning, often collaborating with teammates and other colleagues.

8. Students will value and use a variety of formal and informal assessment techniques to modify teaching and learning strategies.

9. Students will plan effective instruction, individually and with colleagues.

10. Students will understand the role that state accountability systems plan in the language arts classroom.

Writing Designation

This course requires a significant amount of writing and therefore is a writing (“W”) designated course. This means that you will be doing a substantial amount of writing and receiving feedback about ways to improve your written communication skills.

REQUIRED TEXTS/MATERIALS

Atwell, N. (1998). In the middle: New understandings about writing, reading, and learning (2nd ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Combs, M. (2003). Readers and Writers in the Middle Grades (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.

Course packet to be downloaded from NCDPI website, including the ELA Developmental Standard Course of Study and Curriculum Matrix.

Curriculum Overviews for Grades 6, 7, and 8 (provided by LRE Department).

A young adolescent literature book of your choice. This book will be used in your thematic unit. (See Combs Appendix B; Atwell Appendix L)

An information text of your choice. This text will be used in your thematic unit.

SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS NEEDED

• Reading Response/Dialogue Journal

• Binder for course packet

• Vertical File (File Box) for Resource Portfolio

• YA literature selection (book)

• Information text selection

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1. DAILY ASSIGNMENTS: Students will be responsible for all class readings (including the Reading Response Log) and text-related assignments. Since this class is highly dependent on participant interaction, being present and prepared for class is a critical condition for success in the class. The course syllabus will often detail topics for class discussion and specific related assignments. (The Reading Response Log may be checked periodically and should be turned in with your resource portfolio.)

2. COURSE TOPIC REFLECTIONS: As an integral part of preparing to teach language arts to young adolescents, students will participate in reflective analysis in reading response logs, journal writings, and a course topic reflection that will allow them to synthesize discussions, readings, visitations, personal experiences, future plans for teaching middle grades English language arts, and their own literacy as learner, reader, and writer. (This assignment must also include an ASU Middle Grades Program rationale-reflection related to at least one of the course focus program standards.)

Course Topic Reflection Choices (Choose one.)

• Assessment/Evaluation in the Middle Grades English Language Arts Classroom Standard 8)

• Teaching Reading in the Middle Grades English Language Arts Classroom (Standards 4-5)

• Teaching Writing in the Middle Grades English Language Arts Classroom (Standards 4-5)

• Incorporating Speaking, Listening, and Viewing in the English Language Arts Classroom (Standard 4-5)

• Developing a Balanced Literacy Program in the Middle Grades English Language Arts Classroom (Standard 4)

3. RESOURCE PORTFOLIO: This ongoing project will require students to prepare a vertical portfolio that includes lesson plans, methods, strategies, bibliographies, young adolescent book lists, and other materials necessary for a balanced literacy program for young adolescents. Additional information for this assignment will be provided in class. (This assignment must also include an ASU Middle Grades Program rationale-reflection related to at least one of the course focus program standards.)

4. THEMATIC UNIT AND LESSON PLANS: Students will develop a thematic unit plan that integrates the three strands of the ELA curriculum (oral language, written language, and media/technology). This unit will also incorporate at least one each of a young adolescent fiction text and an informational text. The unit plan will include at least three lessons to be used in the middle grades language arts classroom. Using the lesson types in Chapter 6 of Atwell’s text, students should create a variety of lesson types, including procedural, craft, reading strategies, and convention/strategy (skill). In addition, students will develop these lesson plans based on an expanded version of the format suggested by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI). We will share these units and lessons both formally and informally during our class meetings. After these lessons have been evaluated, they may be included in your resource portfolio. You may provide copies for the class, but I will also try to post them on my resource webpage () so that class members may have them for their resource portfolios, field experiences, and future classrooms. Additional information about this assignment will be provided in class. (This assignment must also include an ASU Middle Grades Program rationale-reflection related to at least one of the course focus program standards.)

5. RATIONALE-REFLECTIONS TO ACCOMPANY COURSE ASSIGNMENTS/PROGRAM ARTIFACTS: In lieu of a final written exam, students will be asked to submit rationale-reflections with each of the three major assignments in this course. These course assignments can serve as artifacts that demonstrate their competence and mastery of the three major standards for this course (Standards 4, 5, and 8). Each rationale-reflection (considered with its accompanying artifact) will be worth 5 points of the final course grade.

COURSE ASSIGNMENTS AND WEIGHT

Daily Assignments/Participation/Attendance 15 %

Course Topic Reflection (Writing Designation) 15 %

Resource Portfolio 25 %

Unit and Lesson Plans (Writing Designation) 30 %

Rationale-Reflections (with course assignments) 15 %

TOTAL 100 %

EVALUATION AND GRADING

A = 93-100%

B = 86-92%

C = 79-85%

F = Below 79%

TENTATIVE COURSE CALENDAR

|Date |Topic |Assignment Due |

|1/12 | (Re-)Introductions of Class Members |Purchase Textbooks |

| | | |

| |Course Overview | |

| | | |

| |Discussion of Thematic Unit; begin exploring themes |Research Unit Themes, YA Literature and |

| | |Information texts |

| |Complete Writing/Reading Surveys (print and save) | |

| | |Homework: Reader response journal entry |

|1/19 |“Learning How to Teach Writing” |Atwell, Chs. 1-2 |

| |“Learning How to Teach Reading” | |

| | |Homework: Complete reading log for the week. |

| |Dialogue Journal | |

| | |DUE: Reader response journal entry |

| |IRA/NCTE Standards for the English Language Arts | |

| | | |

|1/26 |“Understanding Reading Processes” |Combs, Chs. 2-3 |

| |“Teaching with Texts” | |

| | |DUE: Reading log |

|2/9 |“Read-Aloud and Whole-Class Literature Study” |Combs, Chs. 4-5 |

| |“Book Clubs and Literature Circles: Engaging Students in Peer-Led Literature | |

| |Study” |Article: “Expository Text in Literature |

| | |Circles” |

| |Literature Circles Video | |

| | |Homework: Begin draft of unit plan; due 2/23 |

|2/16 |Writing and Reading Workshop |Atwell, Chs. 4-5 |

|2/23 |Writing and Reading Workshop (Mini-lessons) |Atwell, Chs. 6 |

| | | |

| |Begin drafting Mini-lessons (Procedural, Craft, Skill/Convention, Reading |DUE: Draft of unit plan |

| |Strategies) | |

|3/2 |“Using Information Texts and Textbooks Effectively” |Combs, Ch. 7, Ch. 11, Appendix D |

| | | |

| |“Word Study: Extending Knowledge of Words in Reading and Writing” |Read Seminar Piece: |

| | |“Of Studies” by Francis Bacon |

| |Seminar Strategy (Teacher-Led) | |

| | |Homework: Draft 3 unit lesson plans |

| | | |

|3/7-8 |North Carolina Middle School Conference, Greensboro, NC | |

|3/9 |SPRING BREAK | |

|3/16 |“Understanding Writing Processes” |Combs, Chs. 8-9 |

| |“Informal Writing: Using Writing to Support Learning” | |

| | |DUE: Draft of 3 unit lesson plans |

| | | |

| | |Homework: Course Topic Reflection |

|3/23 |Responding to Readers and Writers |Atwell, Chs. 7-8 |

| | | |

| | |DUE: Course Topic Reflection |

|3/30 |“Teaching with an Integrated Language Arts Basal Series” |Combs, Ch. 12 |

| | | |

| | | |

| |EVALUATION IN THE LANGUAGE ARTS CLASSROOM |Atwell, Ch. 9 |

| |Self-Evaluation/Reflections | |

| |Student Portfolios |Homework: Complete Thematic Unit |

| |Student Led Conferences | |

| |Methods of Evaluation: Holistic grading, testing, analytic scales, rubrics, etc. | |

| | | |

|4/6 |Assessment and Testing in North Carolina |Homework: Begin reading chapters for 4/20; |

| |Guest speaker: |draft a memoir from your own experience |

| | | |

| |End-of-Grade Testing in Reading, Writing, and Computer Skills |DUE: Thematic Unit |

|4/13 |Resource Portfolio Workday |Homework: Complete Resource Portfolio |

|4/20 |MODES OF WRITING |Atwell, Chs. 11-13 |

| | | |

| |“Call Home the Child: Memoir” |DUE: A memoir from your own experience and |

| |“Hanging with Big Sis: Fiction” |Resource Portfolio |

| |“Finding Poetry Everywhere” | |

|4/27 |“Taking Care of Business” |Atwell, Ch. 14 |

| | | |

METHODS OF INSTRUCTION

The instructor will integrate strategies such as lecture, small group discussions, team teaching, literature circles, seminars, double-entry journaling, and guest lecturers. Throughout this course, students will be expected to work independently and in collaborative groups to investigate current research about characteristics of young adolescents and appropriate strategies for teaching middle grades language arts and report this research to the rest of the group.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Students are required to attend all class meetings. One absence during the semester will be excused. Beyond the first absence, two points will be deducted from the course grade for each additional absence. Students should not schedule personal appointments or plan to work during class time. Two tardies to class equal an absence, unless the student misses more than half the class. If a student misses more than half of a class session, the student will be counted absent for that class session.

LATE ASSIGNMENTS

Assignments are due on the dates specified in the syllabus, unless the instructor makes changes for the entire class. Five points are deducted from the assignment grade for each day that an assignment is late.

STATEMENT OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

It is the responsibility of every student to abide by the Code of Academic Integrity. It is also the formal responsibility of the instructional faculty to maintain academic honesty and integrity. Commitment to academic integrity is inherent in the policies of the institution.

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