Purpose

This course is designed to increase understanding of the administration and supervision of school literacy programs. Major topics will include: professional development, school/community relations, mentoring partnerships, student diversity, curriculum evaluation and development, and assessment.

Course Objectives

After completing this course, you will be able to:

• Work together with other teachers and school administrators to improve literacy instruction on grade-level, school-wide, and district-wide bases. This will include:
  • Evaluate the quality of a variety of commercial literacy instruction programs and materials, and make recommendations to school and district personnel.
  • Organize an effective staff development plan for a school or district. This will include needs assessment, plan speakers and presentations, follow through with implementation, providing feedback, and evaluating effectiveness.
  • Work together with teachers and administrators to develop a vibrant parent and community support program to enhance student reading and writing achievement.
  • Identify potential funding sources and write successful grants to support literacy instruction enhancements.
  • Encourage teachers and administrators to engage in on-going professional development activities to maintain enthusiasm for and knowledge of reading and writing instruction improvements.

Course Topics

• Review of theory and research on literacy programs (Reading Recovery, Benchmark Schools, Distar Reading Mastery, Success for All, basal reading programs, literature-based reading programs, phonics, and skills-based programs).
• Curriculum development
  • the role of the Utah Core Curriculum
  • unique characteristics of primary literacy programs across grade levels
  • design and evaluation of curriculum materials
• Review of research on professional development, including school/university partnerships, school/community partnerships, tutoring programs
• Coordination/collaboration with various school programs (Title I, ESL, specially funded programs, etc.)
• Assessment
  • Ongoing, formal/informal, reflective, diagnostic

Assignments

• Complete assigned readings and be prepared to discuss in class
• Examine one or more commercial instructional products (basal program, phonics kit, computer program) and write a review of the program's strengths and weaknesses. Prepare a recommendation of the program for your colleagues.
• Select an area of literacy instruction that would benefit the teachers in your school. Develop a staff development plan including needs assessment, speakers, schedule of presentations, implementation plan, and an in-service evaluation plan.
• Review the research on an area of supervision such as peer coaching or reflective mentoring. Develop a paper describing what the research suggests about effective supervision practices.

Bibliography

Allington, R.L. & Cunningham, P.M. (1995). Schools that work: Where all children read and write. New York: Longman.

Darling-Hammond, L. (1996). The quiet revolution: Rethinking teacher development. Educational Leadership, 53, 4-10.

Harwayne, S. (2000). Lifetime guarantees: Toward ambitious literacy teaching. Portsmouth, N.H.: Heinemann.

Harwayne, S. (1999). Going public: Priorities and practices at the manhatten new school. Portsmouth, N.H. Heinemann.

Juel, C. (1996). What makes literacy tutoring effective? Reading Research Quarterly, 31, 268 289.

Morrow, L.M. & Walker, B.J. (1997). The reading team: A handbook for volunteer tutors k-3. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Pinnell, G.S. & Fountas, I.C. (1997). Help america read. Portsmouth, N.H.: Heinemann.

Pinnell, G.S. & Fountas, I.C. (1997). Coordinator's guide to help america read. Portsmouth, N.H.: Heinemann.

Roller, C.M. (1998). So..what's a tutor to do? Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Shanahan, T. (1998). On the effectiveness and limitations of tutoring in reading. Review of Research in Education, 23, 217-224.

Wasik, BA. & Slavin, R.E. (1993). Preventing early reading failure with one-on-one tutoring: A review of five programs. Reading Research Quarterly, 28, 179-200.