EDRD 415

EDRD 415: Interdisciplinary Connections Through Reading and Writing

Prerequisites: Admission to Teacher Education Program and a minimum 2.5 GPA

Credit Hours: (3) Two hours lecture; one hour laboratory

The primary focus of this course is the active engagement of students as readers and writers across the content areas. Students evaluate texts and learn ways to make reading and writing more purposeful and meaningful for middle level learners. Fiction and nonfiction books for early adolescents are used as primary tools in the processes.

Detailed Description of Content of Course

(1) Traditions in reading and writing

(a) Basal programs
(b) Whole language theory

(2) Content Reading Materials

            (a) Concept load of text
            (b) Goals and objectives
            (c) Readability
            (d) Multiple texts

(3) Teaching Strategies/Study skills

            (a) Vocabulary strategies
            (b) Comprehension strategies
            (c) Prereading activities
            (d) Study strategies (SQ3R, PQRST, EVOKER)

(4) Interdisciplinary approaches

(a) Readers' workshop

                        (1) Reader's response theory
                        (2) Getting started/materials/expectations
                        (3) Dialogue journals

(b) Writers' workshop

(1) Writing cycle
(2) Making choices

(1) Focusing on genre, authors, themes, style, etc.,
(2) Skills in context

(d) Assessment

                        (1) Creating portfolios
                        (2) Peer evaluation
                        (3) Holistic evaluation
                        (4) Virginia Literacy Passport Test

(5) Multiculturalism

            (a) Perspectives
            (b) Community building
            (c) Responding to special needs

Detailed Description of Conduct of Course

EDRD 415 uses lecture, discussion and workshops to demonstrate the importance of all teachers being responsible for teaching reading and writing within the context of their discipline. Toillustrate the use of workshops, students will themselves be participants as they read and write to learn. Students will practice teaching mini lessons.

Goals and Objectives of the Course

Having successfully completed this course, the student will be able to:

(1) Evaluate texts in terms of readability level, concept load and clarity of goals and objectives.
(2) Demonstrate strategies for teaching vocabulary and comprehension.
(3) Model and use study skills to facilitate learning.
(4) Create readers' and writers' workshops within a classroom.
(5) Develop interdisciplinary mini lessons.
(6) Use multiple forms of assessment for reading and writing.
(7) Select a variety of texts for classroom use.

Assessment Measures

(1) Class attendance and participation. Students are expected to attend class regularly, contribute to the learning of the group and be actively involved.
(2) Dialogue journals. Throughout the semester, students will maintain a dialogue journal for responses to texts.
(3) Mini lessons. Students will plan and present interdisciplinary mini lessons
(4) Resource list. Students will develop a resource list of materials for classroom use.
(5) Written tests. Written tests will be used to evaluate students' learning.

Other Course Information

Students will demonstrate skill in using a word processor.

Approval and Subsequent Review

Date Action Reviewed by
April 1995 Reviewed Dr. Robert Lockwood