• Online - no travel to campus required
• Next session:
  
• RDGED 706 January 26 - April 10, 2009
  
• 3 graduate credits

This course is designed for classroom teachers and support staff at all levels including Title I and special education teachers, reading specialists, and curriculum directors.

The Reading Teacher Certification courses may also be used to fulfill the concentration requirement in the UW-Stout’s online Master of Science in Education degree program.

The course may be taken as an online professional development course or you may enroll in this course as the fourth course in the course sequence for reading certification (WI 316).

1. Developmental Reading K-12
2. Reading in the Content Areas K-12
3. Children's Literature in the Reading Program (gr. K-5)
   or
   Young Adult Literature in the Reading Program (gr. 6-12)
4. Assessment and Evaluation of Reading and Language Development
5. Instructional Techniques for Assisting Students with Reading Difficulties
6. Practicum in Reading Difficulties K-12

Conducted online with no face-to-face class sessions, you may participate using your home or work computer without having to drive to campus. .

You will connect to learning modules and class discussion via the World Wide Web and obtain readings, retrieve and submit assignments, access the university's online library resources, discuss with other participants, and have frequent personal contact with the instructor via email.

The class is highly interactive with a significant discussion component. All projects/assignments will be submitted via e-mail or presented via the WWW. Instructor/peer comments will be available through discussion groups or sent by e-mail.

You will be individually assessing two students -- a child at the emergent literacy level (entering or having completed kindergarten) and a struggling reader (having completed second grade up to the freshman year in high school).

At the emergent literacy level, a limited number of developmentally appropriate assessments will be administered including a report of the results and recommendations. This assessment will be require two sessions. This kindergarten age level child will be progressing normally through the emergent literacy skills.

For the struggling reader, a series of assessments will be administered and will require at least four sessions. This child should be reading at least a year below his/her grade level placement. A learner assessment profile will be developed which will include assessment results and recommendations

Alignment with State and National Reading Standards
This class will help participants meet the International Reading Association’s Standards for Reading Professionals (IRA 2003) and the Content Guidelines for Reading Teachers State of Wisconsin – DPI (p. 180) by addressing standards listed in parenthesis below.

Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Analyze formative and summative reading and writing assessments for the purpose of evaluating reading and language processes.(WI DPI: 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 4.1, 5.1, 5.3, 6.1, 6.2) (IRA: 1.1, 1.3, 3.1, 4.1)

2. Select, administer, and interpret appropriate reading and writing formal and informal assessments based on recent language learning research with a focus on meeting students’ individual needs. (WI DPI: 3.1, 4.2, 6.2, 6.3) (IRA: 1.4, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1)
   
   
3. Compare, contrast, and analyze variables in student performance, and use assessment results to plan and modify instruction based on individual needs and strengths of each student. (WI DPI: 2.3, 4.1, 4.2, 6.2, 6.3) (IRA: 2.2, 2.3, 3.2, 3.3)
   
   
4. Connect assessment data and instructional strategies to the recommendations of legislation (NCLB & NRP) and professional organizations (IRA & NCTE) (WI DPI 1.2, 3.1, 4.2, 8.2) (IRA: 1.2, 1.4, 3.2)

5. Formulate a clear, concise and accurate report of assessment results delineating proficiencies and difficulties, determination of a child’s reading, writing, and spelling developmental levels, and recommendations of research-based instructional strategies for use at school and in the home to strengthen the child’s literacy. (WI DPI: 6.2, 6.4) (IRA: 2.2, 2.3, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 4.2)

Participants in this class will gain experience that will help them meet the following Wisconsin Teaching Standards: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

Required Textbooks
Readings will be assigned from all of the following textbooks. (The same textbooks and resources will also be used in the Instructional Techniques For Assisting Students with Reading Difficulties course.)

The books are available from online book stores and can be ordered online from the publishers. Note: Specific editions are indicated by the ISBN number listed.

1. Caldwell, J. S., & Lesley, L. (2006). Qualitative reading inventory –4.; New York: Pearson Allyn & Bacon. ISBN 0-205-44327-3
   When you order the book new (not used), you will receive the QRI-4 Qualitative Reading Inventory Fourth Edition CD-Rom. The CD-Rom is essential and will be used during course activities. (This book is also used in RDGED 707 Practicum in Reading Difficulties)
   
   
2. Caldwell, J.S., & Lesley. L. (2009). Intervention strategies to follow informal reading inventory assessment: So what do I do now?, 2/E New York: Pearson Allyn & Bacon. ISBN-13: 9780205608553 Estimated Availability: 08/01/2008
   (This book is also used in RDGED 705 Instructional Techniques for Assisting Students with Reading Difficulties)
   
   
3. McCormick, Sandra. (2007).Instructing students who have literacy problems. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall. (This book is also used in RDGED 705 Instructional Techniques for Assisting Students with Reading Difficulties)
   
   
4. National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) booklet entitled: Put reading first: The research building blocks for teaching children to read.(free) Download and print 56 pg. booklet. black and white PDF (640 KB) version or color PDF (1.25 MB)
   
   
5. Shea, M. (2006). Where’s the Glitch? How to Use Running Records with Older Readers, Grades 5-8. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
   ISBN: 978-0-325-00849-3 
   Order the new book with CD
   

Additional readings and lectures will be available online within the text of each module.

Course Introduction
Instructional technology and course resources
Content overview

• Assessment milestones
• Issues related to assessment

Assessment Background

• Principles of effective assessment of reading and writing processes
• Causes and correlates of individual differences in reading ability.
• Developmental levels in reading, writing, spelling
• Progress monitoring

Assessment for Verifying General Reading Levels

• Informal reading inventories: Issues, advantages and disadvantages
• Determination of Levels: Independent, instructional and frustration
• Types: IRI, running records, observations

Assessment for Identifying Specific Strengths and Weaknesses

• Emergent literacy: Phonemic awareness, concept about print
• Word recognition: High frequency words
• Word analysis: Phonics, morphemic and context
• Fluency: Expression, volume and reading rate:
• Writing and spelling development: Reading connections
• Word meaning and comprehension: Literal and inferential

Interpretation of Assessment Results:

• Specific strengths and weaknesses
• Instructional recommendations

Course Reflections

• Sharing of struggling writer reader assessment profile.

Prerequisites
Hardware and Software Requirements

What are the minimum technology requirements?

Complete the system checkup on this website, https://uwstout.courses.wisconsin.edu/
by clicking on the link that says: Check your system.

Review the list of compatible/recommended browsers and software programs for Learn@UWStout at the Online Help Desk.

If you have any questions about these preferences, please call one of the numbers listed below and indicate that you are a UW-Stout student needing help with Learn@UW-Stout . Help is available 7 days a week.

• 1-888-435-7589 select option 3
, or
• 1-608-264-4357 select option 3

All projects will be exchanged by e-mail and the course DropBox, and your instructor will provide feedback, suggestions and comments by reply e-mail and the DropBox feedback.

Take a few minutes to review the Frequently Asked Questions, (FAQs).

Instructor
Dr. Carolyn Heitz - background information

Registration
Tuition is payable by university billing, MasterCard, or Visa.
Participants may select the payment plan option in fall and spring, but it is not available during summer session. Refund policy

Enrollment is limited to twenty participants; register online .

Check out the list of additional online classes.

Request Information Online

Contact: soeonline@uwstout.edu
School of Education Online Professional Development
University of Wisconsin - Stout
Menomonie, WI 54751
phone: (715) 642-0209 or 715-232-2253

Introduction Activities
After you are enrolled, review the orientation, Student Expectations and Responsibilities and Academic Expectations and Dishonesty Policy .