SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

DESIGNS FOR LEARNING: READING

EDUC 473-4 (D4.00)

Summer Semester 2007

May 9 – August 1^st  

Instructor:  Susan Barber                                                    Wednesdays, 13:30 - 17:20 (after May 23: 13:00 -16:50)

Phone:  TBD                                                                      WMC 2501 (after May 23: EDB 7600F)

                             e-mail:  Susan_Barber@sfu.ca

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Prerequisite

Educ 401/402

Description

This course will guide future and practicing teachers towards a fuller understanding of the developmental nature of reading and examine principles behind an integrated and balanced language arts program.  Students will become familiar with a repertoire of instructional methods, activities and resources for teaching literacy in the classroom.  A particular focus will be on strategies for developing reading skills at various stages. 

            Designated as “W”, or writing-intensive, this course will allow students to enhance their learning through writing and provide writing experiences in the forms related to the discipline.  This approach reinforces the view that writing “over prepares” students for reading.

In addition, current issues in the teaching of reading will be surveyed with a view to becoming more aware of literacy’s impact on society and the individual.  Students will have opportunities to analyze, develop and apply techniques for on-going reading assessment and evaluation.

Syllabus

Please access the course website after April 30 at: http:www.sfu.ca/~smbarber/2007educ.htm

The class blog is at:  http://reading07.blogspot.com/

Course requirements

Students are expected to attend each class, actively engage in discussions and group activities, and present ideas at the Literacy Fair (Participation grade - 20%); maintain a reading log (20%); present a reading lesson, write a short essay and a children’s story that will receive feedback and be revised for a Portfolio (60%), which will be of practical value in their future teaching. (There is no final exam).

Required readings

Cunningham, Patricia M., Moore, Sharon A. (2004). Reading and Writing in Elementary Classrooms: Strategies and Observations. (5^th edition paperback). Toronto: Pearson. (ISBN: 0205386407)