T_L 410 02

For information about your professor for this course, Dr. Sonja Brandt, view the Faculty tab inside our Blackboard course. You can also see her Flipgrid introductory video (link in the Week 1 folder). All students will complete a short introductory Flipgrid video to introduce themselves as well. Note: Dr. Brandt’s evening and weekend hours are of limited availability. You may not receive an immediate response to a question if they are sent during these times.

The purpose of this course is to prepare you to teach reading to students in the elementary grades. After successfully completing this course, you should be able to:

• Understand strategies readers use to process text (CAEP 1.2; InTASC 1) 

• Analyze texts for opportunities to learn and to match readers’ needs (CAEP 1.2; InTASC 1, 2, 3) 

• Plan assessment for evidence of learning (CAEP 1.3; InTASC 8) 

• Plan rigorous instruction that supports orchestration of the reading process, including development of reading comprehension (CAEP 1.3; InTASC 4, 8) 

• Plan lessons using varied approaches:  read-aloud, shared and guided reading, and reading workshop (CAEP 1.4; InTASC 4, 5, 6, 7) 

• Plan instruction that meets the needs of diverse learners (CAEP 1.4; InTASC 3) 

• Develop an understanding of how to enrich and support the reading curriculum through the use of technology tools.  (CAEP 1.5, InTASC 7; ISTE for Teachers 1, 2, 3, 5, 6; ESPB 50015.6) 

• Design and incorporate different technologies when planning, creating, and facilitating reading activities and lessons (ISTE for Educators 5, 6) 

• Read and write for professional purposes (CAEP 1.2; InTASC 9, 10)   

• Approach the teaching of reading with commitment and enthusiasm (CAEP 1.2; InTASC 9) 

• Describe and evaluate a wide variety of approaches to sparking a love of reading in future students (InTASC 2.l, InTASC 3.i, ISTE 5.a, CAEP 1.1, ISTE for Educators 6)

Required Texts:

• Honig, B., Diamond, L., Gutlohn, L., & Consortium on Reading Excellence. (2000). Teaching reading sourcebook: For kindergarten through eighth grade. Novato, Calif: Arena Press. ISBN: 978-1634022354 

• Serravallo, J. (2015).  The reading strategies book: Your everything guide to developing skilled readers.  Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. ISBN: 978-0325074337 

• Park, L. S. (2020). Prairie lotus. New York, NY: Clarion Books.
  ISBN: 9781328781505  

Recommended Texts: 

• Bear, D., Invernizzi, M., Templeton, S., & Johnston, F. (2020).  Words their way: Word study for phonics, vocabulary, and spelling instruction, 7th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. 
  ISBN: 9780135174623 

• Richardson, J. (2016). The next step forward in guided reading: An assess-decide guide framework for supporting every reader.  New York, NY: Scholastic. ISBN: 978-1338161113

Note: Additional readings and resources shown on the course schedule will be made available electronically in Blackboard.

Access and Log in Information

This course was developed and will be facilitated utilizing Blackboard. To get started with the course, please go to: http://blackboard.UND.edu and log in with your NDUS.Identifier, Username and Password. If you do not know your NDUS Identifier or have forgotten your password, please visit Your NDUS Account page on the UIT website.

Course Overview

The course content is organized into eight weeks. Each week contains a purpose, learning outcomes, and a variety of links to articles, instructional video/audio, and other instructional resources selected to enhance the learning experience and support the various topics. Discussions, blogs, wikis, surveys, quizzes, tests and assignments will be used to assess your comprehension and application of those materials over the course of this class.  

TL410: Teaching Reading in the Elementary School Classroom is a “Meets With” course for some graduate students and programs at UND. This means we will have a combination of undergraduate and graduate students learning and working together to learn the literacy topics and methods for teaching reading in an elementary school classroom. Most students will be online synchronous for our course, but some students may be taking this course online asynchronously. All weekly readings, assignments, and lesson plans are due for all students at the same time. Synchronous and asynchronous activities and assignments will be provided each week for each group of students with some overlapping elements so you can all learn from and alongside one another this semester. 

To get the most from your experience, it is recommended that you consider the following: 

• Review the syllabus and course schedule posted in Blackboard 

• Use the FAQ Discussion Board found under Resources to ask questions  

• Participate fully and in a timely manner to get the benefit of learning from your peers and the facilitators

What Should Students Do First?

Prior to the start of the first week you should have reviewed the syllabus and viewed the Week One folder found under Weekly Folders in Blackboard. Make your Flipgrid video and view your Blue or Green TEAM classmates' videos as well! The link for Flipgrid can be found inside the Week One folder.

How Students Should Proceed Each Week for Class Activities

On the left side course menu in Blackboard there is a “Weekly Folders” tab. By clicking on this tab, you will find all weekly content folders containing the required readings, videos, and assignments/activities for the week. An overview of each week can be found in Blackboard under the Schedule tab. Each weekly folder will be opened up on Thursdays by 9:00am CST for the coming week, and (unless otherwise specified), all assignments will be due by 9:00am CST of the following Thursday (ex. Week 1 Thursday materials are open by Thursday, August 26th at 9:00am CST and all Week 1 materials will be due by the start of Week 2 by 9:00am CST, which is Thursday, September 2nd).

Under the Resources tab you will find the FAQ Discussion Board where students can post questions about the course; you are encouraged to respond and help your classmates by answering questions if and when you are able.

Resources

Many services are available to UND students such as writing assistance from the UND Writing Center, free online tutoring from Smarthinking, and more. Visit the Student Resources page for more information. Students also have access to the UND Student Resource Site via Blackboard. It is recommended that you become familiar with the tools and tutorials within the site to better equip you in navigating the course.

Course Requirements/Expectations

1. Review the syllabus and course schedule posted in Blackboard and continue to monitor these for any changes during the 8-week session. 

2. Access and follow all weekly instructions and complete all assignments as indicated in the Weekly Assignments folders. 

3. Complete and submit assignments by the date noted in Blackboard and on the course schedule – typically by the following Thursday by 9:00am CST unless otherwise specified. We will use Central Standard Time for due dates and times.

4. Participate fully in all online and virtual discussions, Zoom meetings, online discussion boards, and other activities in a timely manner to get the benefit of learning from your TEAM community.​

Department of Teaching, Leadership, & Professional Practice Conceptual Framework

All of our programs in the College of Education are grounded on constructivist principles and are accredited by the appropriate agencies (NCATE, ESPB, and the Higher Learning Commission) and are designed to support the development of educators around the three themes that comprise the conceptual framework of our college:

1. Teachers as Learners

2. Teachers as Articulate Visionaries

3. Teachers as Active Agents of Learning

Announcements: 

Announcements will be posted on the main Blackboard page (and subsequently emailed directly to you) on a regular basis. Be sure to check your email as well as the class Announcements regularly as they will contain important information about class assignments and other class matters. 

Email: 

You are encouraged to post your questions about the course in the FAQs Discussion Board Forum in the Blackboard site (found under Resources). This is an open forum in which you and your classmates are encouraged to answer each other’s questions. But, if you need to contact me directly, check the Faculty tab in Blackboard or the syllabus for my contact information.  I will respond back to you within 48 hours during the week and may not respond on the weekend until the next business day. If you have not heard back from me within 48 hours, please email again.  

Discussion Forums, Blogs, & Wikis: 

These tools are an excellent way for you to engage with the course material and with your peers.  Each week will have at least one of these tools for you to participate in. You are expected to read all assigned discussion boards, blog posts, and/or wiki pages and provide thoughtful contributions. 

Netiquette:  

When participating in (an online) class it is important to interact with your peers in an appropriate manner. Always use professional language (no netspeak) in your postings and emails, just as you would in a school setting or other professional position. Our online posts are our main interactions and discussions as a community of teachers and learners. Please be respectful of your classmates at all times even if you disagree with their ideas. Consider the perspectives of others, participate on time and completely, and make sure your tone is considerate and collegial when engaging with others. In addition, almost all assignments depend on the contributions of each of you. Your reflections, ideas, and suggestions are required for us to engage with and learn reading content. Your learning and understanding will be enhanced by reading and responding to others’ work. As with any class, please complete assignments fully and on time and promptly communicate if you have questions or if any issues should arise. We are here to support each other’s teaching and learning for the benefit of you and your future students, so be willing to take risks and put yourself out there among your classmates! We are here to learn from and alongside one another! 

Resources:

Many services are available to online students such as writing assistance from the UND Writing Center (virtual appointments), free online tutoring from Smarthinking, and more. Visit the Student Resources page for more information. Students also have access to the UND Student Resource Site via Blackboard. It is recommended that you become familiar with the tools and tutorials within the site to better equip you in navigating the course.

Assignment Policy:

Assignments are expected to be submitted either in class or on Blackboard as specified on their designated due dates. If you feel you require an extension on an assignment, please see me in person in advance in order to discuss options. Late assignments without such a request will result in a reduction in points.

If you feel you need to revise and resubmit an assignment in order to improve your own learning and success, please email me to set up an appointment to discuss. Such instances will be considered individually as they arise. 

Class Participation:

Students are required to login regularly to the online class site. Students are also required to participate in all class activities such as discussion board, blogs, and wikis as well as be fully engaged and participate during our live Zoom sessions.

Incompletes:

It is expected that students will complete all requirements for a course during the time frame of the course. For reasons beyond a student’s control, and upon request by the student or on behalf of the student, an incomplete grade may be assigned by the instructor when there is reasonable certainty the student will successfully complete the course without retaking it. The mark “I,” Incomplete, will be assigned only to the student who has been in attendance and has done satisfactory work up to a time within four weeks of the close of the semester, including the examination period, and whose work is incomplete for reasons satisfactory to his or her instructor. More information regarding UND’s Incomplete policy can be found on The Grading System webpage.

Course Requirements:  

In this course, students are expected to:  

• Complete all readings and coursework in a reflective and critical manner  

• Demonstrate professional-level skills in thinking and communication  

• Be considerate of others’ thoughts and opinions  

Assignments that are not well-written or well-thought out or those that are incomplete will be returned to the student for revision. Unless otherwise directed, format assignments using 12 pt. font and 1-inch margins and follow APA style. All assignments must be posted in Blackboard unless otherwise directed. E-mailed assignments will not be accepted without prior permission from the instructor. 

Central Standard Time (CST) is used for class due dates and times. 

Effort/Course Rigor:  

Plan to spend sufficient time on the course. You are expected to put in the same amount of time into online courses as you would if you were enrolled in a face-to-face course on campus. For example, if a three credit course were meeting on-campus it would meet for three hours a week for sixteen weeks. In addition to this meeting time, you would be expected to spend, at minimum, an additional hour for each hour of class time on assignments and readings. Therefore, for a three credit online course you can expect to spend at least six hours a week on the course. However, because our three-credit course only spans across eight weeks instead of sixteen weeks, you can anticipate spending at least ten – twelve hours each week working on our course. This will include readings, assignments, group work, discussions, etc. Also keep in mind that you will be taking two TEAM Methods courses at one time instead of four, so the number of hours and workload will equate to the same for each set of 8 weeks as if you were taking four courses at once for the entire semester.  

Ensure Accessibility

To comply with the latest accessibility guidelines, documents posted online, including, but not limited to, Adobe PDF files, Microsoft Word documents, Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, and online flipbooks, must be screen-reader friendly. For directions on how to make your syllabus and other course materials accessible, visit the Creating Accessible Content webpage on the TTaDA site.