Courses Partner Universities About TEI Class Login Contact Us

Courses

Trends and Issues in Reading Instruction

Recent and rapid changes to the field of reading education make it difficult for busy classroom teachers to stay informed. This course is designed to introduce the significant issues facing reading teachers and school leaders that may require modification to curriculum, programs, policies, procedures, and assessment of literacy achievement. Participants will be engaged in discussions on these important and varied issues, will analyze solutions found in the readings, and will suggest solutions based on their experiences. In addition, class participants will review their local classrooms, schools, and districts for the status or the presence of these issues and the steps that may have been taken to resolve them.

Carlow University ED 659 • Madonna University EDU 5830.19 • Mercy University EDUT 560

This course is cross listed with Mercy University as part of the Educational Studies, Literacy Track.

The required text for this course is Artfully Teaching the Science of Reading by Chase Young, David Paige, and Timothy V. Rasinski.

ISBN-13: 978-1032080864

Graduate participants earn 3 semester hours of graduate credit and will receive a transcript from one of our partner institutions below. Professional development participants receive a certificate of completion for 45 hours of professional developments credit for face-to-face classes, and 60 hours of professional development credit for online classes.

Professional
Development

Course Schedule

2/11/25 - 5/13/25
4/8/25 - 7/8/25
6/10/25 - 9/9/25
8/12/25 - 11/11/25
10/14/25 - 1/13/26
12/9/25 - 3/10/26

Course Schedule

Zoom

1/10-12 & 1/24-26

Nicole Taliercio

Textbook List FAQs

Outline
Objectives
Important Information
Student Academic Integrity

Print Online Course Outline Print Face To Face Course Outline

Outline

Session 1: The Reading Wars: Phonics or Not To Phonics

Objectives:

Identify and state the major issues surrounding phonics instruction
Select appropriate emphasis and techniques based on "best practice" supported by the research on phonics instruction

Content:

Introduction of Reading Models
Other Theories on Word Identification
NRP Findings on readers and instruction

Session 2: Fostering Reading Fluency

Objectives:

Demonstrate research-based methods of scaffolding for reading fluency

Content:

Define dimensions of fluency
Assessment of Fluency
Reading Fluency Instruction
Developing Reading Fluency
Reading Rate and Prosody Effects on Reading Achievement

Session 3: Comprehension

Objectives:

contrast and compare the various methods supported by research findings to increase readers' comprehension of text.
identify and discuss a variety of literature appropriate for adolescents, struggling readers, and young adults
identify and state the major issues with the concepts of quantitative and qualitative assessment of literacy achievement

Content:

If they don't understand it, have they really read it?
The developmental nature of comprehension
What teachers should know about reading comprehension
Ineffective practices

Session 4: Revisiting Comprehension

Objectives:

demonstrate research-based methods of scaffolding for reading fluency
contrast and compare the various methods supported by research findings to increase readers' comprehension of text.
identify and state the issues surrounding the inclusion of writing in literacy programs
identify and discuss a variety of literature appropriate for adolescents, struggling readers, and young adults
identify and state the major issues with the concepts of quantitative and qualitative assessment of literacy achievement

Content:

Assimilate and apply information in the previous module to the student's own classroom or clinical situation.
Examine in more detail the following concepts:

o Metacognition

o Literature responses

o Graphic Organizers

o Pre-reading and exploring headings and subtitles

o Vocabulary development

o Shared and repeated readings

o Wide reading

Session 5: Adolescent Literacy

Objectives:

identify and state the major issues surrounding phonics instruction
select appropriate emphasis and techniques based on "best practice" supported by the research on phonics instruction
demonstrate research based methods of scaffolding for reading fluency
contrast and compare the various methods supported by research findings to increase readers' comprehension of text.
identify and discuss a variety of literature appropriate for adolescents, struggling readers and young adults

Content:

Causes of Middle School literacy problems
Addressing the issues of adolescent literacy
Implications of NCLB and adolescent literacy
Designing literacy programs for struggling readers

Session 6: Multicultural Literacy

Objectives:

identify and discuss a variety of ways to use literature to raise awareness and acceptance of multicultural groups within our society and schools

Content:

Special plight of English language learners
Viva la differance!
Multiculturally diverse literacy learners
Transforming literacy curriculum and pedagogy

Session 7: Assessment-Driven Instruction

Objectives:

contrast and compare the various methods supported by research findings to increase readers' comprehension of text.
identify and state the major issues with the concepts of quantitative and qualitative assessment of literacy achievement

Content:

Defining Assessment-driven Instruction
Assessment Standards
Informing Literacy Instruction

Session 8: Literacy Coaching

Objectives:

define and explain the role of literacy coaches in literacy instruction and achievement

Content:

What is literacy coaching?
Literacy coaching can support and enhance literacy instruction 3. Strong Professional Development
Effective Literacy Coaches
Advantages and Disadvantages of literacy coaching

Session 9: Technology and Literacy Instruction

Objectives:

list multiple ways that technology aids in the development of literacy

Content:

Technology in instruction is here to stay
Multimedia literacy
Use of technology in instruction

Session 10: Technology and Literacy Instruction Continued

Objectives:

list multiple ways that technology aid in the development of literacy

Content:

Effective use of computers in literacy classrooms
Evaluating Computer programs for literacy instruction
Guidelines for effective technology integration in literacy instruction

Objectives

Students will:

identify and state the major issues surrounding phonics instruction
select appropriate emphasis and techniques based on "best practice" supported by the research on phonics instruction
demonstrate research-based methods of scaffolding for reading fluency
contrast and compare the various methods supported by research findings to increase readers' comprehension of text.
identify and state the issues surrounding the inclusion of writing in literacy programs
identify and discuss a variety of literature appropriate for adolescents, struggling readers, and young adults
identify and discuss a variety of ways to use literature to raise awareness and acceptance of multicultural groups within our society and schools
identify and state the major issues with the concepts of quantitative and qualitative assessment of literacy achievement
define and explain the role of literacy coaches in literacy instruction and achievement
list multiple ways that technology aid in the development of literacy

Important Information

Online 3-graduate credit courses are 13 weeks in length.

On-site weekend courses are held Friday evening from 6:00pm-9:00pm and Saturday/Sunday, 8:30am-5:30pm.

Weekday courses are Monday-Friday from 8:00am- 6:00pm.

It is the responsibility of the student to check with their state, county, district, or school to ensure that all requirements are being met by the course you're taking.

Check the Partner Universities page for specific university information as well as course numbers which are specific to the university partner.

Students are required to purchase their own textbook, the information for which can be found here. If no book is required it will be specified on the list. We have copies of many of the textbooks should you wish to purchase directly from TEI.

Professional development (PD) participants receive a certificate of completion from TEI for 45 hours of PD credit for face to face classes and 60 hours of PD credit for online classes. These certificates are mailed within one week of the end of the class and reflect the course title, dates of attendance, and credit hour information.

Student Academic Integrity

Participants guarantee that all academic class work is original. Any academic dishonesty or plagiarism (to take ideas, writings, etc. from another and offer them as one's own), is a violation of student academic behavior standards as outlined by our partnering colleges and universities and is subject to academic disciplinary action.