Instructor
Thomas J. C. Smyth, Ph.D. School of Education B&E 219 smyth@usca.edu	Telephone: 803.641.3527 Office Hours: TTh 2:00-4:00 p.m. & by appointment

Course Description:

A study of the literacy needs of students at the middle and secondary school levels.

Course Credit

Three (3) semester hours undergraduate credit.

Prerequisites

Full admission to the USCA Professional Program in Education.

Intended Audience

Candidates seeking initial certification in a variety of content fields at the middle and secondary school levels.

Course Objectives

The candidate will be able to

1. Articulate a personal rationale for content literacy instruction

2. State techniques for helping students use reading and writing as tools for learning.

3. List the thinking processes that contribute substantially to learning and to demonstrate how these processes play out in teachers' instructional methods and students' learning strategies.

4. Describe assessment as an ongoing process with an emphasis on self-reflection.

5. Develop integrated and interdisciplinary units and lessons which, combined with appropriate classroom grouping practices, address the literacy needs of students.

6. Recognize the efficacy of using multiple reading materials in the classroom.

7. List and demonstrate the many different forms of reports and response projects.

8. Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the South Carolina State Standards in the respective content area.

Texts/Readings

• Moore, Moore, Cunningham, Cunningham, Developing Readers and Writers in the Content Area K-12, 4th Edition, Longman, 2003
• A representative textbook from the content area and grade level(s) which you plan to teach. These are available for check-out from the USCA School of Education Curriculum Lab (B&E 238C).

Other Resources

• South Carolina K-12 Curriculum Standards - These define what students must know and be able to do as they progress through school.
• Palmetto Achievement Challenge Tests (PACT) - The new Exit Exam is given to all 10th-graders as a graduation requirement.
• South Carolina School Report Cards
  • Resources for Understanding School and District Report Cards
• National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) - the "Nation's Report Card."
• Web Resources for Secondary Education

 Academic and Course Requirements

1. This course requires extensive interaction with your classmates and with your professor via the Internet. We will use various Internet tools to communicate with each other, including email (and email attachments) and a class discussion board. Often I will post your completed assignments on the web for sharing with the class. Also, we occasionally will share our projects using a web-based, interactive database.

2. Assignments will take one of several forms:

• DIT (Do It Together) - work with an assigned partner(s), communicating via email and submitting your completed assignment to me. Such collaborative effort promotes learning.
• TIO (Try It Out) - work either individually or with an assigned partner to apply the ideas and concepts you are learning. This provides a reality check for ideas and an opportunity to develop them.
• LLL ( Listen/Look and Learn) - interview another individual regarding concepts and ideas you are learning.
• AYJ (Add to Your Journal) - compose an entry into your journal in response to the ideas of each chapter of the text. The wekly journal entry should be one to two pages single-spaced.
• Other assignments

3. Tests and examinations - We will have mid-term and final examinations which you will receive and submit via the Internet.
 

Administrative Course Requirements

1. You must have access to a computer which is connected to the Internet. As a student at USCA, you have 24-hour access to the various computer labs on campus.

2. All documents should be prepared in Microsoft Word or ClarisWorks. Each of these programs is available for your use in the USCA computers labs. If you use a different word processor on your home computer, you may convert your documents to Word or ClarisWorks on the USCA computers.

3. All assignments should be turned in on time; a letter grade will be subtracted for each day an assignment is late. Assignments are due by midnight of the due date. At times you may be asked to revise and resubmit an assignment; these too must be resubmitted by the assigned deadline.

Evaluation

Evaluation of your performance in this course is holistic. "A" represents superior, exceptional work; "B" represents very good performance in completing all assignments; "C" represents average work overall; "D" represents below average performance. Your written assignments will be evaluated on their overall quality and thoroughness.

20% - Examinations

50% - Weekly assignments and discussion board contributions

30% - Journal entries

Grading Scale:

A = 93 - 100
B = 83 - 88	B+ =89-92
C = 73 - 77	C+ =78-82
D = 60 - 67	D+ =68-72
F = 0 - 59

Other candidate Resources

1. Your instructor values good writing in this course. Please remember that the written work that youproduce in this class can be included in your rising junior writing portfolio. For further information onthe portfolio requirement, consult your USCA Undregraduate and Graduate Bulletin or visit Dr. LynneRhodes, Director of Writing Assessment, or Karl Fornes, Director of Writing Room.

2. USCA provides a Writing Center (CLAS 201) to assist you in your writing. The Writing Center isstaffed by friendly USCA students who are expert writers and who have been trained as writingconsultants. If you need extra assistance on any writing assignment for this class or any other classyou are taking, please try the Writing Center. You may make an apopointment or just drop in.Operating hours are posted on the door. The telephone number is 641-3262.

3. If you have a physical, psychological, and/or learning disability which might affect your performance in this class, please contact the Office of Disability Services, 126A B&E, (803) 641-3609, as soon as possible. The Disability Services Office will determine appropriate accommodations based on medical documentation.

Weekly Schedule