Home Table of Contents Orientation Support Lessons Practice
Navigation Tabs
Divider bar space Previous Page  10 of 59  Next Page space
space line
Syllabus Graphic Syllabus for Beginning Word Reading

The Syllabus is similar to the syllabus for a course. It is your primary reference for information regarding the module. The online capability of the module allows you to access information directly from Levels II and III of the module, but selected elements of those levels also appear in the syllabus to give you a single source for key information. You may find it helpful to have a hard copy of the syllabus available for reference.

Module Overview:

There are six major goals for this module. Upon completion of this module, you should be able to do the following:

  1. Discuss the process of emergent reading development and how early childhood experiences can affect it.


  2. Discuss the factors that should be considered when conceptualizing a balanced literacy program.


  3. Explain why it is important for teachers to develop their knowledge about phonemes and have an understanding of the distinctive characteristics of each.


  4. Demonstrate how you would teach and assess phonological awareness and teach beginning word reading.


  5. Describe the dimension of difficulty that should be considered when choosing words for phonological awareness activities and beginning word reading and spelling. Give examples of each.


  6. Describe the features of effective intervention programs.


Content Map:

The content map below provides an overview of the subject matter that will be covered within the course number 6 Instructional Strategies: Improving Basic Reading Skills.

space Module number one space
spaceModulespace
space Beginning Word Reading
  1. The Development of Literacy: As Reading Instruction Begins
  2. Learning about Phonemes
  1. Teaching Phonological Awareness
  2. Beginning Word Reading and Spelling
space
space Module number two space
spaceModulespace
space Advanced Word Reading and Developing Reading Fluency
  1. Teaching Word Patterns
  2. Conquering Multisyllabic Words
  1. Developing Reading Fluency
  2. Developing School-wide Reading Fluency Programs



Outline: The Content Outlines are specific to lessons in this module. They allow you to preview the content to be covered in each lesson and to note how the content for the several lessons combines at the module level to meet the goals for the module. You will also find that the Content Outlines will serve as a useful review feature. Later when you have completed the module and wish to review what was covered in the individual lessons you can return to the Content Outlines.

  1. The Development of literacy: As Reading Instruction Begins
    1. What Is Reading?
      1. Simple view of reading
      2. Reading a difficult passage: "Proteins and Phospholipid Measurements"
      3. Good reading comprehension requirements

    2. Lesson Objectives
      1. To learn about factors that influence early literacy development
      2. To learn about developing a balanced literacy program within the classroom
      3. To understand the overlapping word recognition phases
      4. To learn how to supplement basal reading programs
      5. To understand the characteristics of effective intervention programs

    3. Literacy Development
      1. Begins in infancy
      2. Influenced by later experiences
      3. Literacy - the ability to read and write in ways that enable communication, enhance understanding of ideas, and enrich lives

    4. Emergent Literacy
      1. Earliest stage of literacy development
      2. Influenced by many factors
      3. Language experiences a key factor
      4. Occurs at any age, especially for individuals with disabilities
      5. Involves learning about functions of print
      6. Logographic phase of reading development
      7. Transitional-alphabetic phase of reading development

    5. Alphabetic Decoding and Orthographic Knowledge for Word Recognition
      1. Alphabetic principle understood
      2. What does reader actually do?
      3. Orthographic knowledge

    6. Preventing Reading Difficulties Before Kindergarten Begins
      1. Teachers can support community programs
      2. Teachers can share information

    7. Kindergarten: The First Formal Literacy Experience
      1. Continues expansion of literacy
      2. Provides context for instructional activities

    8. Basal Reading Programs in Kindergarten
      1. Can be valuable for helping with development of overall reading program
      2. Can guide instruction and monitor progress
      3. Need to be supplemented to address needs of all students

    9. Creating Readers: The First Grade Reading Experience
      1. Activities and instruction
      2. Reading levels
      3. Basal reading programs

    10. The Second and Third Grade Reading Experience
      1. Frequent writing opportunities with more use of conventional spelling
      2. Explicit instruction in reading and spelling of more complex word types
      3. Introduction to root words, prefixes, suffixes
      4. Practice with reading of continuous text
      5. Sensitivity to student's reading level
      6. Prepares students for more demanding reading in fourth grade

    11. Characteristics of Effective Interventions for Students with Reading Disabilities
      1. Integration of intervention program
      2. Professional development
      3. Allocation of sufficient time for implementation by teachers
      4. Increase in amount of time for students
      5. Explicit, systematic instruction in reading skills
      6. Explicit, systematic instruction in spelling
      7. Use of high quality materials
      8. Continuous assessment

    12. Review and Preview
      1. Objectives for Lesson 1
      2. Objectives of next lesson


  2. Learning about Phonemes
    1. Phonological Awareness
      1. Strong predictor of future reading achievement and spelling
      2. Can be strengthened through intensive, systematic instruction
      3. Can reduce number of students with reading disabilities

    2. Objectives of Lesson
      1. To develop knowledge about phoneme
      2. To develop the ability to construct and provide intensive and explicit instruction
      3. To develop the ability to choose suitable examples for teaching
      4. To develop the ability to interpret and respond to student errors

    3. Terms
      1. Phonological awareness
      2. Phoneme
      3. Phonemic awareness

    4. Study of Phonemic Awareness
      1. Necessary because most fluent readers have difficulty identifying phonemes
      2. Important and helpful for beginning readers
      3. Important and helpful for teachers

    5. Consonant Phonemes (24)
      1. Necessary to actually practice saying phonemes
      2. Grouped in different ways

    6. Vowel Phonemes (15)
      1. Form "nucleus" of syllables and words
      2. All are continuous and voiced
      3. Few contrasting features to distinguish one from the other
      4. Vowel circle map

    7. Review

  3. Teaching Phonological Awareness
    1. Introduction to Teaching Phonological Awareness
      1. The problem
      2. What we've learned
      3. Research-based rationale for addressing phonological awareness
      4. Overview of lesson

    2. Objectives of Lesson
      1. To explain concepts and roles related to phonological awareness
      2. To explain normal developmental course for phonological awareness.
      3. To discuss sound comparison, Sound synthesis, and sound analysis
      4. To discuss instructional considerations

    3. Concepts Associated with Phonological Awareness
      1. Phonological awareness
      2. Phonemic awareness
      3. Movement of mouth when producing individual phonemes
      4. Explicit instruction about sound production
      5. Automaticity
      6. Benefits for beginning readers
        1. understanding of alphabetic principle
        2. noticing regular ways that letters represent sounds
        3. approaching sounding out unknown words
      7. Complications for beginning readers
        1. 26 letters, 250+ graphemes, 39-45 phonemes
        2. over one million words
        3. impossibe to memorize

    4. Research-Based Activities to Strengthen Phonological Awareness
      1. Instructional steps
      2. Sound comparisons
      3. Sound synthesis
      4. Sound analysis

    5. Dimensions that Contribute to Phonological Difficulty
      1. Size of sound unit
      2. Number of sound units
      3. Position of sound unit
      4. Phonological characteristics of phonemes

    6. Key Instructional Considerations for Group Responses during Instruction
      1. Two-thirds should be group responses
      2. Use when answers are short and the same
      3. Practice
      4. Monitor students

    7. Lesson Review

  4. Beginning Word Reading and Spelling
    1. Introduction and Review
      1. Requirements for understanding written material
        1. decoding
        2. comprehension
        3. vocabulary and background knowledge
      2. Comprehensive language arts program
        1. wide range of literacy experiences
        2. foundational skills

    2. Lesson Preview
      1. Considerations for teaching and sequencing grapheme-phoneme associations
      2. Expansion of sound analysis and synthesis to include letters and words
      3. Word types for beginning reading
      4. Activities used for assessment of phonological and phonemic awareness
      5. Intensive instruction

    3. Review of Phonological Awareness: Teaching Activities and Principles
      1. Sound comparisons, sound synthesis, sound analysis
      2. Dimensions of phonological difficulty
      3. Considerations for group instruction

    4. Knowledge Connections: Toward an Understanding of the Alphabetic Principle
      1. Letter-sound alternating drill
      2. Incorporate letters into activities

    5. Beginning Word Reading
      1. Begin with simple words
      2. Encourage student understanding of letter-sound regularity
      3. Choose example words carefully
      4. Mini-lesson to introduce a Sound-It-Out strategy
      5. Work towards sounding out words with consonant blends and clusters

    6. "Say It, Move It, Read It" Activities
      1. Sound synthesis and sound analysis
      2. Sound manipulation and sound deletion activities

    7. Standard Spellings and Invented Spellings
      1. Standard spelling
      2. Invented spelling

    8. Assessment of Phonological Awareness
      1. Reasons to use formalized assessments
      2. Use of already-developed assessment packages recommended
      3. Activities for assessing are similar to activities for strengthening
      4. Assessment of letter-name and letter-sound knowledge
      5. Examples of assessment packages
      6. Assessments used for screening
      7. Pay particular attention to those scoring in lower 20th percentile

    9. Intensive Instruction in Phonological Awareness
      1. Contacts and consultation helpful
      2. Research studies show that intensive instruction crucial
      3. Features of effective instruction

    10. Review
      1. Instructional considerations
      2. Research-based activities
      3. Goals for students


Readings:

Committee on the Prevention of Reading Difficulties in Young Children, (1998). Executive Summary. In C. E. Snow, S. Burns, and P. Griffin (Eds.), Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children. Washington, D.C.: National Research Council.

Committee on the Prevention of Reading Difficulties in Young Children, (1998). In C. E. Snow, S. Burns, and P. Griffin (Eds.), Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children. Washington, D.C.: National Research Council. Developmental Accomplishments of Literacy Acquisition.

Gildroy, P. G. (1999). Teaching letter-name and letter-sound associations. Online Academy. Lawrence, KS: University of Kansas.

Torgesen, J. K., & Mathes, P. G. (1998). What every teacher should know about phonological awareness. Tallahassee, FL: Florida Department of Education.

Torgesen, J. K. (1998). Catch them before they fall: Identification and assessment to prevent reading failure in young children. American Educator, 32-39.

Torgesen, J.K., & Mathes P.G. (1999). Phonological Awareness - Assessment and Instructional Tools. Tallahassee, FL: Florida Department of Education. Online Academy Summary.

Whitehurst, G. J., Falco, F.L., Lonigan, C.J., Fischel, J.E., DeBaryshe, B.D., Valdez-Menchaca, M.C., & Caulfield, M. (1988). Accelerating language development through picture book reading. Developmental Psychology, 24, 552-559. Online Academy Summary, Teaching Reading in the Early Years, Optimal Instructive Behaviors During Story Time.

Navigation: Pages in this module are organized in a logical sequence from the first to the last page. Use the forward and back arrow in the top right of the menubar to move through the logical sequence of pages. You may also click "ToC" in the top right of the menubar to access the Table of Contents. Menus for each level and lesson appear in the center of the menubar. Access any level menu by clicking the level titles in the center of the menubar. Click the up arrow (top right) to access the menu for the current level.



Beginning Word ReadingspacePrevious Pagespacenext page
space