EXC644 Reading Methods for Special Ed
Course Description
A survey of theories about teaching reading and the language arts to the student with disabilities. Discusses various assessment instruments relevant to the language arts, selection and administration of instruments and the interpretation and communication of results. Through the use of case studies, students learn how to develop, implement and evaluate prescriptive plans based on diagnostic procedures. Class will meet one night per week for two months.
Learning Outcomes
- Develop an understanding of the reading and language arts needs of children of diverse abilities, languages, cultural backgrounds, learning styles, and interests.
- Assess the characteristics and behaviors of exceptional pupils in terms of their needs in reading and language arts.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the five components of reading: phonemic awareness, decoding/phonics, vocabulary, including sight words, comprehension, and fluency.
- Develop instructional objectives and appropriate instructional processes and strategies relative to teaching reading/language arts content standards.
- Evaluate teaching methods, materials, and media in terms of efficiency of students with disabilities in attaining content standards.
- Describe and utilize procedures and processes for formal and informal assessments in reading and language arts to inform instruction.
- Identify current issues and trends and research findings relevant to teaching reading and language arts to students with disabilities.
- Complete a reading/language arts case study using assessment data to develop an instructional plan including specific objectives, assessments, and instructional strategies.
- Describe strategies for teaching reading to students with limited English proficiency and reading difficulties.
- Demonstrate the ability to administer CORE assessments and interpret the results in order to plan for instruction.
- Adapt reading/language arts instruction using adopted core curriculum materials, to meet the individualized needs of students with disabilities.
- Demonstrate knowledge of functional reading and writing skills using task analysis, adaptation, augmentation, and age-appropriate activities.
- Demonstrate knowledge of functional reading and writing skills across the curricular domains of vocational, domestic, recreational, and community.
- Expand student skills at the secondary level to include adult functional literacy competence.
