Educational Specialist

HTH 103 A: Theory and Methods of Beginning Reading Instruction

Instructor: Sheri Wilkins, Ph.D.
Contact Info: sheriannwilkins@gmail.com
Class Meetings: Thursday4:307:30 pm (5 sessions)
Location: HTH International
Course Credit:

3 credits

Course Description
HTH 103 A is designed to provide the theoretical background and practical application for teaching
beginning reading to special education students. This course provides instruction and experience with
teaching systematic and explicit skills that promote fluent reading (phonemic awareness, phonics,
spelling patterns, decoding strategies, etc,), comprehension (analysis of text structure, summarizing,
questioning and making inferences, etc.) and a variety of whole class, small group, and individualized
instructional strategies to meet the diverse needs of special education students. This course focuses on
methods for integrating the language arts (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) and emphasizes
formative, on going assessment that informs teaching, provides opportunities for intervention, and
ensures accountability. ES Interns enrolled in this course are provided with additional resources and
supports to assist them in passing RICA.
#
3
5
9
10
13
15
16
M/M 1
M/M 2
M/M 3
M/M 5

Alignment of Course Objectives with 2009 CCTC Program Standards

Educating Diverse Learners
Assessment of Students
Preparation to Teach Reading and Language Arts
Preparation to Teach English Language Learners
Curriculum and Instruction of Students with Disabilities
Field Experience in a Broad Range of Service Delivery Options
Assessment of Candidate Performance
Characteristics of Students with Mild/Moderate Disabilities
Assessment and Evaluation of Students with Mild/Moderate Disabilities
Planning and Implementing Mild/Moderate Curriculum and Instruction
Specific Instructional Strategies for Students with Mild/Moderate Disabilities

Course Objectives
Upon completion of HTH 103 A, ES Interns:
1) The program provides knowledge and application of pedagogical theories, development of
academic language and principles/practices for English language usage leading to
comprehensive literacy in English. (CCTC Program Standard 3)
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2) Develop a comprehensive program of systematic instruction in word analysis, fluency, and

systematic vocabulary development, reading comprehension, background knowledge, literary
response and analysis. (CCTC Program Standard 9)
3) Demonstrate knowledge of fundamental principles of effective instructional delivery based on
planning, organizing, and managing differentiated reading instruction and interventions based
on a research and state reading standards (including: orientation, presentation, structured
practice, guided practice, independent practice). (CCTC Program Standard 9)
4.) Demonstrate knowledge of reading content as described in the RICA and content specifications
and grade level standards as outlined in Reading/Language Arts Framework (2007). (CCTC
Program Standard 9)
5.) Plan a comprehensive literacy program for elementary and secondary classrooms that include
explicit and systematic skills. (CCTC Program Standard 9)
6.) Demonstrate knowledge based on the progression of instruction of foundational writing
strategies applications and conventions that include organization and application to grade level
standards ( CCTC Program Standard 9)
7.) Understand the role of phonological and phonemic awareness in reading development (e.g.,
differentiated instruction, using a variety of concrete examples, variety of learning styles
(auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile), re-teach in a different way) and how to develop students'
phonological and phonemic awareness skills. (CCTC Program Standard 9, M/M 5)
8.) Demonstrate systematic and explicit instruction in phonics.(CCTC Program Standard 9)
9.) Demonstrate knowledge of how assessment is linked to instruction and the core curriculum,
including multiple ways to asses (both formally and informally) and evaluate student learning
and mastery. (CCTC Program Standard 5,9, M/M Standard 2)
10.) Demonstrate systematic instructional plans that develop listening and speaking skills based on
the Reading/Language Arts Framework (2007). (Program Standard 9, M/M 3)
11.) Demonstrate knowledge to establish effective differentiated reading instruction based on a full
range of diverse learners. (CCTC Program Standard 9, M/M 5)
12.) Analyze and interpret results of assessments to plan for effective and differentiated instruction
and interventions. (CCTC Program Standard 9)
13.) Understand ways to provide explicit instruction of comprehension and higher order reading,
writing and speaking skills. (CCTC Program Standard 9)
14.) Understand the development of reading and language arts skills in all students who do not use
standard English or do not have a communication/language system. (CCTC Program Standard
9)
15.) Are familiar with lessons that promote students' access to and achievement in the K-12 stateHTHDI Program
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adopted academic content standards.(CCTC Program Standard 10)

16.) Are familiar with how students' characteristics relate to their mild/moderate disability and how
this can impact placement, service delivery, IEP development, and instruction. (CCTC Program
Standard M/M 1)
Course Textbooks and Resources
Adams, M.J. (1990). Beginning to read: Thinking and learning about print. Cambridge,
Mass.: The MIT Press.
Carnine, D., Silbert, J., Kame'enui, E., Tarver, S., Jungjohann, K. (2006). Teaching struggling and atrisk readers: A Direct Instruction approach. Upper Saddle River, NJ. Pearson Merrill
Prentice Hall.
Chard, D. J., Vaughn, S., & Tyler, B. (2002) A synthesis of research on effective
interventions for building reading fluency with elementary students with learning
disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 35, 386-406.
Echevarria, J., Short, D., & Vogt, M. (2008). Making content comprehensible for English language
learners. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Fountas, I., & Pinnell, G.. (2001). Guiding readers and writers: Grades 3-6. Portsmouth, N.H.
Heinemann.
Gersten, R., & Baker, S. (2001). Teaching expressive writing to students with learning disabilities:
A meta-analysis. Elementary School Journal, 101, 251-272.
Good III, R.H., Kaminski, R.A. (2011). DIBELSNext assessment manual. Eugene, OR: Dynamic
Measurement Group, Inc.
Hasbrouck, J. & Tindal, G.A. (2006). Oral reading fluency norms: A valuable assessment tool for
reading teachers. The Reading Teacher, 59(7) , 636-644.
Honig, B., Diamond, L., & Gutlohn, L. (2008). CORE teaching reading sourcebook. Novato, CA:
Arena Press.
Hudson, R.F., High, L., Al Otaiba, S. (2007). Dyslexia and the brain: What does current research tell
us? The Reading Teacher, 60(6), 506-515.
Jenkins, J. R., Fuchs, L. S., van den Broek, P., Espin, C., & Deno, S. (2003). Sources of
Individual differences in reading comprehension and reading fluency. Journal of
Educational Psychology, 95, 719-729.

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Manyak, P.C. (2010). Vocabulary instruction for English learners: Lessons from MCVIP. The Reading
Teacher, 64(2, 143-146.
O'Connor, R. E., Bell, K. M., Harty, K. R., Larkin, L. K., Sackor, S., & Zigmond, N. (2002).
Teaching reading to poor readers in the intermediate grades: A comparison of text difficulty.
Journal of Educational Psychology, 94, 474-485.
O'Connor, Rollanda E.; White, Annika; Swanson, H. Lee. (2007). Repeated
reading versus continuous reading: influences on reading fluency and comprehension The
Free Library. (2007). Retrieved February 23, 2011 from
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Repeated reading versus continuous reading: influences on
reading...-a0168055173
Swanson, H.L. Saez, L., Gerber, M., & Lefstead, J. (2004). Literacy and cognitive functioning in
bilingual and nonbilingual children at or not at risk for reading disabilities. Journal of
Educational Psychology, 96 (1), 3-18.
Torgesen, J. K. (2000). Individual differences in response to early interventions in reading: The
lingering problem of treatment resisters. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 15,
55-64.
Vaughn, S., Cirino, P. T., Wanzek, J., Wexler, J., Fletcher, J. M., Denton, C. A., Francis, D. J.
(2010). Response to intervention for middle school students with reading difficulties: Effects
of primary and secondary intervention. School Psychology Review, 39 (1), 3-21.
Zarillo, J. J. (2002). Ready for RICA: A test preparation guide for Californias Reading
Instruction Competence Assessment. Upper Saddle River, NJ.: Pearson Education, Inc.
California Department of Education. (2007). Reading/Language Arts framework for K-12
California public schools. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Education.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (2000). Report of the National Panel on
Reading. Jessop, MD: EDPubs
Snowball, D. (1999). Spelling K-8: Planning and teaching. Portland, ME. Stenhouse Publishers.
U.S. Department of Education. (2001). Put children first, the research building blocks for
teaching children to read. Washington, D.C.: National Institute for Literacy.
U.S. Department of Education (2003). Identifying and implementing educational practices supported
by rigorous evidence: A user friendly guide. Washington, D.C.: Institute for Education
Sciences.
Additional professional readings provided in class by instructor

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Tentative Course for HTH 103 A: Theory and Methods of Beginning Reading Instruction
Session #1 Overview & Course Requirements
Introduction to Reading: Beliefs, Models and
Approaches
Reflective conversation regarding beliefs
about learning to read and instructional
decisions
Research Based Instruction: Discuss
National Reading Panel Report
What is Progress Monitoring?
Assessment of beginning reading: using
Curriculum Based Measurement to assess
reading levels and plan instruction and
intervention
What is dyslexia?

Assign:
Put It To Practice #1 Observation of Reading
Instruction and Assessment (Elementary)
Put It To Practice #2 Assessment using DIBELS
measures and reflection

Readings
v Executive Summary National Reading
Panel Report
v Common Core State Standards Reading:
Foundational Skills
v Big Ideas in Beginning Reading website
review http://reading.uoregon.edu/
v What is Progress Monitoring, from the
National Center on Student Progress
Monitoring website
http://studentprogress.org/

Reflection Prompts
What are the purposes of student
assessment?
How can assessment results be used to
adapt instruction?
How does progress monitoring link to
effective reading instruction as outlined in
the NRP report?

Session #2 Overview & Course Requirements

Discussion on Readings and Debrief
Readings (due next week)
Assign Literature Groups: Each group will read
v Hasbrouck & Tindal (2006)
and present one research article on how to
v Hudson, Lane, & Pullan (2005)
address reading for students with reading
v Young & Rasinski (2009)
disabilities.
v O'Connor (2007)
Literacy Learning and Early Childhood
Brainstorm knowledge about literacy that Reflection Prompts
Describe how interventions are utilized
students might bring to school from family
to build reading fluency.
and the community
What interventions do Educational
Specialists use to respond to nonreading and difficult reading
Phonemic Awareness
challenges?
Concepts about Print
The Reciprocity of Reading and Writing
Assessing Decoding and Fluency:
Oral Reading Fluency tools
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What to do when the student isnt learning to

read?
Research-based tools for intervention of
reading problems
Assign:
Put It To Practice #3: Observe a teacher and
complete the Classroom Observation Tool
(Kinsella & Feldman, 2007)
Put It To Practice # 4: Conduct an Oral Reading
Fluency assessment and evaluate based on ORF
norms
Session #3 Overview & Course Requirements
Presentations of journal articles (groups present
each article and different interventions)
Readings
v Carnine, Teaching Struggling and At-Risk
Research-based practices for teaching
Readers, Chapter 5
vocabulary skills
v CCSS Narrative Text
Considerations for English language
Reflection Prompts
learners
Reflect on your classroom observation.
Beck strategies
What did you notice going really well
regarding literacy instruction in the
classroom?
Assignment:

What suggestions might you make for

Put It To Practice #5: Develop a maze and
improvement?
administer it to at least 10 students

Did you notice any students who appeared

Put It To Practice #6: Develop a graphic
to be struggling? If so, what suggestions
organizer to be used with an individual student or
might you make to differentiate
a group of students for reinforcing the learning of
instruction for those students?
story grammar.
Session #4 Overview & Course Requirements
Reading Comprehension: Narrative Text
Readings
v Carnine, Teaching Struggling and At-Risk
Using graphic organizers to reinforce story
Readers, Chapters 6-9
grammar
v
CCSS Informational Text
Research-based strategies for improving
comprehension of narrative text
Reflection Prompts
Progress Monitoring of comprehension
How can you use the Common Core State
Standards to improve or inform your
teaching?
State Adopted Materials
Comprehensive, systematic materials
supplemental materials
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Assignment
Put It To Practice #8: Observation of Expository
Reading Instruction and Assessment (Elementary
or secondary). Observe in a content area class (for
elementary observe during content instruction)
and note where you see literacy instruction
occurring. What kinds of instruction do you see? Is
there explicit instruction of informational text
occurring? Be prepared to discuss your
observation during our final class.
Put It To Practice #9: Using a students STAR
results to determine areas of need, develop a
reading intervention plan including progress
monitoring tools and assessment schedule and
possible research-based strategies that could be
used to improve the reading skills of the student
and support the student in general education
classes. Be prepared to present the current level of
functioning of the student (strengths and
weaknesses) and your recommendations for future
practices/strategies that you think would support
the student in strengthening his or her literacy
skills. **Note make sure you change the name
of the student to maintain confidentiality.

Session #5 Overview & Course Requirements

Reading Comprehension: Informational Text
Define and Discuss Expository Text
Structures
Assignment/Projects
Present your case study to the class (plan on a tenminute presentation). Be prepared to discuss the
current functioning level of the student (strengths
and weaknesses based on data) and your
recommendations for future practices.
Make sure you change the name of the student
to maintain confidentiality.

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Readings
v Carnine, Teaching Struggling and AtRisk Readers, Chapters 14-19
Reflection Prompts
Describe what interventions you can
use to teach poor readers. Be sure to
include specific strategies based on the
individual needs of a student (difficulty
of text, comprehension strategies,
fluency techniques).

Course Evaluation

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Syllabus HTH 103 A

Course Requirements
Attendance and Participation
Attendance is required for all classes. ES Intern classes are designed for
active participation. Missing class more than once results in having to
repeat the class.
Reflections
It is important both to think about the how of practice and the why.
Reflections are a combination of classroom observations, in class
discussions, and thought provoking teaching practices. Two reflective
writings per course are submitted in the ES Interns portfolio.
Put It To Practice #1-#9

Total

Due

100 Points
Possible

Session 1-5

Session 1-5

Session 1-5

9x10
Total = 90

Session 1-5

100

Grading Criteria
ES Interns are graded at the completion of this course in accordance with the following criteria:
Exceeds Standards
Outstanding knowledge of course content demonstrated; attendance at every class
session; all assignments turned in on time; professionalism, effort and application above
and beyond course requirements reflected in class participation and outside written work.
Meets Standards
Good knowledge of course content demonstrated; attendance at every class session or not
more than one class session missed and made up by completing an additional assignment
approved by the instructor; professionalism reflected in class participation and outside
written work.
Needs Development
Below average knowledge of course content demonstrated assignments missing; or class
participation and/or outside written work were below average. A grade of Needs
Development must be made up and converted into a Meets Standards grade within
three weeks.
Below Standards
Failure. Any Needs Development grade that is not made up within four weeks
automatically converts to a Below Standards grade. ES Interns receiving a Below
Standards grade may be dropped from the program.

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90-100%

80-89%

70-79%

69% or
below