Course+Syllabus


 * || ** Penn Literacy Network **

**Pennsylvania Institute for Instructional Coaching** **Fall, 2010**
 * University of Pennsylvania **
 * Graduate School of Education **

PLN 1
Critical Reading & Writing in Support of Learning Secondary Level

**Facilitator:** Kathy Yorks, kathyyorks@hotmail.com 570.295.2270 Anne-Marie Layhue, amjrlayhue@gmail.com

**University of Pennsylvania contact:** Gina Calzaferri, gina2@gse.upenn.edu ||

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Secondary school teachers are involved in the constant process of increasing students’ active reading and writing about content area texts within the high-pressure environment of state accountability. PLN 1 Secondary offers practical strategies and applications that help establish a literate classroom environment in support of learning across all subject areas. Teachers, specialists, and administrators learn approaches to help them establish literate classroom environments that are right in problem-solving, critical thinking, logical reasoning concepts focused on state and national standards, and practical techniques that investigate and connect content in all subject areas to the real world.

PLN 1 Secondary is structured to allow participants the opportunity to explore strategies and concepts for increasing student reading and writing proficiency. Participants are encouraged to try out the strategies discussed in class and reflect on this implementation with colleagues and facilitators, as well as inform their practice through professional readings. They also complete a final project: an individual school specific action plan ready for immediate implementation of the Pennsylvania Institute for Instructional Coaching.

OBJECTIVES
This course examines strategies for incorporating reading, writing, and talking across the curriculum. Specifically, it addresses the PCRP II (Pennsylvania Comprehensive Reading Program) and the Pennsylvania Literacy Framework in which varied language experiences are seen as integral to learning. Participants read and write about the implementation of this framework. In addition, they develop and facilitate lessons that incorporation reading, writing, talking and listening in their content areas.

Central to PCRP II are **four lenses** that reflect the framework’s perspective on language, literacy, and learning. These lenses identify teaching and learning as:

· Meaning –centered · Social · Language-based · Human

The framework also includes **five critical experiences** that immerse students in reading, writing, talking, and listening across the curriculum:

· Transacting With Text · Composing Texts · Extending Reading and Writing · Investigating Language · Learning to Learn

__These four lenses and five literacy processes are the foundations of this course and this initiative. Participants will think about the implementation and support of best practice in classrooms in terms of how it reflects the PLN framework.__

COURSE REQUIREMENTS
**Participation:** Central to the course is the sharing of ideas among participants. In addition to talking about the course readings, participants will share plans of how they will implement particular reading/writing/talking/listening strategies in their content areas (change wording since audience is only coaches and leadership teams. During each class meeting, students will also participate in demonstrations of reading/writing/talking listening strategies.

**Readings and Discussions:** As noted in the calendar, we address particular segments from the course texts. Participant’s interests, insights, and questions generate this conversation. Everyone is expected to keep up with the readings and to contribute to these discussions regularly.

**Journals:** During the course, participants will submit 3 journals, including a Final Reflection Journal. Each entry should be one to two pages in length. This journal serves as a tool for reflecting on and critically evaluating the course readings and class discussions. It also records the participants’ experiences and responses to the r/w/t/l strategies they plan to implement in their schools and classrooms. The final reflection journal is due during the final class session. This journal is a summary and reflection on the impact of the course on you professionally and on your school/classroom. PLN faculty members read and respond to all journals, which will be part of your final course grade.

**Wiki site as reflection and sharing tool:** A wiki site, prepared and maintained by the course instructors will be used as a place for participants to share ideas and collaborate. It is also a place where resources and announcements will be posted.


 * Final Project:** The final project is developed both during the course and outside of class. An overview plan is presented during the final class in a small group setting. Some time is set aside throughout the course to work on the project collaboratively.

The final project is a unit plan that integrates PLN strategies and concepts. While there are many options available, it is recommended that participants work together in groups of 2, 3 or 4 to develop a plan that can be implemented during the current or upcoming school year.

Attendance: Attendance and participation are vital to the success of the class. All students are expected to attend every class. Class dates are:
· **Tuesday, November 2, 2010** · **Monday, November 15, 2010** · **Monday, December 13, 2010** · **Monday, January 10, 2011** · **Monday, February 7, 2011** · **Snow/Makeup – Monday, February 28** ·

EVALUATION
The final course grade is based on the following criteria:
 * 1) Attendance at all class meetings.
 * 2) Participation in class discussions and activities.
 * 3) Completion of journals and the final project.
 * 4) Expectation that all teachers who attend the courses will work in collaboration with the coaches to implement new learnings in their districts, schools and classrooms.


 * Course session readings and topics are subject to change

Session 1
 * Welcome & Introductions**
 * “Reflection on Literacy” – BDA model – narrative**
 * · Text rendering/ Text marking **
 * · Key term focus activity **
 * · Do Nows **
 * · Note making from narrative and informational text **
 * The Four Lenses: “Students learn best when…” (activity)**
 * · Expert JIGSAW/ BDA model – informational text **
 * · Sense making through consensus (small group) **
 * · Guiding responses through writing templates **
 * · Double column note making journals **

**LUNCH**

 * The Five Critical Experiences – an overview**

Math Breakout
 * · “The Birthday Party” BDA model –narrative text **
 * · “A Memoir” – BDA model – informational text (Social Studies) **
 * · Models of Learning **
 * · Engagement Model for Improved Learning **


 * Reflections / Sharing**

Assignment / Journal #1:

Reading Assignment:

__**Session 2**__
__**“A Good Reader” activity – a group reading talk**__

__**Ten Keys to Successful Reading**__ __**“The Dinner Party” BDA model – narrative text**__ __** · Word Splash **__ __** · Inference building **__ __**“The Bully” – BDA activity**__ __** · Story impression **__ __** · Authentic language investigation **__ __** · Building precision and guiding response **__ __**BDA in the Content Area:**__ __** · Key Words pre/post activity **__ __** · Scan and Run / SQ3R – making sense of textbook readings **__ __** · Applications to specific content areas **__

__**LUNCH**__
__**“The Bomb Heard Morally Around the World” BDA Model – informational text (Soc Studies / Science) ● Pair/Share reading activity**__

__** · Marking text alternatives **__ __** · Templates to guide response **__ __** Reflections / Sharing **__

__Assignment / Journal # 2:__

__Reading Assignment:__ _

__Session 3__ __**Critical Reading and Writing**__ __**“Boosting Student Self Esteem All the Way to Failure”**__ __** · Concerns and expectations of student writing **__ __**The John Collins Model**__ __** · 5 Types of Writing – A structure that works **__ __** · FCA’s – providing feedback and guidance to student writing **__ __**Document Review**__ __** · Looking at student writing **__ __** · Informing and modeling revision and peer revision **__ __**Daily Edit Activity**__ __** · Mechanics / Grammar in context **__

__**LUNCH**__
__**Writing to Learn**__

__** · Models across content areas **__ __**Extended work on FCS’s**__ __**“Creating Great Writing Assignments” activity**__ __**School Team Reflections / Sharing**__

__Assignment / Journal # 3:__

__Session 4__ __**Vocabulary Strategies**__ __**Secondary School Topics**__ __**I-Search / We Search: a new look at student research**__

__LUNCH__

__** Final Project Planning **__ __**School Team Reflections / Sharing**__

__Assignment / Journal # 4:__


 * __**

Session 5


 * Building Student Reading/ Independent Reading **
 * SSR **
 * Literature Circles: Fiction and non-fiction independent reading **
 * · Overview **
 * · Plan **
 * · Implementation **
 * Novel-in-an-hour activity: Fiction to inform content OR science article **
 * Putting it all together: “What it will look like in your classroom.” **
 * School Team Reflections / Sharing**

LUNCH **

Project Review