This course is part I of a two-course series, Structured Literacy I and II. Spreading the content over two courses offers us the luxury of focusing more in depth, first on the teaching of literacy and then on teaching literacy to students with learning difficulties. Both courses are required for the Certificate in Educational Therapy, and are more closely aligned to the requirements of the Association of Educational Therapy, as well as providing a more thorough mastery of the skills and knowledge base necessary to adequately teach all of the students who will come to you in your practice.

Structured Literacy I is an introduction to the theories, issues, strategies and materials related to assessment and instruction of students with reading difficulties. The course emphasizes specific instruction methods and the selection and development of materials that match the diagnosed need of the individual.

Skills Needed

• To be successful in this class all students should have working knowledge of Google’s G Suite or Microsoft Office, proper email etiquette, and essential understanding of Canvas.

Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of the course, you should be able to

Structured Literacy
• Define the components of structured literacy
• Describe their importance and the red flags of their breakdowns
• Apply the current science of reading to assess the quality of reading and writing programs
• Create and implement effective remediation programs based on best practices in structured literacy instruction

Speech to Print
• Compare and contrast speech-to-print and print-to-speech approaches to literacy instruction
• Evaluate quality programs following each approach
• Describe the bi-directional influence of spelling on reading and vice versa
• Apply current science on best practices to design an effective spelling intervention

Comprehension
• Explain Scarborough's reading rope and its implications for comprehension
• Compare and contrast the effects of decoding and oral language proficiency on reading comprehension
• Describe risk factors and red flags for weaknesses in oral language
• Create an effective remediation program to address the individual needs of each student

Assessment
• Describe and justify the components of a quality assessment for literacy disabilities
• List and describe both informal and formal literacy assessments
• Describe techniques to create an accurate differential diagnosis for each individual student
• Apply both informal and formal literacy assessments to create an accurate student profile
• Create a comprehensive remediation program based on assessment data

Topics Include

• The neurobiological underpinnings of literacy learning
• Structured Literacy: what it is and why it is important
• Scarborough's reading rope and comprehension
• The stubborn persistence of the reading wars

Notes

Formerly titled "Educational Therapy: Reading I”

As a hybrid class, the expectation is that students will make every effort to attend each zoom class meeting as well as complete independent reading and written assignments. Assignments have specific due dates each week, so please make sure to keep up.