MAJOR CONCEPT/CONTENT: Improve reading achievement for students not reading at grade level through the use of a whole group instructional model with small group rotations:

Whole Group Literacy Instruction with technology support providing models and Lexile leveled text passages for instruction

• Modeled or independent reading using leveled literature to model or practice good reading strategies

Small Group instruction provides daily student-teacher interaction to build skills that facilitate the reading of increasingly complex materials.  Examples include:

• Vocabulary Development-general, technical, content-specific
• Following Directions at increasingly complex levels
• Drawing Conclusions
• Using Effective Study Skills-note taking, outlining, graphic organizers
• Reading for Recreation and Problem Solving

Major topics to be studied include the essential components or reading: vocabulary development, building fluency, comprehension, and structural analysis, study/reference skills and reading in the content areas.

MAJOR INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES: Instructional activities will be provided in a classroom setting using

• Content area text
• Tradebooks-Lexile leveled to match student's instructional level
• Supplementary and reference materials
• Software support

MAJOR EVALUATIVE TECHNIQUES: Assessment instruments used will illustrate strengths as well as needs of students:

• Assessment on class assignments, written work, oral discussions, class participation
•   Performance Assessment: Students demonstrate knowledge of course-related reading skills by applying and using specific reading strategies
• Self-Assessment on skills and comprehension
• Weekly conference with teacher to identify goals and assess progress to date

ESSENTIAL OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of the reading support course, students should be able to:

• Apply higher-level comprehension skills
• Practice study techniques
• Identify the meaning of specialized words in the content area
• Identify the stated and implied main ideas
• Articulate conclusions about personal reading tastes
• Read a wide range of print and nonprint texts

Last Revised: July 20, 2005