This document outlines the syllabus and introductory seminar for a graduate course on literacy and language. The course focuses on applying literacy strategies, improving achievement for struggling readers, and developing coaching skills. It introduces assignments like creating a classroom context video and narrative, setting literacy teaching goals, and facilitating discussion on a choice textbook. Students are practicing teachers seeking qualifications in areas like reading specialist. The seminar covered course expectations, assignments, and began discussions to help students plan their literacy instruction, curriculum, and assessment goals for the semester.

1. + Professional
Practicum
in
Literacy &
Language

2. +
Seminar 1: August 18, 2014
 Introductions/Announcements
 Syllabus & Course Overview
 Textbooks, Readings & Responses
 Classroom contexts
 Literacy Challenges & Goals
 Choice Textbook (Your choice!)
 In-class observations & coachings
 Looking ahead……
 Your Lingering Questions

3. +Professor Information & Introduction
Sherry Taylor. Ph.D.
Associate Professor in Literacy, Language & Culturally
Responsive Teaching Program
AREAS of STUDY:
 Bilingual/Bicultural Elementary Education
 Applied Linguistics/TESOL
 Second Language Acquisition/Spanish Linguistics
AREAS of TEACHING
 PK-12 Teaching in the areas of Literacy, Language, ESL. In the
following locations: Illinois, Colorado & Guanajuato & Michoacan,
Mexico
 Adult ESL/EFL: Colorado, Ohio & Guanajuato, Mexico
 Spanish as a foreign language: Ohio
 Teacher Education: Ohio State University-Columbus, University of
Wisconsin-Madison, CU Denver
AREAS of RESEARCH
 Teachers’ cognition and Culturally responsive teaching
NEW AREA of INTEREST: Transitions & literacy challenges of US-born
Mexican children returning to Mexican schools

4. +
Participant Introductions
 Let’s do a quick whip around to find out
what grade you teach, where you work & a
current challenge your face in the
classroom regarding literacy and/or
language.
 Now form groups of two or three.
 Introduce yourselves and share a little
more about your professional context and
how you teach literacy.
 What changes or challenges regarding
literacy do you face this year? Designate a
note keeper to record these (literacy
instruction, literacy curriculum & literacy
assessment).

5. + Syllabus & Course Information
Let’s take a look at
the syllabus
together.

6. + Professor
Sherry Taylor. Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Literacy, Language & Culturally Responsive Teaching
Program
CONTACT INFORMATION
Email:
Sherry.taylor@ucdenver.edu
Tel:
303-315-4998
Office hours/meetings: By appointment on Mondays
and Wednesdays or when is convenient for you.

7. + LCRT 6910 & 6911
Seminar dates & online
sessions
On-campus Face-to-
Face Seminars
(18 hrs):
Aug.18,
Sept. 8 & 29,
Oct. 27,
Nov. 10,
Dec. 1 or 8 (TBD)
Pls reserve both dates until I
can confirm one.
ONLINE SESSIONS (5-6hrs):
September: Aug 25 to Sept 1
October: Oct. 6 to 13
November: Nov. 3 to 10

8. + LCRT 6910 & LCRT 6911
Course description excerpt:
Enhance your knowledge about effective literacy & apply
principles of effective literacy and language instruction in
your classroom, in particular, with struggling readers and
writers.
Practicum & Seminar Focus is three-fold:
(1) the application of literacy learning and teaching
strategies;
(2) learning and practicing use of literacy strategies to
improve the learning and achievement of struggling
readers and writers; and
(3) gaining the knowledge and coaching skills needed by
a Reading Specialist and/or Literacy Coach.

9. + LCRT 6910 and LCRT 6911:
Professional Practicum in Literacy
& Language
Course focus/accreditation
Reading Teacher (PLACE test: K-12): Working
with students, supporting their needs in reading, writing, and
language;
Literacy Coach (PLACE Test: K-12): Working
with teachers to support their work as reading specialist with
students;
Classroom teacher/literacy teacher: Remain in
the classroom applying your enhanced knowledge & skills to
support students’ literacy & language.

10. + TEXTBOOKS and
READINGS
 Book #1: Knight, Jim. (2007). Instructional coaching: a
partnership approach to improving instruction. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
 Book #2: Fisher & Frey: Enhancing RTI: How to ensure
success with effective classroom Instruction & Intervention.
Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision & Curriculum
Development.
 Book #3: You select it!
 And, additional readings from various book chapters & articles
(provided in pdf on Canvas)

11. + Canvas Course Shell
https://ucdenver.instructure.com/
Do you know how to log-in
to your Canvas account?
 Go to www.cuonline.edu
 Select COURSE LOGIN from the
top menu bar.
 Select the Canvas icon.
 Enter your USER ID and your
PASSWORD from your University
of Colorado email.
 Select COURSES from the top
menu bar.
 Click on our course.

12. + Practicum hours
in the classroom (22 of 45 hrs)
Classroom-based
observation/coachi
ng sessions
22 contact hours
Plus transportation
to & from site

13. +PRACTICUM ACTIVITIES: The
classroom-based
observation/coaching sessions
begin after Seminar 3 and include:
 1 observation that you will complete in a seminar
peer’s classroom,
 1 observation that a seminar peer will complete in your
classroom,
 1 observation that the Professor or assisting faculty
coach will complete in your classroom, and
 1 “digital” observation you will record in your
classroom and share in a 6910-6911 seminar session.
Ideally, f2f observation/coachings should be finalized by Seminar 5.

14. + Preliminary assignments
 Classroom context: Video clip & Written Narrative
 Literacy Teaching Goals: Instruction, curriculum &
assessment
 We’ll discuss both assignments in depth tonight after
break

15. +
Remaining
Assignments
 Choice Book: Discuss choice book, apply strategies in
your context, plan and facilitate a Professional Learning
Discussion about your book in seminar 6 (Develop a one-page
handout & use student work samples to supplement the PL
discussion)
 Classroom observations/Coaching Template &
Reflections (Submit before & after the observation; Schedule
observations after Seminar 2 & conclude by Seminar 5; Details
provided in Seminar 2)
 Lesson Report & Analysis (PBA for this course; Details
provided in Seminar 2)

16. + Contributions to
semester grade
1. 20 points Active participation & written responses
(online and face-to-face sessions)
2. 20 points Classroom context: Video tour & Narrative
3. 30 points Literacy Teaching Goals
4. 30 points Book group discussion and overview
5. 50 points Lesson Report & Analysis
6. 50 points Observations & Coaching Sessions
 Total: 200 points

17. + Syllabus & Course
Information
Peruse remainder of
syllabus.
Highlight any
questions that you
may have.

18. + Important ‘take-away’
Information
 Keep in mind how best to plan for your successful & meaningful learning experience
in this graduate course of study. See “Planning for Success” and “Guidelines for
Quality of Work.”
 Participation and attendance are very important for this class and the
understanding of its content in both the face to face and online class sessions.
 Contact me ASAP if you are having trouble with attendance or course work.
 It is required that all communication occurs using university email. Please check
your student email regularly for course and university information (minimum of 4X
week).
 Please put cell phones on vibrate and step outside if you need to take a call.
 Laptops will be used in class. Please use your laptop for the intended purpose of
the class content while we are together.
 Our time together face to face is limited. We will use it strategically so you will be
prepared to work independently on assignments during our online/work sessions.

19. +
BREAK
Peruse the choice books!

20. + Getting started on the
preliminary assignments
Classroom context: Video clip & Written
Narrative
 Literacy Teaching Goals: Instruction,
curriculum & assessment

21. +
Getting started on
Classroom VIDEO TOUR
 Plan and develop a 1 to 2 minute audio-visual
recording of your classroom context.
 Narrate & explain the ways you have planned
effective use of the physical classroom space to
support literacy and language instruction.
 Select a time when students are not present to
record a “visual tour” of your room.

22. +
Get a mental image of
your classroom…
 How have you arranged your classroom or work
context?
 Where is literacy taught &/or supported in the
room?
 What steps have you taken to create an
educational and social climate to support
literacy? That is, to create the learning
environment you want for learners & learning?
 In what ways does your classroom serve as an
“extra teacher” to support literacy learning?

23. + Classroom
context:
WRITTEN
NARRATIVE
Consider:
What is unique about your school? About your classroom? Your
students?
What is the sociocultural context of your school? Demographics?
What are the literacy and language strengths of the students in
your classroom? What are their interests? What are their needs?
What is the current literacy model of instruction used at your
school? Or in your content area?
How well have students performed on mandated district/state
assessments? Other literacy-related topics relevant to your class?
Turn & Talk about it!

24. + Classroom context:
Written Narrative
Be sure to include….
What is the current literacy model used in your
school/classroom?
What are the current literacy assessment[s] used in your
school/classroom? Formal AND informal.
What are the current challenges in literacy and language?
What kinds of pressures are you facing this year with
respect to literacy in the school context?
SEPT. 8th Submit narrative (double-spaced, 3-5 pages) by uploading it to
CANVAS. Bring 2 paper copies to Seminar 2.

25. +
Mentor Texts: Classroom Context Narratives

26. +
Literacy Teaching Goals:
Instruction,
curriculum & assessment

27. +
Let’s begin with the BIG
picture…..

28. + What are current
literacy initiatives in
the context where
you teach?
What are current initiatives at the school level,
especially initiatives in the area of literacy?
In what ways do these initiatives influence your
decisions about how to support learners’ literacy
instruction, curriculum and assessment?
What challenges do you face this year as you
prepare to support the literacy learning of the
students in your classroom?

29. +
What goals do you have for
yourself?
What do you want to improve
or advance this fall regarding:
 Your literacy instruction?
 The literacy curriculum YOU
implement?
 The literacy assessments YOU
administer?

30. +
What knowledge
& resources will
support YOU to
advance these
goals?
Is there a choice textbook that will
support your goals?

31. +
Mentor Texts: Literacy Goals

32. +
Choice books
When selecting the choice book, consider:
Your current context
Literacy challenges
Your literacy goals
 Students’ literacy needs

33. +Considering your
Choice Book
Peruse the choice books, then submit
your top 3 preferences with a 1-2
sentence rationale for each title before
you leave tonight.

34. +
Looking ahead:
 Submit the Teacher Info form (update it & email it to Dr.
Taylor if your info changes in the next week or two)
 Order the 2 required textbooks.
 Submit top 3 preferences for Choice book
before you leave tonight.
 Pick up the “Looking ahead” handout before you
leave!
 Go to CANVAS on August 25th for guidelines on
how to begin ONLINE SESSION