An online course collaboration between TEAMS Distance learning,
Los Angeles County Office of Education, Pepperdine University, and Loyola Marymount University


Instructor: Patti Stewart, Reading Specialist and TEAMS Distance Learning Instructor
Los Angeles County Office of Education
W (562) 922-6594
Fax (562) 922-6486
Email: Stewart_Patti@lacoe.edu
Course Web site: http: //teams.lacoe.edu/reading/
   
Technology Advisor: Gayle Perry,Telecommunications Consultant
TEAMS Distance Learning
Los Angles County Office of Education
W (562) 922-6266
Fax (562) 922-6486
Email: Perry_Gayle@lacoe.edu
Class Hours:
Participants will meet face-to-face as a group at the beginning and at the end of the course at:

Los Angeles County Office of Education
9300 Imperial Hwy
Downey, CA 9090242
 
The times are:

Thursday, March 4, 1999, 4:00 -7:00 PM (LACOE Computer Lab)
Thursday, April 22, 1999, 4:00 - 7:00 PM (LACOE Computer Lab)
 
Participants will then choose one of the following times to meet online each week to take part in an interactive discussion:

Group 2:       Tuesday, 4:15 – 5:15 PM
Group 3a:     Thursday, 3:00 - 4:00 PM
Group 3b:     Thursday, 3:00 - 4:00 PM
Group 4:       Thursday, 4:15 – 5:15PM

Discussion Leader: Dawn Mader
Discussion Leader: Gloria Pellebon
Discussion Leader: Gail Munnecke
Discussion Leader: Rhoda Coleman

Group 2

Groups 3a, 3b and 4

March 9, 1999

March 11, 1999

March 16, 1999

March 18, 1999

March 23, 1999

March 25, 1999

March 30, 1999

April 1, 1999

April 6, 1999

April 8, 1999

April 13, 1999

April 15, 1999


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Course Description:

This course will serve as a follow-up to support the content of the 1086 K-3 Literacy Institute designed by the Los Angeles County Office of Education. Teacher participants will collaborate in discussion groups and carry out a case study that includes designing lessons based on individual assessments. In addition, the course will familiarize primary teachers with the resources available on the internet that can support their classroom efforts.

Patti Stewart will serve as the lead instructor to oversee course content, coordinate lessons and oversee discussion groups. Gayle Perry, Telecommunications Consultant at the Los Angeles County Office of Education, will oversee the online delivery system including synchronous discussion groups.
Discussion Leaders:
Four reading specialists from the Los Angeles County Office of Education will be on-line Discussion Group Leaders for the course. They are all certified 1086 training providers.
Technology Mentors:
In addition, each reading specialist will be paired with a doctoral student from the educational technology program at Pepperdine University. These students will serve as technology mentors for the reading specialists.
Teacher Participants:
Each reading specialist will lead a discussion group of four or five class participants, who will be recruited primarily from the K-3, 1086 Training of Trainers provided by Los Angeles County Office of Education. These are experienced primary teachers and reading specialists who are responsible for supporting primary reading strategies at district and site levels.

A total of 25 to 30 participants will be included in the project. Others who are interested in the project are invited to explore the course web site and join the discussion groups in the Reading Village, but they will not be able to participate in the Launching K-3 Readers Discussion Group.

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Materials:


Each participant will be given a packet of six videotapes and related support materials from the TEAMS Reading: Basic to Success series. The tapes will demonstrate much of the content of the 1086 training, including assessment tools, small group intervention lessons, and whole group lessons. The participants will review one tape each week and will be free to use them in future training that they conduct in their districts.

Estimated cost for the course is $60.00 (Set of 6 videos and support materials are included).

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Course Requirements:

Participants will be required to meet in collaborative groups throughout the course. They will meet one afternoon per week in a class meeting conducted online in a live "chat" environment with a reading specialist, technology mentor and the instructor. Participants will also enter online asynchronous discussion groups at during the week to discuss course issues and share ideas. Participation is 40% of the course requirement.

In addition, each participant will carry out a case study. The participant will:


The case study will account for 60% of the course requirements. Participants are encouraged to work together designing lessons.

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Professional Development Credit:

Three units of professional development credit will be available through Loyola Marymount University at approximately $30.00 per credit for participants who meet course requirements. These requirement are attendance at synchronous chats and asynchronous discussion groups and a satisfactory case study, including, assessment and lesson plans.

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Course Outline:

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Weekly Course Topics:


March 4, 1999
Introduction to the course and description of internet procedures. (At LACOE)
(Staff Development: Introduction)

Week of March 8
We will investigate the relationship between individual assessment and appropriate small group intervention. On the videotape an exemplary first grade teacher describes the assessment tools she uses at the beginning of the year, and then demonstrates appropriate small group intervention lessons based on the results of those assessments. (Staff Development 1: Skills for Beginners)

Week of March 15
Skills for Beginners: This session will discuss the skills that kindergartners must master in order to become successful readers and writers. The videotape demonstrates assessment tools for phonemic awareness, concepts about print, and alphabet knowledge. It also gives suggestions for teaching those skills. (Staff Development 2: Phonics Instruction)

Week of March 22
Phonics Instruction: In this session, we will concentrate on useful assessment tools to identify each student’s level of phonic development. The videotape will demonstrate these tools and will demonstrate appropriate small group and whole group instruction. (Staff Development 3: Spelling Instruction)

Week of March 29
Spelling Instruction: This week we will examine the levels of spelling development through which students develop as they become proficient spellers. The videotape will demonstrate assessment tools and give examples of spelling at each developmental level. Suggestions for conducting a spelling workshop will be included.(Staff Development 4: Comprehension and Vocabulary – Reading Aloud)

Week of April 5
Comprehension and Vocabulary Development: This week we will discuss reading aloud to children as a tool to increase comprehension and vocabulary development. The videotape will demonstrate the interactive read aloud process, and will suggest ways to elicit background knowledge from students, and invite them to respond to the content. (Staff Development 5: Writing Development)

Week of April 12
Writing Development: Developmental writing will be the topic of this week. We will look at samples of student writing at different levels. The videotape will describe these developmental levels of writing and will demonstrate the use of a rubric as an assessment tool.

April 22, 1999
Final class meeting in person to share case studies and lesson plans. (At LACOE)

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Launching K-3 Reading
Reading Village