Course Descriptions

Reading
COE 234, 657-2338

RD 412/512 Emergent Literacy 3 cr. Prerequisite: EDCI 301 or consent of instructor.  Provides a view of the stages of literacy development including areas of language, writing, perception, behavior and cognitive development.  Curriculum and instruction analyses are related to various stages of literacy development.  Contains a field experience with children, relating theory to practice.

RD 413/513 Developing Student Writing 3 cr.  Provides students with a view of the writing process, methods for engaging children in writing activity in the classroom, assessments of and interventions into the writing efforts of children, and understanding of writing-reading connections consistent with current practices in reading education.

EC/RD/SPED 502 Research in Special Programs 3 cr. Prerequisite: EDF 501.  Guides graduate students in application of different types of research in their professional setting.  Types of research may include individual case studies, action research, quasi-experimental design, ethnographic studies, or others as appropriate.

RD 505 Psychological Processes in Reading 3 cr.  Deals with models and theories of print processing; the nature of comprehension; and the relationships of language subsystems, visual and non-visual information and context on construction of meaning during reading.

RD 509 Language Acquisition 3 cr. Prerequisite: 9 credits in Reading Studies.  Traces the stages of and processes of language acquisition, child language acquisition strategies and the adult role in initial acquisition and later language development.  Provides an overview of dimensions of syntactic maturity and tools for the examination of child oral language production capacities.  Relates oral language acquisition to written language acquisition and to print processing.  Oral language production case study techniques are introduced.

RD 510 Instructional Practices in Literacy Education 3 cr.  Provides background in literacy development necessary to examining and expanding upon current practices and present uses of adopted texts and other materials.  Explores approaches to integration within the reading program; covers reading teaching methods which are simultaneously diagnostic and developmental.

RD 517 Diagnostic Aspects of Reading Difficulties 3 cr. Prerequisite: Six (6) graduate hours in reading or experience in remedial reading.  Provides graduate students an advanced analysis of the reading process of students who are exhibiting difficulty in the regular classroom.  Students will gain the knowledge and skills competencies necessary to utilize selected diagnostic assessment procedures and instructional strategies to increase reading performance of children who demonstrate atypical patterns of reading performance and, therefore, require extensive analysis of their reading processes and their strengths and weaknesses.

RD 518 Literacy in Rural and Multicultural Settings 3 cr.  Provides theoretical background and practical experience in approaching literacy acquisition and development in rural and multicultural settings.  Offers consideration of the nature of literacy itself vis-à-vis linguistic, cultural, socio-economic, gender, racial, ethnic, and intellectual diversities.  Examines the impact of rural and linguistic sub-group poverty on the development of literacies.

RD 519 Reading Round Table V 1-3 cr.  Provides students with literature study routines and materials for nine juvenile/young adult trade books; discussion and engagement focuses on one title at a time using a literature workshop method.  Examination of reading practices which employ trade books in middle and secondary schools is included.

RD 520 Content Area Reading and Writing 3 cr. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor.  Focuses on the use of reading and writing in the content area.  Emphasis is on using writing and reading as a means for achieving content area concept development and evaluating concept development.  This course is designed to help content area teachers use writing and reading as an instructional tool in their content area classrooms, teach specialized concepts and vocabularies, teach study and organizational skills for specific content material, and provide teachers with ways to effectively evaluate student writing and concept development.

RD 521 Teaching Reading 7-12 3 cr. Prerequisite: RD 510.  Provides inservice professionals with a view of reading curricula in upper grades and secondary setting, examines methods and materials appropriate to juveniles and young adult developing readers.  Offers diagnostic techniques and intervention strategies and addresses issues relevant to teaching developmental reading beyond K-3 developmental programs.

RD 590 Internship V 1-6 cr. Prerequisite: Approved plan of study and approved internship application.  Provides experience in a responsible appointment as an assistant in a reading setting.  Periodic Seminars will be required.

RD 591 Independent Study V 1-6 cr. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor, approval of the department chairperson, and the Dean of Education and Human Services, and Independent Study contract filed with the Office of Graduate Studies.  Provides an opportunity for students of superior academic standing to explore material not covered by regular graduate courses in Reading.

RD 592 Seminar V 1-6 cr.  Provides an opportunity to investigate topics at the advanced level pertinent to the area of Reading.

RD 593 Workshop V 1-6 cr.  Provides an opportunity for experimental study at the advanced level in an area of Reading.

RD 594 Clinic V 1-6 cr. Prerequisite: Consent of Instructor.  Provides an opportunity to explore and develop advanced skills in working with individuals in reading settings.

RD 597 Action Research Project and Seminar 3 cr. Prerequisite: Seventy-five percent of plan of study completed successfully.  Supports student research in areas relevant to instructional practices, diagnostic procedures, and theoretical issues in reading.

RD 599 Thesis 6 cr. Prerequisite: EDF 501 or equivalent and an approved plan of study required.  This course may be given the grade of “T” until research and writing is completed and accepted within the time limit of the degree.

RD/SPED 611 Administration and Supervision of Special Programs 3 cr.  Focuses on the responsibilities of special program administrators.  Includes issues of legal mandates, funding, professional management, curricular considerations and program evaluation.  Provides opportunity to develop a philosophy of leadership and skills for coordination of services across programs.

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