Strategic Reading
Mr. Paynter
I. Course Overview
Instruction and learning activities in this course provide students with support for developing strategies that aid reading of academic texts. Assessment data is used to determine student strengths and areas of weakness, and individual learning plans are created to monitor specific areas related to comprehension, fluency, vocabulary knowledge, work/study skills, and metacognition. Primary focus is on developing cognitive reading strategies that aid students in acquiring, retaining, and demonstrating knowledge of academic content. Students develop understanding and use of “tools” that serve as additions to the support they receive in content classrooms.
II. Course Content
Unless special occasions or unusual school schedules dictate otherwise, the course will be organized by the following weekly organization:
Mondays: On the first day of the week, we will read informational texts (newspaper articles, magazine articles, etc.) and apply reading strategies for comprehension, recall, and analysis.
Tuesdays: Tuesdays are reserved for vocabulary study, which will include the study of prefixes, suffixes, and roots; learning vocabulary strategies; word work and word sorting; and various other vocabulary exercises.
Wednesdays: On Wednesdays, students will engage in Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) of self-selected independent reading material (students may use texts assigned by content-area teachers as well), and we will apply reading strategies for comprehension, recall, and analysis. Periodically, we will visit the library to select new books on this day.
Thursdays: We will work on test-taking strategies for the reading and writing portions of the Ohio Graduation Test, including developing written responses to reading selections.
Fridays: Fridays are reserved for playing Apples to Apples, a parlor game that helps develop vocabulary skills.
III. Course Material
Teaching Resources: When Kids Can’t Read: What Teachers Can Do: A Guide for Teachers 6-12 by Kylene Beers, ©2003; Make It Real: Strategies for Success with Informational Texts by Linda Hoyt, ©2002; 25 Strategies for Guiding Readers Through Informational Texts by Barbara Moss, ©2003; Ohio Department of Education interactive website: http://ogt.success-ode-state-oh-us.info/.
Independent Reading: Students may select titles from our library or from current coursework.
Supplies: Students should bring planners, pen/pencil, notebook paper, and class folder/notebook to class every day. When using the writing lab or computers, students will need a storage device.
Lab equipment: Building computers are PC, Windows XP, with MS Word, Publisher, Excel, & PowerPoint.
IV. Course Policies
- Absences and make-up policy follows the guidelines in the student handbook.
- Tardiness policy follows the guidelines in the student handbook.
- Late work will be given full credit.
- Discipline and hall pass policies follow the guidelines in the student handbook.
- Finishing the work not completed during the day’s class will constitute the only homework for this class. Students are encouraged to read for 30-60 minutes each day on their own.
- If a student copies another’s work (or allows his/her work to be copied), he/she will receive no credit for the assignment.
- Chronically disruptive students will be removed from the course.
V. Grading Policies
Grading scale is Pass/Fail. To earn a passing score, students must accomplish the following:
- Class attendance must be 80% or greater;
- Students must satisfactorily complete at least 80% of the SSR time in class;
- Students must satisfactorily complete at least 80% of the vocabulary assignments;
- Students must satisfactorily complete at least 80% of the writing assignments; and
- Students must satisfactorily complete at least 80% of the OGT practice tests.
VII. Words of Wisdom
To succeed in this class, I suggest you trust yourself and do your best work; everyone’s best work will earn him/her a passing grade and improve his/her reading skills.
Contact Information
For quickest response, contact me by email.
Scott Paynter paynters @ wcsoh.org school 797-6800 voicemail 797-8580