PBS TeacherLine Course Syllabus 1 Title Raising Readers: Ready to Spark Word Power! (Grades 1-3) Target Audience This course is intended for pre-service and in-service teachers, day-care providers, and care givers of children ages 6-9 to provide research-based strategies they can use to reach and teach kids who are struggling to read. Prerequisites To successfully participate and complete the activities in this course, the learner must: • • • •

Have some experience working with kids ages 6-9. Have an interest in language, literacy, and reading instruction. Have regular access to a computer with an Internet connection. Have access to a child or group of kids ages 6-9 and a computer with Internet access for the children to use to complete course activities.

Course Description This course helps elementary teachers, care-givers, and after-school providers reach and teach kids who are struggling readers. Through an engaging, collaborative experience, learners will explore different ways to teach decoding and build kids’ vocabulary, comprehension, and reading fluency skills—all designed to motivate and transform kids into confident readers and writers. Learners will explore hip, ® innovative songs, raps, videos, games, and activities from The Electric Company and learn how they can motivate and engage at-risk kids. The course provides research-based articles, video examples, online interactives, and online and onscreen resources from PBS. NOTE: To complete this course, learners will need access to students ages 6-9 and a computer with Internet access. Instructor/Facilitator See instructor/facilitator sheet. Goals The overall goal of this course is for learners to practice using strategies and activities with kids (ages 69) who are struggling to read or don’t want to read. By the end of the course they will: 1. Unlock the power of words for struggling readers and motivate them to become confident, independent readers. 2. Use strategies for reaching and teaching all students, including those who are at-risk for failing and English language learners. 3. Understand how multimedia (online and on-screen resources and activities from PBS) can be used to help struggling readers develop a love for reading and learning. Relationship of Course to Program Goals and Professional Organizations Local stations can complete this section.

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PBS TeacherLine Course Syllabus 2

Outline of Content and Activities Learners begin the course by exploring the online learning environment and get ready for learning by making a plan for learning online. When learners are comfortable with navigating the online course environment and are aware of the course expectations, they proceed to the Course Content area to complete the six sessions of the course, working through each session in order. The course clearly guides learners through each step of the content to maximize the online learning experience and provide learners with a meaningful literacy-learning opportunity. Throughout the sessions, learners are required to collaborate and discuss with their fellow learners in the discussion forums each week. They are also encouraged to collect ideas and resources into a “Toolbox” that they can use after completing the course. Learners are expected to complete two activities that enable them to implement literacy strategies and reflect on the experience. At the end of each session is a summary of the main ideas and literacy facts from the session for learners to review. In each session there is a tip box with additional resources designed to help learners inform and involve parents and families and meet the different learning needs of children. This course is designed to address the “Guidelines for Developmentally Appropriate Practice” listed in Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8 (2009) from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). This course specifically addresses the following guidelines: 1. Creating a caring community of learners – A; B; E (1, 2, 4) 2. Teaching to enhance development and learning – A; B (2); C; D; E (1,4); F (3,5); J(1) 3. Planning curriculum to achieve important goals – A (1); D (1, 2) 4. Assessing children’s development and learning – A; B 5. Establish reciprocal relationships with families – B This course is also designed to address the Standards for the English Language Arts from the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and International Reading Association (IRA) that were developed to serve as a guide for teachers in developing curriculum and instruction that foster students’ literacy development. The course specifically addresses Standards 1, 3, 4, 8, 10, 11, 12. Additionally, by participating in this course, learners are meeting some of the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS*T) from the International Society for Technology Education (ISTE). Learners will be addressing the following NETS: 1. (a, d); 2. (a, c); 3. (b); 4. (b); 5. (a, c, d). Session 1: Motivate In this session, learners talk about the reasons why some kids do not want to read and write and see how motivation is the key to getting kids excited about literacy. Learners also begin to explore how kids can ® learn with PBS and The Electric Company . By the end of this session, learners will be able to: • Explain what they expect to learn in this course. • Discuss reasons why some kids do not want to read. Read • •

“Molly” from Portraits of Struggling Readers Raising Readers: Motivate

Complete Reflections

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PBS TeacherLine Course Syllabus 3 •

Respond to the following: What do you expect to learn in this course? What new skills do you hope to learn?

Participate in Online Discussions • Introductory post on the Virtual Café to introduce themselves to fellow learners • Respond to the following: What is stopping Molly from enjoying reading? How does Molly compare to kids you know? Explore Interactives • Course Tour • Make the Connection interactive Watch Videos • "The Electric Company: Working in Schools" ® • “Catch The Electric Company Spark!” Complete Activities • Pre-course evaluation surveys • Make a plan for how they will make time to complete the course. • Create a “Toolbox” to collect ideas and resources from the course that they would like to use with children. ® • Explore The Electric Company programming clips and online resources for motivating kids to read. Explore Additional Resources ® • The Electric Company Web site • “How to Create a Welcoming Classroom Environment” from ¡Colorín Colorado! • “Reading Motivation and Fun” from ¡Colorín Colorado! Session 2: Manipulate In this session, learners will read about decoding skills and discover activities and games that help kids connect letters with sounds to read new words. By the end of this session, learners will be able to: • Discuss different strategies and activities that will motivate kids to learn and practice alphabetics skills. • Explore fun activities that help kids decode the sounds in words and map those words to print. Read • • •

“Aaron” from Portraits of Struggling Readers Raising Readers: Manipulate “Phonics and Decoding” from Reading Rockets

Participate in Online Discussions • Respond to the following: What different strategies and activities might motivate Aaron to learn and practice alphabetics skills? Explore Interactives • Make the Connection interactive Complete Activities

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PBS TeacherLine Course Syllabus 4 •

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Explore The Electric Company programming clips and online resources for motivating kids to learn decoding skills.

Explore Additional Resources • “Closing the Achievement Gap” from PBS • “A Tale of Two Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap” from PBS • “Connecting Kids with Content: Using Projects and Technology to Close the Achievement Gap” from PBS Teachers: Media Infusion Session 3: Expand In this session, learners will think about the words kids are able to use, read, and understand. They will ® share The Electric Company show with a group of kids and learn how to surround children in a world of words. By the end of this session, learners will be able to: • Discuss how to close the gap between the words that kids are able to use and understand and the words they are able to read. ® • Use activities, games, and/or videos from The Electric Company to motivate kids to learn reading skills. ® • Decide how to use tools from The Electric Company to develop reading skills Read • • •

“Angelo” Raising Readers: Expand ® Program Viewing Guide from The Electric Company

Participate in Online Discussions • Respond to the following: How might you try to close the gap between the words that Angelo is able to use and understand and the words he is able to read? Explore Interactives • Make the Connection interactive Watch Videos ® • “Lights, Camera, Beetles” from The Electric Company (Episode #103) Complete Activities ® • Explore The Electric Company programming clips and online resources for building kids’ vocabularies. • Activity 1: Build a Blueprint Explore Additional Resources • Martha Speaks: Radio Martha Online Game from PBS KIDS • Martha Speaks: Competition Activity from PBS KIDS • Martha Speaks: Smell and Tell from PBS KIDS • WordGirl: Power Words Online Game from PBS KIDS Session 4: Connect In this session, learners explore how kids develop reading comprehension skills and how information/fact and nonfiction books are great tools for building reading skills. Learners will also begin an activity where

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PBS TeacherLine Course Syllabus 5 ®

they use The Electric Company resources with a group of kids and reflect on the experience. By the end of this session, learners will be able to: • Discuss how to use information/fact and nonfiction books and texts to motivate kids to read. ® • Use activities, games, and/or videos from The Electric Company to motivate kids to learn reading skills. ® • Decide how to use tools from The Electric Company to develop reading skills. Read • • •

“Charlie” from Portraits of Struggling Readers Raising Readers: Connect “Making Sense of Texts”

Participate in Online Discussions • Respond to the following: Children mostly see nonfiction or informational texts. In the classroom, these are textbooks and outside of school, these are signs, labels, notes, emails/letters, articles, lists of rules, schedules, TV guides, etc. How might you use nonfiction books and informational texts with Molly, Aaron, Angelo, and Charlie to help motivate them and improve their reading skills? Explore Interactive • Make the Connection interactive Complete Activities ® • Explore The Electric Company programming clips and online resources for helping kids comprehend connected text. • Finish Activity 1: Build a Blueprint Explore Additional Resources • “Successful Field Trips with English Language Learners” from ¡Colorín Colorado! • Mister Roger’s Neighborhood: Videos from PBS KIDS • eFieldTrips Web site Session 5: Transform ® In this session, learners act, sing, dance, rap and move and share The Electric Company show with a group of kids. By the end of this session, the learners will be able to: • Discuss the reading skills practiced and developed during performance readings. ® • Use activities, games, and/or videos from The Electric Company to motivate kids to learn reading skills. ® • Decide how to use tools from The Electric Company to develop reading skills. Read • • •

“Felicia” from Portraits of Struggling Readers “Felicia’s Play” Raising Readers: Transform

Participate in Online Discussions • Respond to the following: What were some of the benefits of this oral (practiced) performance ® reading for Felicia? How might you use The Electric Company program to develop kids’ oral performance reading skills?

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PBS TeacherLine Course Syllabus 6 Explore Interactive • Make the Connection interactive Watch Videos ® • “Shock and Friend: quotation marks” from The Electric Company Complete Activities ® • Explore The Electric Company programming clips and online resources for building kids’ reading fluency. • Activity 2: Build a Blueprint Explore Additional Resources • “What Does Research Tell Us About Teaching Reading To English Language Learners?” from The ELL Outlook • Dragon Tales: Search for Mami from PBS KIDS • Dragon Tales: Interactive Songs from PBS KIDS • Dragon Tales: Sentence Magica from PBS KIDS • Maya & Miguel: Games from PBS KIDS Session 6: Making a Plan for Digital Media In this session, learners will use what they have learned about motivation, decoding, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency strategies to create confident and motivated readers. By the end of this session, learners will be able to: • Discuss how to guide students into becoming confident and motivated readers and writers. ® • Use activities, games, and/or videos from The Electric Company to motivate kids to learn reading skills. ® • Decide how to use tools from The Electric Company to develop reading skills. • Reflect on how they will use what they have learned in this course. Read •

“Portraits of Struggling Readers” from Reading Rockets

Complete Reflections • Respond to the following: How will you use what you have learned in this course to create or change reading and writing activities for kids? Participate in Online Discussions • Respond to the following: Laura, Felicia’s teacher, has suggested that Felicia’s after-school ® provider should use The Electric Company with Felicia and the other kids at the center. The provider asked Laura, “How will these activities and games help the kids with their reading?” If you were Laura, how would you answer this question? Watch Videos • “We’ve Got Skills” Complete Activities • Explore the Reading Rockets Web site from WETA • Finish Activity 2: Build a Blueprint ® • Explore The Electric Company Web site

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PBS TeacherLine Course Syllabus 7 • •

Finish compiling resources in the “Toolbox” Post-Course evaluation surveys

Explore Additional Resources • Raising Readers and PBS KIDS Island • PBS Parents: Reading and Language • PBS Parents: Children and Media • PBS Parents: Talking with Kids Schedule This course is scheduled to take approximately 15 hours to complete the readings, discussions, and activities and to explore videos and resources. Requirements Learners are expected to: • Complete all course surveys. • Complete all activities following the Activity Guidelines. • Participate in session discussions following the Discussion Forum Guidelines. • Be self-directed and self-motivated. • Ask for assistance, as needed. Materials Technical Requirements • Internet service provider • E-mail • PBS TeacherLine required plug-ins Academic Dishonesty Policy To be inserted by institution Evaluation This course is evaluated on a pass/fail basis. Learners are expected to fully complete each discussion and the course activities to pass the course.

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