Reading to Learn: Developing Strategic Reading Skills
(Grades 4-12) / Flex Course
PDI Course Number: 28T02 / UCSD Course Number: EDUC41452
Course Description
Why do excellent early readers often begin to struggle when they enter the middle grades? This online course for teachers focuses on helping educators in grades 4-12 work with students on key reading skills. Teachers will learn how to develop active instructional strategies that facilitate student acquisition and development of standards-based reading skills in a variety of disciplines. Emphasis is on vocabulary development and comprehension strategies and specific strategies such as DRTA, using word roots, and effective graphic organizers are shared. However, for students who struggle, word attack strategies are provided. Issues with fluency are also explored as well as the importance of reading aloud to help build fluency. Teachers will also understand the importance of teaching students the features of text structure as students move from reading primarily narrative text to more expository text. Teachers will learn how to create text-dependent questions to help students develop close reading skills. Teachers will also learn how to establish guided reading groups to further develop their students’ close reading skills. Finally, assessment options for tracking reading skills and improvement will also be explored. By the end of this continuing education course, teachers will have the tools and strategies needed to teach students how to effectively read to learn. This online professional development course is worth 3 ⅓ semester units/5 quarter units (50 hours of training) from University of California San Diego (UCSD) Division of Extended Studies. For detailed information on receiving university credit for your PDI professional development course, visit our credit page.
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"Excellent information! Very helpful for classroom teachers teaching reading skills. Lots of resources available. The courses you offer are excellent." - Gailene Anderson
This course is worth 3 ⅓ semester units or 5 quarter units of graduate-level credit from UCSD.
You have up to one year from the date you are enrolled to complete a flex course.
View the online course syllabus.
Print our customized course approval form to share with your school district.
TOPICAL OUTLINE
UCSD Course Number: EDUC41452
Unit One
- The Process of Reading
- Introduction to Common Core State Standards
- Word Attack Strategies
- Assignment #1: Write an autobiography
- Test #1
Unit Two
- Vocabulary Development
- Reading Comprehension
- Focus Strategy: DRTA
- Assignment #2: Article reflection
- Test #2
Unit Three
- Content Literacy: Strategies for Working with Text
- Close Reading
- Focus Strategy: Word Roots
- Assignment #3: Share your expertise
- Test #3
Unit Four
- Encouraging Lifelong Reading
- Helping All Students Read to Learn
- Focus Strategy: Graphic Organizers
- Test #4
Unit Five
- Reading Aloud
- Guided Reading Groups
- Issues with Fluency
- Test #5
Unit Six
- Text-Dependent Questions
- Focus Strategy: Making Words
- Comprehension Assessment
- Assignment #4: Develop comprehension questions
- Assignment #5: Course Reflection
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