RDL 505 - Adolescent Literacy

There is a pivotal shift that occurs as students go from learning to read in the early elementary years to using reading as a vehicle for learning in the secondary content areas. Some students do not make the shift, and continue to struggle with learning to read, while being expected to also acquire complex content. This is one of the many challenges facing middle and high school teachers. An alarming number of students are entering secondary schools as struggling readers. Adolescent learners have unique needs that differ from younger students. Content area teachers must be well equipped to support the diverse needs of students. This class will address adolescent development and the specific literacy needs of this population.

In addition, this course will begin to address the distinction between content area literacy and disciplinary literacy. Students will discuss several strategies, appropriate for all content areas, while researching discipline specific strategies for their area of specialty. As a reading specialist or a content area teacher, you may be asked to share resources with your colleagues, work with struggling readers or even design content to meet the needs of all students.

Credits: 3