• Year-long program 
• 150 hours/15 PLUs
• Comprised of 3 separate courses
• Virtual delivery via Blackboard 

• Candidates must hold a valid T-4 or higher, Clear Renewable Certificate in any teaching, service, or leadership field.
• Minimum of three years of teaching experience. (exceptions may include NCLB highly qualified requirements)

• Metro RESA Model:
  • Individual course cost is $350.
  • The total cost for all three required courses is $1050.
  • Required text fees: Purchase of texts for each course is the responsibility of each candidate. 
  • Participants will not be allowed to begin a course until payment is received by Metro RESA.
    • All fees are non-refundable.
• System, District or School Model:
  
  • Please contact the Metro RESA Reading Endorsement Coordinator for more information.

This course is designed to provide and extend candidates knowledge of the reading process by examining theory and research as a foundation for making instructional decisions for planning and implementing effective literacy programs. In order to inform such decision-making, candidates will explore current issues, materials, strategies, and approaches to teaching reading to P-12 children in our pluralistic society.

The candidates will accomplish these outcomes/competencies:

1. Examine theory and research as a basis for making sound instructional decisions.
2. Examine personal beliefs about the reading process and how such beliefs influence literacy instruction, evaluation, and equitable treatment of learners.
3. Analyze and select materials, methods, and resources (including internet-based technology) for instructional decisions.
4. Identify and use a variety of literacy strategies (phonics & structural analysis, phonological awareness, vocabulary & word study, fluency, comprehension) with students of varying abilities and experiences.
5. Plan, implement, and reflectively evaluate literacy lessons that address the needs of learners in various P – 12 settings.
6. Analyze and create a classroom environment that facilitates literacy learning, including classroom organization, grouping for instruction, and motivating the reluctant reader.
7. Select, use, and respond to literature based on knowledge of children’s culture, experiences, and reading interests.

Required Texts:

• Thompkins, G. E.  (2009). Literacy for the 21^st century (5^th ed.). Merrill Prentice Hall. 
• National Reading Panel (2000).  Report of the national reading panel.  National Reading Panel.  
• Georgia Standards of Excellence 
• ** (Optional) Thompkins, G.E. (2009). Literacy in the middle grades: Teaching reading and writing to fourth through eighth graders. (2^nd ed.) Merrill Prentice Hall

This course is designed to provide candidates with knowledge of theoretical models, methods, and materials of literacy assessment. Such knowledge will provide candidates with the framework needed to administer assessments, and use the information from formal and informal measures to develop appropriate literacy instruction that meets the needs of every student in P-12 classrooms. Critical to this course is the candidate’s need to reflect on personal beliefs about reading assessment and the relationship to their own teaching and learning. This course requires a 15 hour practicum experience. 

The candidates will accomplish these outcomes and competencies:

1. Explore research and personal beliefs about assessment of the reading process and how they influence instruction, evaluation, and equitable treatment of learners.
2. Examine and administer multiple assessment tools (formal and informal measures) for recording and reporting the literacy development of an individual or group of students.
3. Demonstrate how students differ in their learning by selecting and/or adapting assessments and instructional materials to meet the needs of diverse learners.
4. Analyze basal readers and other instructional materials for organization, content, and resources to make sound decisions in literacy instruction.
5. Develop a plan for informing students and parents of a child’s literacy development with suggestions for support at home.
6. Video tape and analyze a model lesson for appropriate instruction based on the use of specific assessment tools for an individual or group of students as determined by the course instructor.
7. Plan and implement an intervention plan for a student based on the assessed literacy needs and strengths in the areas of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
8. Demonstrate understanding of assessment and how it informs instruction through class activities and assignments, including artifacts and case study. 

Required Texts:

• McKenna, M. C., & Stahl, K.  (2008).  Assessment for reading instruction (2^nd ed.). Guilford Press. 
• Thompkins, G. E.  (2009). Literacy for the 21^st century (5^th ed.).  Merrill Prentice Hall. 
• Georgia Standards of Excellence 

This course is designed to provide Reading Endorsement Candidates with a conceptual and instructional framework and deepen understanding for integrating reading and writing across all disciplines. Essential to this course is the interrelationship between reading and writing in grades P-12. Realizing that much of what is read and written across disciplines involves informational texts (e.g., books, magazines, newspaper, instructions, directions, textbooks, guides, and other content sources), this course will provide candidates with research-based strategies to help readers comprehend and engage in writing with various text structures and formats. Additionally, this course will use the information learned in both courses I and II to enhance and deepen their understanding of how to address reading within different disciplines. This course requires a 15-hour writing practicum experience.

The candidates will accomplish these outcomes and competencies: 

1. Examine current theory and research of teaching reading and writing across different disciplines for all students in this culturally and linguistically diverse society.  
2. Analyze and dispel myths associated with the “learning to read” and “reading to learn” tradition.
3. Recognize the interrelationship of reading and writing across disciplines.
4. Select and use research-based strategies for gaining knowledge of vocabulary across different content areas.
5. Select and use research-based strategies to help readers comprehend texts before, during, and after learning.
6. Demonstrate and implement an instructional model for teaching reading and writing strategies across the disciplines.
7. Use a variety of literature, technology, and other discipline-specific resources to develop knowledge of concepts and improve students’ writing craft.
8. Understand and demonstrate the role of text structure and discussion in reading and writing for authentic purposes.
9. Assess and analyze textbooks and instructional resource elements for effective use in teaching reading and writing across all disciplines.

Required Texts

• Lent, Releah Cossett. (2016). This is disciplinary literacy: Reading, writing, thinking and doing....Content area by content area. Corwin.  
• Portaloupi, J,. & Fletcher, R.  (2001)  Nonfiction craft lesson: Teaching information writing K-8.  Stenhouse Publishers.
• Georgia Standards of Excellence

• Computer with working camera, audio, and stable internet capabilities compatible with Chrome and supporting the Blackboard platform.