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Curriculum Content and Methods of Instruction (English)

MSSE 714 (01) – Syllabus


Fall, 2018 – LBJ Room 2510, Tuesdays 2:00PM-4:50PM
National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Rochester Institute of Technology

Instructor: Professor Michael E. Skyer, Senior Lecturer, PhD Candidate.


Email: mesnce@rit.edu or michaelskyer@gmail.com
Office: LBJ - 2754
Office Hours: Wednesdays, 12-6PM, or by appointment (email 48h in advance)

“I believe that the image is the great instrument of instruction. What a child gets out of any
subject presented to him (sic) is simply the images, which he himself forms with regard to it. I
believe that if nine-tenths of the energy at present directed towards making the child learn
certain things, were spent in seeing to it that the child was forming proper images, the work of
instruction would be indefinitely facilitated.” -- (John Dewey, My Pedagogic Creed; 1897)

“Deaf people—whose language is visuospatial, based on gestures and movements—are more


sensitive to visual elements than hearing people. [Educational] design research suggests that the
use of visual features may be even more important to sign language users than for mainstream
users […] By involving Deaf users in the design process, we can produce better digital [learning]
environments through creating visual approaches.” – (Antti Raike, Suvi Pylvänen, & Pävi Rainò in
Deaf Gain, 2014)

1. MSSE COURSE DESCRIPTION, GOALS, & ARTICULATION

DESCRIPTION/OVERVIEW:
This course critically examines research about teaching English to deaf* students at the
secondary level. Students will investigate and analyze the intersections of historical and
contemporary theories and practices related to curriculum, pedagogy, and materials
used in English instruction with deaf learners. Course goals are achieved through active
participation with critical thinking in reading, writing, discussion, and microteaching.
Students will design lesson and unit plans and evaluate curricula toward understanding,
demonstrating, and applying methods and theories related to English language
curriculum and pedagogy for deaf learners. The course is organized by two broad fields:
(1) Reading —English as Language Arts, and (2) Writing — Composition and Rhetoric.

GOALS/STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO:


Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to (SWBAT): (1)
Understand historical and current traditions (including controversies) regarding deaf
English education in the United States, including the development of state and national

*Throughout the syllabus the term “deaf” with lower case is used as ‘shorthand’ to denote a wide range of students who consider
themselves or are considered to be Deaf, deaf, hard of hearing, or have other related language disabilities.
standards, (e.g. “Common Core Curriculum”). (2) Analyze and evaluate relationships
between core elements of teaching English, including: content of curricula, teaching and
instruction methods, educational philosophy, classroom discourse modality, curriculum
standards, formative/summative assessment, and student-centric learning activities. (3)
Understand evidence-based practices and demonstrate the thoughtful design and
evaluation of curricula, pedagogy, and assessment. (4) Identify and employ professional
teaching resources, including professional databases, organizations, and tools.

PROGRAM OUTCOMES:
The experiences, philosophies, and methods included in this course are designed to: (1)
Acculturate MSSE students to the thought processes, values, and practices of highly
qualified educators. (2) Assist teacher-candidates in becoming self-reflective deaf
educators who are lifelong learners. (3) Synthesize evidence-based practices, content-
specialized pedagogies, and instructional technology in preparation for student teaching
and early-career teaching. (4) Develop an educational knowledge base that supports the
social, academic, and communication needs of diverse deaf students in various
educational environments. Post Semester Conversion document here.

SKYER’S STATEMENT OF ARTICULATION:


Designing and evaluating curriculum and pedagogy are exercises in understanding being
human and being deaf. This class exposes you to research about the thought-processes,
practices, and values of those who teach English to deaf students. This research domain
is dynamically changing, and such changes have only accelerated. In this course, we will
discuss historical thinking on deafness and English teaching and contemporary theories,
and empirical evidence regarding best practices for teaching and learning in the 21st
Century. This class will expose you to confluent and conflictive traditions of curriculum
and pedagogical methods. Some of the readings focus on deafness or disability, others
focus on teaching English to diverse learners. The first half of the course focuses on
issues regarding teaching reading and the second half focuses on teaching writing.

The course design provides a participatory problem space where you can critically
examine real-world issues pursuant to teaching English to deaf learners. There are many
opportunities to practice, experiment, and reflect upon your teaching practices. This
class is grounded in deaf knowledge, culture, language, learning, and thinking; it is
centered upon the lived experiences of deaf people and deaf educators, including social,
cultural, linguistic, political, philosophical, and technological dimensions. Activities and
readings are explicitly or implicitly connected to contemporary issues in deaf education
(deaf people, their languages and cultures, technologies of deafness, deaf ontology, and
deaf epistemology) in a world that is increasingly interconnected through the English
language. Considerable effort has been made to select readings and design activities
that assist teacher candidates understand how curricular design and pedagogical
practices are created, synthesized, and evaluated in the real world. This class is designed
to be constructivist, student-centric, and to encourage “learning by doing.” The broad
theme for this course is: translating theory into practice.

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2. TEXTBOOKS/READINGS/RESOURCES All textbooks are required and available
on reserve at the Wallace Library, some available in e-book format, or for rent. Contact NTID’s
Librarian, Joan Naturale or the Wally Circulation Desk for details.

• Beers, K. (2003). When Kids Can’t Read, What Teachers Can Do: A Guide for
Teachers 6-12. Heinemann Publishers, Portsmouth, NH. B&N Link

• Fisher, D., Frey, N., Hattie, J. (2016). Visible Learning for Literacy: Implementing
Practices that Work Best to Accelerate Student Learning. Corwin/SAGE:
Thousand Oaks, CA/London, UK. B&N Link

• Gee, J.P. (2004). Situated Language and Learning: A Critique of Traditional


Schooling. Routledge: New York, NY. B&N Link

• Larson, J. (2014). Radical Equality in Education: Starting Over in U.S. Schooling.


Routledge: New York/London. B&N Link

• Whitaker, T., Whitaker, M., & Whitaker, K., (2016). Your First Year: How to Survive
and Thrive as a New Teacher. Routledge: New York/London. B&N Link

• 2017 New York State English Language Arts Learning Standards:

Additional readings will be provided in PDF format, available on MyCourses. In addition to course texts,
students may independently research selected topics and retrieve articles, texts and other information
from databases pertaining to their assignments. Supplementary reading lists, along with bibliographic
inquiry will complete the reading process, these include (but are not limited to) MSSE Library Resources,
RIT Databases, Google Scholar, and Gallaudet University’s Visual Learning and Language Lab.

3. CLASS COMMUNICATION POLICY Each student in the MSSE program


has individual communication needs and preferences (ASL, signed English, spoken
English, signs with voice, signs without voice, etc.). Due to this variety, it is essential that
the communication preferences and needs of each person be treated with professional
respect and courtesy, please be patient with those who communicate differently from
you. ALL members of our class, including the professor and students, have the
responsibility to communicate effectively with ALL other members of the class. In the
beginning of this course, we will discuss direct instruction and the new NTID policy for
interpreting, we will discuss the communication strategies needed to allow for full
participation for all members of the class. This discussion may continue throughout the
semester, and adjustments will be made if necessary. MSSE is committed to providing
richly textured language environment for all students, so that all students have equal
access to information and learning opportunities. More info here. In the event of a
communication mismatch, contact the Department of Access Services.

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4. GRADES1

Component: Point Valuation: Grade Percentage:

ATTENDANCE & ACTIVE PARTICIPATION2 = 15 pts. total, one pt./class 15%

STRATEGY SOURCEBOOK3 = 20 pts. total, 5 pts each 20%


Strategy Sourcebook 1 = 5 pts.
Strategy Sourcebook 2 = 5 pts.
Strategy Sourcebook 3 = 5 pts.
Strategy Sourcebook Seminar = 5 pts.

FIRST MICROTEACHING (Reading) = 20 pts. total, breakdown below 20%


Written Lesson Plan = 5 pts.
Enacted Lesson Plan = 5 pts.
Learning Activity = 5 pts.
Debrief = 5 pts.

SECOND MICROTEACHING (Writing) = 20 pts. total, breakdown below 20%


Written Lesson Plan = 5 pts.
Enacted Lesson Plan = 5 pts.
Learning Activity = 5 pts.
Debrief = 5 pts.

COLLABORATIVE UNIT PLAN = 25 pts. total, breakdown below 25%


MIDTERM (Reading) = 10 pts.
FINAL (Writing) = 15 pts.

TEACHING PORTFOLIO [EXTRA CREDIT] = 5 points (Pass/Fail) (+5%)

RIT Refined Grading system: A = 100-95% A - = 94-90% B + = 89-85% B = 84-83%


B - = 82-80% C + = 79-77% C = 76-73% C - = 72-70% D = 69-60% F = 59% and below

1 NOTES: Homework, including readings, are due prior to the start of class. Late work is not accepted, unless
accompanied by a valid, documented excuse. Students who are microteaching and have another assignment
due simultaneously have a one-week extension for the other assignment, excluding readings. All assignments
are articulated in the syllabus, described in class, distributed with and evaluated by rubrics. All assignments are
posted online to a secure, private MyCourses discussion area. Portions of some assignments are based on peer-
review. At any time, you can use this worksheet or MyCourses gradebook to self-assess your progress and
determine your approximate grade. All feedback will be returned within two weeks of assignment due date.
Feedback will be returned to you in hard copy, on MyCourses, or via email. Concerns about grades/feedback
should be addressed promptly and professionally. For plagiarism policy, see Sections 6-8 of this syllabus.
2 Each class, each student has a target of one high-quality comment or question per class/assignment. If absent

from class, you may “make up” partial credit posting online. Online-only participation counts as ½ participation.
3 Each strategy sourcebook (SS) can be revised once for a one-point grade increase.

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5. ASSIGNMENTS Great care has been taken to design complex, authentic assessments to help
you succeed as an early-career educator. Assignments rubrics are based on clear, observable actions (bold),
corresponding to Bloom’s Taxonomy. Yellow highlighting (pp. 5-11) = duration /volume/word limits.

➢ ATTENDANCE & PARTICIPATION [In-class, online, and homework]

Attendance and participation are required and graded. To learn well you need to attend
and participate in discussions, activities, and homework. Being prepared means coming
to class having done the required readings, having homework complete (posted online,
in some cases), and being willing to contribute. Each class, all students will participate
and contribute constructively, in class, online, or both. You are required to demonstrate
active learning, which facilitates social learning in both English and ASL (See Section 6:
Expectations for Professional Conduct & Academic Rigor, for details).

Learning is often actualized through action or interactive participation. This class is


designed to be a Community of Inquiry that supports the social acquisition of knowledge
by discussing, interacting, and questioning. Students are expected to participate in
meaningful debate, constructive discussion, civil criticism, thoughtful questioning, and
reflective writing. In-class and online discussion formats count toward your weekly
participation grade, although differently. All writing assignments are posted online to a
secure, private MyCourses discussion area where your work will be read, peer-
reviewed, and evaluated by both your colleagues and your professor.

➢ STRATEGY SOURCEBOOK [4 total opportunities]

Strategy Sourcebooks (“SSs”) will occur throughout the course and will culminate with a
Seminar wherein you will share your best work in class. All SSs must evaluate
pedagogical strategies from course readings, form a practical plan to apply them in your
teaching, and use APA format to cite sources and claims. The form and structure of this
assignment are modeled after the edTPA exam. SSs can be written texts (~3 pages total)
or signed video documents (~15m total). You will select two (2) strategies for each SS
assignment. For each, include: (1) Strategy, (2) Praxis, and (3) Citations (see below).

STRATEGY Selection (SS Part 1a, 1b): IDENTIFICATION & DEFINITION


As you read the weekly assigned texts, critically evaluate the authors’ strategies for
teaching English (e.g. methods, theory, or philosophy on pedagogy, assessment, and
curriculum). Using prior experience and inference, determine what you think to be
good, useful, or an otherwise high-quality teaching strategy for teaching English to deaf
learners. For each SS, you will (1a) select or identify two (2) specific strategies from the
readings, define each strategy with a brief quote the author’s original description, and
then (1b) summarize, paraphrase, or interpret each teaching strategy. Selected
strategies should be sourced from course readings only but may be supplemented with
additional resources. (~1/2 full page, or 2-3m, each).

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PRAXIS Analysis (SS PART 2a, 2b): PLANNING, APPLICATION, & REFLECTION
After you select and define two strategies (part 1a and 1b), for each, (2a) write a plan to
use, apply, and reflect on each strategy. Here, you should unpack the strategy, develop
a plan to put it into action in your classroom, then (2b) infer, hypothesize, or predict the
functions or consequences of the strategy. Your end product should form a specific plan
of action and describe how each teaching strategy would affect the operation of your
classroom. Your praxis analysis may involve creative ideation, you may reflect on
teaching practices you have used or experienced in the past, or explore possible
problems you may encounter. If you plan on teaching a certain grade or setting be sure
to describe it, then, describe how you will adapt or modify the strategy for that group or
context. The praxis section will be the longest part of each SS (~1 full page, or 5m, each).
The praxis section is a flexible tool that encourages you to envision yourself using and to
reflect upon research-supported practices now and throughout your career. The overall
goal is to demonstrate your critical thinking about planning for, applying, and reflecting
upon research-supported strategies for teaching English to deaf students.

CITATIONS (SS PART 3a, 3b): REFERENCES & SOURCES


MSSE courses require APA (American Psychological Association) citation style. For each
SS that you write or film you must accurately document or cite where your information
or ideas are coming from (1-2 sources per SS, total). APA citation guides (6th Edition,
2010) are freely available at the Library and on the Internet. If you have questions,
NTID’s librarian, your professor, and the Wally Writing Center all can assist you in citing
accurately and honestly sourcing your citations. Accurate citations protect you from
plagiarism and demonstrate integrity. Accurate references using citations demonstrates
to your readers that you respect the ethical traditions of academic communities and
value scientific discourse. Not knowing citation rules is not an accepted excuse.

➢ MICROTEACHING: WRITTEN PLAN, ENACTED LESSON, LEARNING ACTIVITY, &


DEBRIEF [1 student every other week, each student twice per semester] –

As we read texts and engage in discussions of methods and curriculum through the
semester, students will take turns demonstrating their knowledge with simulated
lessons and reflecting using feedback. Each microteaching requires that the student will
write a lesson plan, enact it in class, and extend the lesson with a learning activity.
Following the enacted plan, all members of the class will engage with a debrief session
to discuss the merits and detriments of the approach. Writing and enacting the lesson
plan helps you think about, plan for, engage with and reflect upon the process of
teaching, including designing and implementing lesson plans. You are strongly
encouraged, though not required, to meet with your professor prior to your
microteaching lesson. Each microteaching has four primary components: (1) Written
Plan, (2) Enacted Plan, (3) Learning Activity, and, (4) Debrief. Including all four parts,
each microteaching will take one hour (although times may vary).

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The assignment design helps you enact your knowledge on deaf education by practicing
teaching. It also assists you in building a portfolio of lesson plans for student teaching
and your career (See also: Extra Credit, below). Microteaching lesson plans must employ
the “Standard edTPA-MSSE Format Lesson Plan,” herein called the “Standard Format”
and each lesson must identify New York State Education Department’s English Language
Arts Learning Standards, herein called “New York Standards”. Using the Standard
Format and New York Standards prepares you for writing the edTPA certification test,
for writing lesson plans for your student teaching, and in your career. Before your
appointed day for microteaching, you must post a Dossier of materials online and
provide printed copies of materials to all members of class. The Dossier will include the
written plan, any PPTs, additional materials, videos with captions, etc. (see also p. 16).

THE WRITTEN LESSON (Microteaching Part 1):


During the first few weeks of class you will be assigned two dates for Microteaching
each with a different literacy topic representing common subjects of English instruction.
The first Microteaching will focus on reading (e.g. English as Language Arts, interpreting
fiction, drama etc.) and the second will focus on writing (e.g. English as Composition or
Rhetoric, text creation, academic research, etc.). After you receive your topic and date,
you should plan for and then write a Standard Format lesson plan using the New York
Standards. Microteachers will select a target demographic or scenario (ex: 11th grade,
mainstream), conduct research, or consult with your professor, then synthesize a
written plan for teaching. Your written plan must describe clear learning objectives,
skills, and vocabulary. Care should be taken to align teaching goals, materials, pedagogy,
standards, and learning activity so they support the target students in learning the
literacy topic. Design or adapt plans and materials that are universally supportive and
foster active learning environments. Completed Standard Format Lessons are usually
around 8 pages. You should include references to all other materials used or consulted.

THE ENACTED LESSON (Microteaching Part 2):


During your scheduled classes, you will enact your lesson plan. During enactment, our
class will simulate a learning environment for the target demographic you selected. The
Microteacher is tasked with managing the classroom and teaching content—distinct
but related tasks. Microteachers will teach the literacy topic using a combination of
direct instruction (part 2) and active learning (part 3, below), operate our classroom as if
it was a class composed of the identified target demographic/scenario, and employ
appropriate classroom management techniques. Other class members (Microstudents),
will role-play as novice learners, tasked with realistically portraying students from the
target demographic. Microstudents are encouraged to play the part of real learners
(within reason). Microteachers are expected to conform to the written plan as closely
as possible, but also actively respond to contingencies or real events on the ground,
which may include: responding to students, adapting technique, modifying materials,
or responding to unexpected events (like a computer failure or fire alarm), or s. [20
minutes]

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THE LEARNING ACTIVITY (Microteaching Part 3):
Following direct instruction, you will lead a carefully planned learning activity, where
your students demonstrate to you that they have acquired new knowledge. Learning
Activities [20 minutes] should support the needs and abilities of deaf learners (include
adaptations for strengths and weaknesses). The activity should apply observable skills
for assessment. Microteachers must also demonstrate good classroom management
skills (e.g time management, staying on task). Bear in mind that the learning activity and
lesson plan should support each other synergistically. The activity can be creative, use
games, immersive technology, digital video, or other interactive events. Take advantage
of the opportunity to experiment with ideas explored in your SS assignment.

The Learning Activity must be based on literacy research from course readings
(evidence-based practices from the research literature). Examples: 1) for a reading
about teacher modeling (Beers, 2003), microteachers can demonstrate editing in peer-
to-peer writing workshops. 2) Starosky and Pereira’s (2013) research shows that deaf
students learn well through game-based instruction; a corresponding learning activity
may use role-playing games to teach narrative structures. 3) Visual media (like drawing)
promotes visualizing text structures, (Kress, 2010), a useful skill for all deaf educators.

THE DEBRIEF (Microteaching Part 4):


The final microteaching section is about feedback; for Microteachers it is about listening
to and incorporating feedback, for Microstudents, it is about analyzing the integration
of pedagogy and curriculum design. Whereas Parts 1-3 are student-centric (e.g. students
create, employ, respond), Part 4 is directed by the professor. Following Parts 1-3, the
professor will provide the microteacher with immediate, formative feedback about the
lesson’s implementation and Microteachers will self-evaluate. All students will evaluate
the lesson with a rubric about specific components of the lesson and the cohesion
among parts (overall gestalt). Final grades are summative assessments that contain self-
evaluated, professor-evaluated, and peer-evaluated components. All microteaching
assessment work will be evaluated by a comprehensive consensus and rubric.

Finally, the professor will lead a discussion to critique technique and content [10-15
minutes]. This time period encourages metacognition and reflection about the teaching
process. Using our rules (See: Section 6), members of class will ask questions that unpack
the lesson. Microteachers will to respond to feedback and defend their positions.
Debrief questions will include: How can you describe your rationale for microteaching?
What went well? What could be improved or changed? In debrief, all class members
should ask reflective questions, discuss, or otherwise constructively critique the lesson
plan and learning activity. Microteachers will have the opportunity to respond to
challenges or questions. All students should explicitly connect, clarify, or challenge
ideas from the lesson/activity to course readings and deaf education research. Students
are expected to articulate the overall rationale used for selecting and creating the
materials/activities.

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➢ COLLABORATIVE UNIT PLAN: UNIFYING TEACHING & LEARNING ACROSS TIME
(Midterm & Final Exams) ––

For the Midterm and the Final Exam, you will collaborate with your classmates to plan
and compose a Unit Plan—a complex outline linking 10 Lesson Plans. The Unit Plan
assignments ask you to demonstrate critical collegiality and apply the skill of teamwork.
One major criterion is demonstrating your ability to work collaboratively with other
teachers—you will show that you can use constructive feedback and be a “team player.”
Successful Unit Plans must also demonstrate overall cohesion—the lessons should be
sequenced well, evidence of planning, organization, and unity between the parts should
be shown (e.g. NYS standards and pedagogical rationale are connected, and reference
materials are cited). Good Unit Plans are comprehensive—any substitute teacher should
be able to read a thorough Unit Plan and have no problems jumping into the fray. This
teaching-for-transfer assignment is designed to be process-oriented. You will learn
individual skills throughout the course then apply them in a new context. Likewise, your
skills in collaborative Unit writing will improve over time, with practice and feedback.

Unit Plans are exams conducted during class time (Class 7 and 15). Your team will have
two hours and fifty minutes to cooperatively compose the Unit. After two hours (2/3 of
the exam), your team will submit a “First Draft” Unit Plan, and take a ten-minute break.
During the break, your professor will read the Unit Plan then provide two (2) pieces of
actionable, constructive feedback. During the final hour (final 1/3 of the exam), you will
be tasked with responding to the feedback and improving your Unit Plan. Both Midterm
and Final Unit Plan assignments are similar to each other and are modeled on real world
curriculum planning but differ regarding the “who, what, and where” (below).

One week prior to each assignment (Classes 6 and 14) you will be provided with:

The Who: Biographical/demographic sketches (e.g. information on students’ individual


characteristics typical of deaf learners in secondary education classrooms)

The Where: Grade-level, school setting, school language-use policy (e.g. Mainstream,
self-contained classroom with a developmental bilingual framework)

The day of the assignment you will be provided with:

The What: The literacy topic that you will teach. MIDTERM = Reading (e.g. comparing
narrative structures in short stories), FINAL = Writing (e.g. writing an
argumentative or expository essay about current events in your city)

To solve the problem, you will collaboratively plan for and construct a cohesive Unit.
Your task is to determine what to do with the students and how to teach them. Below
are the essential criteria (in bold) and supporting questions (in italics) that will be
included in both exams. This outline provides the structure for your written Unit Plan.

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MIDTERM & FINAL EXAM UNIT PLAN: Key Features and SWBAT Essentials

1. Standards, Goals, & Purposes –What standard/s support the provided literacy topic?
What are the unit-level standards and lesson-level standards? How do your goals link
hierarchically? What is the point of doing the unit? (Cite specific NY ELA Standards)

2. Introduction – What background knowledge can you activate to get students ready
for learning a large volume of content? How are you creating an engaging classroom
right from the start? What will grab your students’ attention and gets them excited
for learning new content? What do you need to review or pre-teach?

3. Subjects, Lesson Contents, & Learning Outcomes – What subjects and skills will you
need to teach? What are the main topics and skills and subordinate topics and skills?
How do the big and small concepts align? What will “SWBAT” do? How are you
linking/sequencing Bloom’s Taxonomy? Do learning outcomes link hierarchically?
How do surface, deep, and transfer literacy support one another?

4. Differentiation, Accessibility, & Adaptations – How are you responding to the


specific needs of deaf learners, those with additional disabilities, those from diverse
cultures? How is your teaching specifically designed for a wide spectrum of learners?

5. Daily Instructional Design, Student Learning Activities, & Materials – What are the
procedures for your daily practice? What are the small-scale daily questions? What
are the long-term ‘big’ questions? What are the learning activities–daily and
cumulative–that foster learning? What are the necessary items, equipment,
structures, things, or materials that you and your students will require?

6. Assessment – What constitutes measurable and observable proof of learning? What


specific instruments will be used? What pre-assessments will measure what students
already know? What kinds of evidence will you collect that demonstrates emergent
learning (formative assessment) and cumulative (summative assessment)?

7. Rationale – What citations support your choices? What scientific research backs your
overall approach? How does the literature provide context for your daily lessons?
What are the major deliverables on this Unit Plan and how do they link to your
standards, goals, purpose, etc.? How can you demonstrate your deep understanding
of research by unpacking theories and practices? (cite specific research studies)

8. Closure & Self-Evaluation – At the end of the unit, how will you know it worked?
How will you foster enrichment projects that extend critical thinking or transfer?
How is your teaching motivating? What did you learn through this process? How can
you demonstrate your self-reflective thought process about unit planning? How did
your analytic praxis of the overall assignment compare to your collaborators?

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Resources on lesson and unit planning and their relation to teaching methods and
assessing learning will be discussed and shared throughout the course. You will also
have a rubric and examples to guide you.

➢ [EXTRA CREDIT] TEACHING PORTFOLIO REVIEW

THE PORTFOLIO REVIEW: Educational job interviews often require Teaching portfolios
to show example Lesson and Unit Plans. Likewise, your edTPA certification test, requires
you to demonstrate a cogent analysis of your approach to teaching. Microteaching and
the Unit Plan assignments provides guided practice that assists you in planning for and
reflecting on your pedagogical practice in preparation for the certification tests and
your career. You may elect to extend these completed projects by creating a teaching
portfolio for Extra Credit. This assignment is an extended opportunity to prepare for
Student Teaching and your career. This assignment is recommended but not required,
available to all students to begin developing and defending your teaching portfolio. The
assignment also simulates a formal interview for a teaching position, both are excellent
practice for interviews. Thorough resources on teaching portfolios can be found here
and here. Your portfolio can take two forms: (1) Physical—a tangible binder or artists
portfolio containing printed materials, or (2) Digital—a website or repository of .PDF or
.DOC materials, hosted online. You may schedule an appointment to discuss your
portfolio prior to final evaluation. This assignment is worth one-half letter grade (5
points added your final average) and is awarded as PASS/FAIL. To earn these points, you
must independently develop all of the items below and present them in a scheduled
face-to face meeting during finals week. For either format (Physical or Digital), you will
accumulate, organize, and present your teaching qualifications. Included in the
portfolio should be (at minimum):

a) Current Resume or Curriculum Vitae – This is a well-organized document that lists and
categorizes important achievements related to teaching, including: contact information,
references, education, work and other relevant experiential knowledge, research,
publications, awards, recognitions, and related items. Resources can be found here.

b) Personal Statement of Teaching Philosophy – A synthesis of theory and evidence-


based research that shows to prospective employers your values as an educator, your
mission in teaching, and what you aim to achieve. This statement can draw from any of
this class’ written assignments. The final version should be concise—no longer then 2-3
pages—and should describe: who you are and why you are qualified to teach. It should
also illustrate your values and articulate your goals or aspirations as a teacher.
Resources can be found here.

c) Documentation of Effective Teaching or Leadership – This will include all of your


written lesson plans developed in this class, as well as any additional documents that
demonstrate your skills, knowledge, and abilities as a teacher. Resources here and here.

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6. PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT, ACADEMIC RIGOR, & RESPONSIBILITY:

➢ PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT: This course engages with participatory, critical, and


social methods for learning. One goal is to expose early-career educators to the
shared values of professional conduct. In addition to developing independent
graduate academic skills, class members will collaborate effectively both in class and
online. In all interactions, class members must conduct themselves professionally.
Professional conduct includes: (1) Constructive feedback, discussions that focus on
the work, not the person. Constructive criticism addresses both strengths and
weaknesses. (2) Equitable participation is another guiding principle, which states
that in healthy communities of inquiry, all members participate in different ways in
learning. Finally, (3) critical collegiality, is a process of ethical communication and
collaborative participation focusing on learning, teaching, and questioning together.
In all conduct, students should support one another, the professor supports all
students, and the students support the professor so that nobody is marginalized.
Address conflicts promptly; do not procrastinate.

➢ STANDARDS OF ACADEMIC DISCOURSE (For English AND ASL): Students will use
clear and ethical discourse and use appropriate vocabulary, terminology, and tone,
in writing, speaking, signing, in-class and online. Students will write sophisticated
academic prose that follows conventions of Standard Academic English, using APA
citation format. Likewise, students will express themselves clearly and cogently in
American Sign Language. Students will compose well-organized responses
employing appropriate topics, tone, purpose, and audience. Students will select and
apply apt strategies for introducing and concluding, contextualizing, questioning,
and answering. Students will control overall cohesion using appropriately complex,
cited statements or questions and will provide support for ideas with details (critical
reflections, quotes from source materials, paraphrasing, etc.). Students will revise
their own writing and ASL in substantive ways (for clarity, coherence, grammar,
word usage, and mechanics, etc.). All students will always avoid plagiarism and
academic dishonesty (discussed in Sections 6 - 8) by incorporating source materials and
correctly citing references at all times, in English and ASL, in class, out of class, and
online. Students will learn and apply general APA citation rules and have access to
resources for achieving APA competency. Students will improve the quality of their
critical thinking skills through active reading strategies, classroom discussions, group
and individual presentations, and through critical writing and reading, and revision.

➢ OFFICE HOURS: Use of Office Hours: Students are encouraged to take advantage of
office hours as a resource for improvement, discussion, and feedback. Office hours
are subject to availability. Email 48 hours in advance to ensure availability. Come
prepared. Do not wait until the last minute. 1) Successful MSSE students take
advantage of Office Hours. 2) Students conducting microteaching should use office
hours at least a week prior to your presentation.

12
➢ ACADEMIC RIGOR: Teachers are lifelong students. To succeed in teaching, early-
career educators need to be independent learners, apply appropriate critical reading
comprehension strategies, read and understand, analyze and summarize, and
evaluate and critique scholarly and academic concepts. Students will design effective
presentations that communicate well and demonstrate knowledge and
understanding. Our course exercises open inquiry—it encourages asking good
questions and finding justifiable answers. You will read a large variety and volume of
academic research in this course, you will read, write, reflect, discuss, analyze,
interpret, and construct authentic responses based on established goals. Due to the
intellectual rigor of this course, and the profession of teaching, we must conform to
the following standards at all times:

o Provide context for your ideas, be clear and concise while expressing your
stance; respect different stances from all members of class.
o Adapt your words to your audience and purpose.
o Create claims that are explicit and supported by research.
o Cite your sources (use APA format).
o Think before you respond. Proofread and edit before submitting work,
always revise work based on feedback, respond appropriately to all
feedback (instructor and peer).

➢ RESPONSIBILITY FOR LEARNING: Note-taking, Tutoring, and Additional Help: As life-


long learners, each of us must be responsible for our learning and not shift blame.
We must recognize our skills and acknowledge areas of weakness, including knowing
when to ask for help. Many resources are available to students needing instruction
or help with study skills or writing skills. The Writing Commons (WC) in the Wallace
Center (first floor of the library) provides free writing instruction for all RIT students
(including Grad students) at any stage of the writing process. You must schedule an
appointment. The WC is staffed by peer and professional writing consultants with
diverse backgrounds from a variety of academic disciplines. If you need help
planning, organizing, developing ideas, using sources effectively, properly formatting
your citations, or with grammar and mechanical issues, the WC can help you develop
productive writing habits and revision strategies. RIT’s Academic Support Center can
provide you with tips, tools, resources, and training for effective study habits.

Use of Note-taking & Study Skills: Always take notes. And use your notes often in
studying. Some MSSE students have the (bad) habit of not taking notes on their
readings, or during class lectures/activities. Avoid this poor habit. Take good notes.
Recent research shows that digital note-taking is significantly less effective than
physical writing; likewise, significant gains in learning occur through active use of
notes, especially in collaborative study groups (Fisher, Frey, & Hattie, 2016). Take
notes and annotate as you read. Use those notes in class and while completing
assignments, or in study groups.

13
7. RIT REGULATIONS, RESOURCES, and PROTECTIONS

Discrimination & Harassment RIT is committed to providing a safe learning


environment for all students, free from harassment and discrimination. RIT requires its
faculty to be trained in and share information with Human Resources regarding
harassment and discrimination, in accordance with Federal Title IX statues. Familiarize
yourself with these policies here and here. If you have a concern about discrimination or
harassment, many resources (including deaf-specific ones) are available, found here.
Bear in mind that discrimination is not the same as critical feedback or poor grades.

Disability Services RIT is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to


students with disabilities. To request accommodations due to a disability, contact the
Disability Services Office, located in the SAU (Room 1150). The Disability Services Office
web site can be found here: rit.edu/dso. If you receive accommodations, it is your
responsibility to clearly communicate and work out arrangements with your professor.

Academic Honesty As an institution of higher learning, RIT expects students to


behave honestly and ethically at all times, especially when submitting work for
evaluation in conjunction with any course or degree requirement. All students are
encouraged to become familiar with the RIT Honor Code and with RIT’s Academic
Integrity Policy. The introduction to this document is as follows: “As members of an
academic community, both students and faculty share responsibility for maintaining
high standards of personal and professional integrity. If a student violates these
standards, the Academic Integrity Process affords a fair resolution. The committee
outlined herein may be called upon to hear cases where a breach of student academic
integrity is alleged by instructor. In all cases, it is the responsibility of any university
representatives to render fair and appropriate decisions reaffirming standards of
integrity expected in the academic community.” Full text can be found here.

8. ON PLAGIARISM: Plagiarism is defined as:

Plagiarizing (verb) – the act of stealing ideas or writing from a


source without citations; includes copying, copyright
infringement, piracy, stealing; theft, cheating, etc. Plagiarism
(noun) – the stolen idea, intellectual theft (Apple, 2013)

Plagiarism is a serious violation of trust in academia and is particularly egregious for


educators in training. Plagiarism is intellectual theft—a serious academic offense.
Plagiarism is dishonest and counter to RIT/NTID’s mission of Academic Integrity.
Plagiarism violates the norms, conventions, and expectations of academic discourse.

Meuwissen (2015) defines plagiarism/academic dishonesty for teachers and education

14
scholars:

“One of our key responsibilities, as members of an academic community, is honestly


representing what we come to know […] within that community. Academic dishonesty is
a violation of the trust upon which our academic community depends. A common form
of academic dishonesty is plagiarism, defined as the use, whether deliberate or
unintentional, of an idea from another source without proper acknowledgment of that
source. The risk can be avoided in written work by clearly citing the sources of key ideas
or phrases that you did not arrive at on your own. Sources must be acknowledged
regardless of whether the material is quoted directly or paraphrased. Another form of
plagiarism is obtaining information from another student and passing it off as your
work. While this course environment is dependent upon collaborative learning, it is
important to recognize when collaboration is warranted or encouraged and when you
are expected to complete assignments on your own. Though it is not necessary to
specify in collaborative endeavors exactly who is responsible for which ideas, each
individual is expected to contribute substantively to the collective. A clear imbalance of
responsibility for collaborative work also represents academic dishonesty and should be
discussed among group members [and the professor] when applicable. In brief, any act
that involves plagiarizing papers, submitting the same product for credit in multiple
courses without authorization, soliciting work from other individuals, intentionally
denying academic resources to other students, and submitting fraudulent documents is
an academically dishonest act.” (p. 8).

Plagiarism includes students caught copying or falsifying any material without proper
citations or references and will be subject to immediate disciplinary action. Plagiarism
also includes self-plagiarism. Students caught plagiarizing will automatically fail the
assignment, have a required disciplinary meeting with the professor, and have one
opportunity to correct the work. Any student caught plagiarizing a second time will have
a disciplinary meeting with the Department Chairperson and the professor, which may
result in a formal academic hearing, results of which include failure from the course or
possible expulsion from the University (c.f. RIT University Policies, Sec. 08, Pt. V, VI).

15
11. CLASS SCHEDULE of READINGS, HOMEWORK DUE DATES, ACTIVITIES

Legend: “How to use” and FAQs:


1. Class Number/Date of Class
2. READINGS = # = chapter (date), abbreviated title; (~page length), & color codes
WKCR Chap. # = When Kids Can’t Read; Beers (2003)
VLL Chap. # = Visible Learning for Literacy; Fisher, Frey, & Hattie (2016) (2
SLL Chap. # = Situated Language and Learning; Gee (2004)
REE Chap. # = Radical Equality in Education; Larson (2014)
YFY Chap. # = Your First Year; Whittaker, Whittaker, & Whittaker (2016)
AA #1, 2 = Additional Article 1, 2, etc. Authors, (Date of Publication) / Short Title

All readings are due prior to class beginning on the date listed. Bring readings to class. Annotate
your readings or take notes on what you read. Be prepared to use your annotated readings and
notes during class. All non-textbook readings are found on MyCourses > Content > Readings.

3. MICROTEACHING = Student assigned microteaching due date (assigned class 2).

Microteaching dossiers containing all materials used in class must be posted online prior to class.
Microteaching team must supply sufficient printed copies for all class members (including copies
for the professor and interpreters, if necessary). Dossiers includes a digital archive of any other
physical materials/handouts during class, hyperlinks to videos, PPT materials, etc). Students who
are microteaching have an automatic one-week deferral for any HW writing assignment (SS, etc).

4. FOCUS QUESTIONS = Indicates common ‘threads’ for readings, discussion, HW, etc.

Use the questions while actively reading, studying, and for review. If absent from class, you may
earn partial credit by posting a 3-5 paragraph response to the FQs to the appropriate discussion
board. Online-only participation counts as ½ credit (.5 pts) toward class participation.

5. CLASS ACTIVITIES = Professor-designed in-class learning activities or assignments.

Some activities span multiple classes. Some have associated homework components. In general,
if we do not finish the activity, completing is your responsibility. Participating in activities counts
toward participation grades.

6. EXTENDED READINGS/RESOURCES: Not required, but recommended readings.

Not required but highly recommended. Use these to delve deeper into concepts or methods.
Some referenced in class or are associated with assignments, others are not. Archive if not using.

7. HW = Homework assignments, unless otherwise noted, due the following class.

Post writing assignments to MyCourses online to corresponding Discussion Board before class
begins. Please plan your work by reviewing what is due the following week.

16
Class 1 – August 28th

READINGS:
VLL Chap. 1 – Laying the Groundwork (33 pages).4)
AA #1 – Swanwick & Marschark (2010) – Enhancing Deaf Education (19 pages).
AA #2 – Marschark, Lang, & Albertini (2002) – Teaching and the Curriculum (28 pages).
(70 pages total)

MICROTEACHING: ____ Distribute Dates & Topics ____

FOCUS QUESTIONS: What is learning? How does teaching affect learning?


What are some common issues in deaf literacy classrooms? Why is deaf
education research about ‘best practices’ so hard to obtain? Is deaf
heterogeneity a problem or a resource for English teachers? How do
English teachers adapt materials for deaf learners, given what we know
about how deaf students learn? What are the characteristics of effective
teachers of the deaf? How is literacy learning a process (not a single
event)? How do educators find and apply ‘what works’?

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES: 1) Syllabus Quiz 2) Discuss “Teacher Blurb” Assignment 3)


Distribute, then collect Microteaching dates and themes using the “ranked choice
voting” system.

HW DUE PRIOR TO CLASS 2: 1) Re-read Syllabus. Sign Contract. 2) Teacher Blurb, Part 1
posted to MyCourses discussion board.

EXTENDED READINGS/RESOURCES: Mewborn & Tyminski (2006). Lortie’s Apprenticeship


of Observation. (3 pages). Theory-based paper reviewing the differences between how
student-teachers and seasoned educators think about teaching, discusses common
misconceptions and a handy metaphor of “apprenticeship” in education.

17
Class 2 – September 4th

READINGS:
Syllabus: 714:01 (Fall, 2018) (33 pages).
WKCR Chap. 1 – A Defining Moment (8 pages)
AA #3 – Easterbrooks & Stoner (2006) Using a Visual Tool (15 pages).
AA #4 – American Psychological Association (2015) 20 Principles (23 pages).
AA# 5 – Cunningham (2009) Lesson Plans and Unit Plans (16 pages).
(95 pages total)

MICROTEACHING: ____ Assign Dates & Topics ____

FOCUS QUESTIONS: What motivates—and demotivates—learners? Why


are scaffolds used in education? What is the role of metacognition in
learning and thinking? What is the current state of education for English
teaching? What constitutes ‘quality’ instruction, teaching, and curriculum
design for deaf learners? What traditional and emergent approaches
exist for instruction of deaf learners? How should English teachers of the
deaf use the research literature to improve their practices? What does
the research say about the usefulness of visual supports for English
instruction to deaf learners?

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES: 1) Answer questions about syllabus, collect syllabus contracts. 2)


“Free Thinkers,” video and discussion activity. 3) Lecture on Microteaching Assignment.

HW DUE PRIOR TO CLASS 3: 1) Teacher Blurb part 2, (peer responses), post to


MyCourses discussion board.

EXTENDED READING/RESOURCE: Knoors & Marschark (2014). School achievement and


instruction: Literacy. (21 pages). Book chapter about examining the evidence base and
comparing it to common assumptions or misunderstandings about deaf education in
action, chapter includes basic definitions and common problems for deaf learners.

18
Class 3 – September 11th

READINGS:
WKCR Chap. 2 – Creating Independent Readers (8 pages)
VLL Chap. 2 – Surface Literacy Learning (34 page).
YFY Chaps. 1 - 6 – Before Your Students Arrive (33 pages).
AA #6 – Kuntze, Golos, & Enns (2014) – Opportunities for Visual Learners (23 pages).
(84 pages total)

MICROTEACHING 1a: ___________________

FOCUS QUESTIONS: What do dependent and independent readers do


differently? What does background knowledge have to do with reading
ability or literacy? What does confidence have to do with learning
reading? What are the social foundations of literacy learning? How do
good teachers provide feedback? What do teachers do to design high-
quality literacy environments? What benefits are there to dynamic
interaction in literacy instruction? How do deaf and nondeaf students
differ regarding literacy acquisition? What are multiliteracies? How do
visual literacy and traditional literacy compare? What deaf cultural skills
promote traditional literacy achievement?

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES: 1) Distribute/Discuss Strategy Sourcebook Rubric, 2) “Visual


Vocabulary” Collaborative Activity based on Kuntze, Golos, and Enns.

HW DUE PRIOR TO CLASS 4: Strategy Sourcebook #1, initial post.

EXTENDED READING/RESOURCE: Henner, Cladwell-Harris, Norogrodsky, & Hoffmeister


(2016). ASL syntax and anagogical thinking skills are influenced by early acquisition and
age of entry to signing schools for the deaf. (14 pages). An empirical study that
contextualizes language deprivation and early access to educational opportunities for
deaf children, paper discusses the strong influence that early ASL has on English and
other languages, and educational attainment later in life.

19
Class 4 – September 18th

READINGS:
WKCR Chap. 5 – Learning to Make an Inference (12 pages)
YFY Chaps. 7 & 8 – The Students Are Here (24 pages).
VLL Chap. 3 – Deep Literacy Learning (32 pages).
AA #7 – Sutton-Spence (2014) – Deaf Gain and Creativity in ASL (15 pages).
(83 pages total)

MICROTEACHING 1b: ___________________

FOCUS QUESTIONS: What is the role of critical thinking in English


classrooms? How do English teachers help students make inferences or
hypotheses? What strategies do you infer as being useful for deep
literacy with deaf learners? What is the role of ‘cognitive dissonance’ in
deep learning? Why does ‘deep literacy’ demand so much interaction?
What is the relationship between teaching, learning, assessment, and the
curricula? What effective strategies exist for enhancing learning through
curricula or pedagogy in deaf literacy education environments? What is
the ‘grammar’ of visual or gestural communication? What are the politics
and poetics of the deaf body in ASL literature?

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES: 1) “The Red Pen” Activity – Part 1 Curricula and Expectations

HW DUE PRIOR TO CLASS 5: Strategy Sourcebook #1, reply post.

EXTENDED READING/RESOURCE: Banner & Wang (2010): An analysis of the Reading


Strategies used by adult and deaf student readers. (22 pages). This mixed methods
empirical study compares adult and youth groups of deaf readers to uncover general
strategies that are used in each population, including visual and textual analysis
approaches, and motivating factors for metacognitive reflection for learners of all ages.

20
Class 5 – September 25th

READINGS:
WKCR Chap. 4 & 6 – Explicit Instruction in Comprehension & Frontloading (53 pages)
VLL Chaps. 4 – Teaching for Transfer (26 pages).
YFY Chaps. 12 & 14 – Don’t be Afraid to Repair and Mid-Flight Corrections (13 pages).
(92 pages total)

MICROTEACHING 1c: ___________________

FOCUS QUESTIONS: What methods of teaching promote active


engagement with literacy? Why is it vital to activate prior knowledge?
How do reading skills and reading strategies differ? What is the
relationship between teacher modeling and transfer of skills? How do
educators encourage reading comprehension ‘strategically’? What
methods of teaching English promote critical thinking, transfer to new
settings, and metacognition for all students? How do teachers “fix”
mistakes, their own, or their students? How do teachers know and what
should teachers do when their instruction fails to improve student
learning?

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES: 1) “The Red Pen” Activity – Part 2 – Feedback and Affect

HW DUE PRIOR TO CLASS 6: None! Take a break this week ☺

EXTENDED READING/RESOURCE: Berent, Kelly, Schmitz, Kenney (2009). Visual input


enhancement via essay coding results in deaf learners’ long-term retention of improved
English grammatical knowledge. (15 pages). An empirical replication study testing a
method for improving grammatical accuracy, explicitly links theoretical and empirical
knowledge bases for enhancing teaching practice for deaf higher education writing
classrooms.

21
Class 6 – October 2nd
READINGS:
WKCR Chap. 3 – Assessing Dependent Readers (17 pages)
VLL Chaps. 5 – Determining Impact (33 pages).
YFY Chaps. 9, 10, 11, 13 – Working with Teachers, Principles, and Parents (17 pages).
SLL Chaps. 1 & 2 – Introduction; A Strange Fact on Not Learning How to Read (20 pages).
(87 pages total)

MICROTEACHING: _______n/a____________

FOCUS QUESTIONS: What are examples of dependent reading and how


do teachers change them? What do independent readers and teachers
do and how can modeling those skills change dependent readers beliefs,
attitudes, and abilities? What are the cultural and social aspects of
literacy? What is the difference between language ‘skills’ and ‘ability’?
How do teachers know if their materials are making an impact on
learning? How do teachers know and what should teachers do when their
instruction fails to improve student learning? What is the difference
between reading in general and reading in the disciplines? What are the
deep causes of reading failure in schools and societies?

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES: 1) Discussing Midterm Exam Assignment, requirements,


expectations. 2) Distribute/Read “Who and Where” sheet for Midterm.

HW DUE PRIOR TO CLASS 6: Strategy Sourcebook #2, initial post.

EXTENDED READING/RESOURCE: Snoddon, K. (2008). American Sign Language and early


intervention. (24 pages). The author overviews biomedical-legal frameworks for early
identification of deaf children and the impact that it has on school placement and
success with bilingual deep literacy learning and teaching for transfer.

22
NO CLASS MEETING OCTOBER 9th

READINGS:
WKCR Chap. 7 & 14 – Constructing Meaning & Finding the Right Book (55 pages)
SLL Chaps. 3 & 4 – Language and Identity; Simulations and Bodies (36 pages).
YFY Chaps. 15, 16, 17 – Working with Adults, On your Journey (24 pages).
(115 pages total)

MICROTEACHING: _______n/a____________

FOCUS QUESTIONS: How is ‘meaning-making’ an active, constructive, or


social process in reading? Why are re-reading, teacher modeling, and
think-aloud useful for struggling readers? What visual text features are
likely to positively influence deaf readers? What are key features of ‘high-
quality’ in fiction and nonfiction readings? How might these influence
deaf visual learnings of English? How does student identity factor into
reading skills? What role do ‘dynamic images’ play in reading
comprehension? What do embodied experiences do differently than
passive reading?

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES: _____none, no class_____

HW DUE PRIOR TO CLASS 7: 1) Prepare for Midterm, review Cunningham (2008); 2)


Strategy Sourcebook #2, response post.

EXTENDED READING/RESOURCE: Sfard, A. (1998): On two metaphors for learning and


the danger of choosing just one. (10 pages). This methodological review paper discusses
salient issues regarding learning and language, focusing on two contrasting metaphors—
acquisition and participation—regarding how people learn languages in different
settings, the author cautions us not to be exclusive in our thinking on learning.

23
Class 7 – October 16th

READINGS:
SLL Chaps. 7 & 8 – Shape Shifting Portfolio People; A Final Word (28 pages).
REE Foreword (Kris Gutierrez); Preface; Chap. 1 Fed Up with Tinkering (23 pages).
AA #8 – Seessel (2013) – Listening for Silenced Voices (18 pages).
(69 pages total)

MICROTEACHING: _________n/a__________

FOCUS QUESTIONS: How have digital technologies affected the


profession of teaching, the processes of learning, and the ways that
school functions? How are deaf students or deaf citizens leveraging
digital technologies for communication, organizing, teaching, and
learning? How do teachers design good physical and digital environments
for literacy education? How can education be transformative for
individuals and societies? What happens if educators totally reject the
assumption of inequality in education planning and start from a new
assumption of radical equality? What is wrong with the ‘factory’ or
‘banking’ models of education so fashionable in the 20th century? Where
is English education heading in the 21st century? What is the purpose of
deaf education in the 21st century?

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES: 1) MIDTERM EXAM—IN CLASS.

HW DUE PRIOR TO CLASS 9: 1) Consider 1-3 questions for Sheila Puzio, our guest
speaker who is a high school English teacher at Rochester School for the Deaf.

EXTENDED READING/RESOURCE: Hernandez, F.A., Franklyn, K.D., Washburn, J., Craig,


A.B. Appleford, S.J. (2014). Education in the age of extreme digital exploration, discovery,
and innovation. (16 pages). A theoretical synthesis regarding rapidly changing digital
knowledge ecosystems, discussions on digital epistemologies, and their combined
effects on educational thinking, education processes, places, and people.

24
Class 8 – October 23rd

READINGS:
WKCR Chap. 8 – Extending Meaning (37 pages)
SLL Chap. 5 – Learning and Gaming (18 pages).
AA #9 – Starosky & Pereira – Role Playing Game as Pedagogical Proposition (17 pages).
AA #10 – Burgstahler (2015) – Opening Doors or Slamming Them Shut? (12 pages).
(84 pages total)

MICROTEACHING 2a: ___________________

FOCUS QUESTIONS: What unique opportunities for teaching and learning


do nontraditional instructional strategies (e.g. games and technological
platforms) provide for curriculum or pedagogy in deaf education? What
unique detriments or limitations exist? How do deaf students use games
or the internet for learning? How might educators leverage digital or
gamified tools? What interactive kinds of play extend meaning after
reading? How do role-playing and other immersive strategies foster the
development of traditional literacy topics like narrative and
characterization? What differences exist between horizontal and vertical
learning? Why do students love video game-style learning but struggle
with school-style learning?

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES: 1) “Gaming and Role Play in Deaf Education” Activity. 2) “Halfway
there” student feedback collection. 3) Sheila Puzio Guest Lecture: “Reading and Deaf
High School Students”

HW DUE PRIOR TO CLASS 8: None! Take a post-midterm break this week!

EXTENDED READING/RESOURCE: Skyer, M. (2016, manuscript). Deaf Digital Learning


Platforms. (35 pages). A critical literature review synthesizing deaf creation and use of
digital technologies, analyzed using a multimodality as a theoretical framework, situated
in both social and educational contexts.

25
Class 9 – October 30th

READINGS:
REE Chaps. 2 & 3 –Equitable Starting Place, Toward Different Ends (34 pages).
WKCR Chap. 12 – Spelling: How Words Work (14 pages)
SLL Chap. 6 – Affinity Spaces (14 pages).
AA #11 – Ranciere (1991) – An Intellectual Adventure (18 pages).
AA #12 – Komesaroff (2008) – Power, Politics, and Deaf Education (10 pages).
(89 pages total)

MICROTEACHING: _________ n/a ___________

FOCUS QUESTIONS: What is power in the context of deaf pedagogy? Why


do traditional schools value individual (autonomous) literacy knowledge
as opposed to distributed (social) literacy knowledge? Why does
‘belonging to a community’ matter for literacy instruction in and out of
schools? Is literacy ideologically “neutral”? How do power, politics, and
ideology control the work of schools, teachers, and students? How do
these concepts affect the day-to-day of teaching? What effects did “No
Child Left Behind” and “The Common Core” have on teachers and
students? How might explication ideology differ from equiopotentiality
ideology in teaching deaf learners?

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES: 1) Critical Deaf Pedagogies Activity part 1.

HW DUE PRIOR TO CLASS 10: 1) Strategy Sourcebook #3, initial post.

EXTENDED READING/RESOURCE: Reagan, T. (2011). Ideological barriers to American


Sign Language: Unpacking linguistic resistance. (32 pages). A philosophical discussion
and review of empirical science regarding language outcomes and deaf students,
situated within the focal area of why ASL as a language, and deaf people as a
sociocultural group are often regarded as “without power,” or as marginalized in
societies and schools.

26
Class 10 – November 6th
READINGS:
WKCR Chap. 9 – Vocabulary: What Words Mean (28 pages)
REE Chap. 4 – Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment (30 pages).
AA #13 – Albertini & Schley (2003) – Writing Characteristics (14 pages).
AA #14 – Wilson (2014) – Teach the How: Critical Lenses and Critical Literacy (8 pages).
(80 pages total)

MICROTEACHING 2b: ___________________

FOCUS QUESTIONS: How does educational philosophy or pedagogical


theory (the conceptual frameworks underlying action) affect methods of
instruction? What is the ‘doing’ of teaching using critical literacy? What
alternative paradigms of education exist outside of the traditional? What
is the value of critical literacy in secondary education? How is learning to
write a social and critical process for deaf students? What are the notable
characteristics of deaf writers? How are reading and writing interrelated
in deaf education? What is the difference between process-writing and
product-writing? What are the differences between little c and Big C
curriculum? How is assessment a disciplinary power in schools? What
attitudes, skills, and abilities do teachers need to promote literacy
learning for deaf students?

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES: 1) Critical Deaf Pedagogies Activity part 2. 2) Discuss Strategy


Sourcebook Seminar procedures.

HW DUE PRIOR TO CLASS 11: 1) Strategy Sourcebook #3, reply post. 2) Prepare for
Strategy Sourcebook Seminar. 3) Consider 1-3 questions for Pamela Kincheloe, our guest
speaker who is a University English teacher at Rochester Institute for the Deaf.

EXTENDED READING/RESOURCE: Morrell, E. (2008). Critical literacy and urban youth:


Introduction to Critical Literacy. (30 pages) This author discusses the theories of and
practical approaches to using critical theory in high school English classrooms. Emphasis
falls on using accessible, interactive, and visual teaching methods, which the author
describes in terms of practical procedures, techniques, and underlying pedagogical
theory.

27
Class 11 – November 13th

READINGS:
WKCR Chaps. 10 & 11 – Fluency and Automaticity & Word Recognition (41 pages)
REE Chap. 5 – Imagine We Climb the Mountain (8 pages).
AA #15– Toscano et al. (2002) – Deaf Success with Academic English (20 pages).
AA #16 – Fernandes & Myers (2010) – Inclusive Deaf Studies (13 pages).
(82 total pages)

MICROTEACHING 2c: ___________________

FOCUS QUESTIONS: What constitutes good teaching and good learning


and how do we know? How are pedagogy, curriculum, and assessment
related? What motivates deaf learners in reading and writing? How do
deaf students use technological tools to gain social exposure to literacy?
What are the characteristics of successful deaf college students? What
consequences for curriculum arise from assessment, or vice versa? What
does it mean to ‘show intelligence to itself’? How do deaf students write
about their learning? What modifications to literacy classrooms could
reasonably help deaf learners with fluency and automaticity? What are
the challenges of ‘rare words’ used in disciplinary classrooms and
publication genres? How do literacy teachers reinforce high-frequency
and low-frequency words in instruction?

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES: 1) Pamela Kincheloe Guest Lecture.

HW DUE PRIOR TO CLASS 12: 1) Follow up post to Strategy Sourcebook Seminar

EXTENDED READING/RESOURCE: Darling-Hammond & Youngs (2002). Defining highly


qualified teachers. (33 pages) Critical analysis and review of controversial governmental
report on efficacy of teachers, examines the scientific evidence and compares it to
popular conceptions of what constitutes ‘good’ teaching; the article subverts harmful
metanarratives and stereotypes of teaching by using empirical evidence.

28
Class 12 – November 20th

READINGS:
AA #17 – Kress (2010) – Multimodality: Social Communication (Ch. 2 & 3) (35 pages).
AA #18 – Hunter (2015) – Deaf Gain and Multimodal Composition (10 pages).
AA #19 – Freire (2007) – Pedagogy of the Oppressed (26 pages).
AA #20 – Paris (2012) – Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (5 pages).
(76 total pages)

MICROTEACHING: ________n/a___________

FOCUS QUESTIONS: What is multimodality? How does multimodal


communication affect teaching and learning environments? What is
ethical about multimodality? How do deaf educators use multimodality
and deaf gain to transform the writing curriculum? What other tools do
educators need to ethically transform oppressive pedagogical regimes?
What is the ‘banking’ or ‘transmission’ model of pedagogy—and how has
it been rejected by educators? How do teachers use curriculum and
pedagogy to supplant destructive (historical) practices? What theoretical
tools might transform ‘deficit’ deaf pedagogy into ‘revitalizing’ deaf
pedagogy? Why is it necessary to grow or revitalize cultural practices in
teaching contexts? How might we do it in deaf education?

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES: 1) Deaf Educational Aesthetics, Part 1—conceptualizing. 2)


Strategy Sourcebook Seminar Activity.

HW DUE PRIOR TO CLASS 13: 1) Select one Microteaching lesson plan assignment for
revision, bring relevant visual materials (such as PPT slides or illustrations) to class 13.

EXTENDED READING/RESOURCE: Walters (2010). Toward an accessible pedagogy:


Dis/ability, multimodality, and universal design in the technical communication
classroom. (28 pages). In depth case study report of transformative teaching methods
for disabled (including deaf) students; author describes an overall disability studies
conceptual framework for universal design.

29
Class 13 – November 27th
READINGS:
WKCR Chaps. 13 – Creating the Confidence to Respond (22 pages)
AA #21 – Kusters (2017) – Intergenerational Responsibility in Deaf Pedagogy (20 pages).
AA #22 – de Alba et. al (1999) – Curriculum and Postmodernity (38 pages).
AA #23 – Wilmot (1999) – Graphicacy as a form of communication (5 pages).
(85 pages total)

MICROTEACHING: ________n/a___________

FOCUS QUESTIONS: Why is student confidence, positive environments,


and high expectations so important in English classrooms with struggling
readers? What is an aesthetic response to reading literature, how does it
differ from an efferent response, and why does that difference matter?
What is aliteracy and how does it relate to deaf learners? What is
postmodernism? Are epistemologies dynamic or static? How are
ontologies, epistemologies, and teaching methods politically charged?
What does deaf studies stand to benefit from deconstruction or critical
inquiries (e.g. feminism, poststructuralism, postmodernism,
decolonialism, critical disability studies)? What pedagogical
responsibilities exist for deaf educators who are deaf themselves? What
are the ethics of deaf pedagogy? How can deaf educators leverage art,
design, graphics, and multimodal communications in teaching,
curriculum, or change?

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES: 1) Deaf Educational Aesthetics, Part 2—application. 2) Facundo


Element Video and Discussion.

HW DUE PRIOR TO CLASS 14: 1) Strategy Sourcebook Final Revisions, either revisit and
refine SS1-3 (or as a way to boost a low grade.), or write a new SS#4 – (e.g. as a “make-
up” for a low-scoring SS.

EXTENDED READING/RESOURCE: Wang, Y. (2010). Without boundaries: An inquiry into


deaf epistemologies though a metaparadigm. (8 pages). Theoretical synthesis promoting
inter-paradigmatic, cross-disciplinary praxis and reflection on liberation and
transformation in the overarching projects of deaf studies, deaf education, and deaf
research as situated within schools and research settings.

30
Class 14 – December 4th – FINAL CLASS

READINGS:
AA #24 – Raike, Pylvanen, Raino (2014) – Co-design from divergent thinking (17 pages).
AA #25 – Cherryholmes (1999) – Reading pragmatism (39 pages).
AA #26 – Dewey (1929/2009) – My Pedagogic Creed (8 pages).
AA #27 – Apple (2009) – Controlling the Work of Teachers (14 pages).
(75 pages total)

MICROTEACHING: ________n/a___________

FOCUS QUESTIONS: What is divergent thinking and how does it differ


from critical thinking? Why are deaf students who participate in
curriculum design successful? What are deaf aesthetics? What do deaf
aesthetics have to do with teaching and learning? How are teachers
artists? How should we understand Bloom’s Taxonomy in the
postmodern era? What is good, useful, and beautiful about pedagogy?
What are the consequences of our pedagogical and curricular choices on
our students? How can deaf educators leverage art, design, graphics, and
multimodal communications in teaching, curriculum, or change? How do
educators maintain autonomy and agency in an environment which seeks
to control them? What responsibility do contemporary educators have to
reform school cultures?

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES: 1) Postmodernism and Educational Aesthetics, Part 3—evaluation.


2) Ken Robinson video discussion

HW DUE PRIOR TO “CLASS 15”: 1) Prepare for Final Exam. Review Cunningham (2009);
2) [EXTRA CREDIT] Teaching Portfolio, make appointment, compile materials.

EXTENDED READING/RESOURCE: Skyer & Cochell (2016, January) – Biocultural Deaf


Aesthetics. (41 pages). Conference proceedings reviewing the methodological and
theoretical implications of both aesthetics and multimodality on deaf education
problem spaces, particularly involving postmodern/critical perspectives on reform.

31
“Class 15” – FINALS WEEK –

December 12th-19th TEACHING PORTFOLIO [EXTRA CREDIT]


MEETINGS BY APPOINTMENT – See Google Doc for sign up time slots.

December 14th – FINAL EXAM UNIT PLAN – LBJ 2510 1:30PM-4:00PM

32
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the postmodern condition. New York: Lang.

Albertini, J. & Schley, S. (2003). Writing: Characteristics, Instruction, and Assessment.


In M. Marschark, and P.E. Spencer (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Deaf Studies,
Language, and Education. Oxford University Press: New York, NY.

American Psychological Association, Coalition for Psychology in Schools and Education


(2015). Top 20 principles from psychology for PreK-12 Teaching and Learning.
APA Publishing, Washington, DC.

Apple, M. (2009). Controlling the work of teachers (1986), In Flinders, D.J. & Thornton,
S.J. (Eds), The curriculum studies reader (p. 199-213). New York: Routledge.

Apple Dictionary. (2018). Plagiarism. Dictionary definition.

Banner, A., & Wang, Y. (2010). An analysis of the reading strategies used by adult and
student deaf readers. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, preprint.

Beers, K. (2003). When Kids Can’t Read, What Teachers Can Do: A Guide for Teachers
6-12. Heinemann Publishers, Portsmouth, NH.

Berent, G.P., Kelly, R., Schmitz, K., & Kenny, P. (2008). Visual input enhancements via
essay coding results in deaf learners’ long-term retention of improved English
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204.

Burgstahler, S. (2015). Opening doors or slamming them shut? Online learning practices
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Cherryholmes, C. (1999). Reading pragmatism. New York: Teachers College Press.

Cunningham, G. (2009). The new teacher’s companion: Practical wisdom for succeeding
in the classroom. ASCD Publishing, Alexandria, VA.

Darling-Hammond, L., & Youngs, P. (2002). Defining ‘highly-qualified teachers’: What


does ‘scientifically-based research actually tell us? Educational Researcher,
31(9), 13-25.

Dewey, J. (1897). My pedagogic creed. School Journal, 54, pages 77-80.

Easterbrooks, S.R. & Stoner, M. (2006). Using a visual tool to increase adjectives in the
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Fisher, D., Frey, N., Hattie, J. (2016). Visible Learning for Literacy: Implementing
Practices that Work Best to Accelerate Student Learning. Corwin/SAGE:
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Freire, P. (2007). Pedagogy of the oppressed, Continuum: New York.

Gee, J.P. (2004). Situated Language and Learning: A Critique of Traditional Schooling.
Routledge: New York, NY.

Henner, J., Cladwell-Harris, C.L., Novogrodsky, R., & Hoffmeister, R. (2016). American
sign language suntax and analogical reasoning are influenced by early acquisition
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1-14.

Hernandez, F.A., Franklin, K.D., Washburn, J., Craig, A.B., Appleford, S.J. (2014).
Education in the age of extreme digital exploration, discovery, and innovation. In
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Education, knowledge economy, and digital futures. Peter Lang Publishing: New
York, NY.

Hunter. L. (2015). The embodied classroom: Deaf gain in multimodal composition and
digital studies. Journal of Interactive Technology and Pedagogy 8, 1-19.

Komesaroff, L. (2008). Disabling pedagogy: Power, politics, and deaf education.


Gallaudet University Press: Washington, DC.

Knoors, H. & Marschark, M. (2014). Teaching deaf learners. New York, NY: Oxford
University Press.

Kuntze, M. Golos, D., & Enns, C. (2014). Rethinking literacy: Broadening opportunities
for visual learners. Sign Language Studies, 14(2), 203-224.

Kress, G. (2010). Multimodality: A social semiotic approach to contemporary


communication. New York: Routledge.

Kusters, M. (2017). Intergenerational responsibility in deaf pedagogies. In A. Kusters, M.


De Meulder, and D O’Brien (Eds). Innovations in deaf studies: The role of deaf
scholars. Oxford University Press: New York, NY.

Larson, J. (2014). Radical Equality in Education: Starting Over in U.S. Schooling.


Routledge: New York/London.

Marschark, M., Albertini, J. & Lang, H. (2002). Educating Deaf Students. New York,
NY: Oxford University Press.

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University of Rochester.

Mewborn, D.S. & Tyminski, A.M. (2006). Lortie’s apprenticeship of observation


revisited. For the learning of mathematics, 26(3) 23, 30-32.

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english-language-arts-learning-standards

Paris, D. (2012). Culturally sustaining pedagogy: A needed change in stance,


terminology, and practice. Educational Researcher, 41(3), 93-97.

Raike, A., Plyvänen, S., & Rainò, P. (2014). Co-design from divergent thinking. In H-D.
L. Bauman & J. J. Murray (Eds.) Deaf gain: Raising the stakes for human
diversity. (pp. 402-420). University of Minnesota Press: Minneapolis, MN.

Ranciere, J. (1991) the ignorant schoolmaster: Five lessons in intellectual emancipation.


Stafford, CA: Stanford University Press

Reagan, T. (2011). Ideological barriers to American Sign Language: Unpacking linguistic


resistance. Sign Language Studies, 11(4), 606-636.

Seessel, J. (2013). Listening to silenced voices: Teaching writing to deaf students and
what it can teach us about composition studies. TETYC, (May), 399-415.

Sfard, A. (1998). On two metaphors for learning and the dangers of choosing just one.
Educational Researcher, 27(2), 4-14.

Skyer, M. (2016). Deaf digital learning platforms. Unpublished manuscript.

Skyer, M. & Cochell, L. (2016, January). Biocultural deaf aesthetics: A critique for a new
21st century deaf education model. NTID Scholarship Symposium, January, 21st
2016, National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Rochester, NY. Retrieved from:
https://www.academia.edu/20440528/

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Starosky, P. & Pereira, M.G.D. (2013). “Role-playing game as a pedagogical proposition


for story co-construction with deaf individuals in an educational context.” In C.
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Walters, S. (2010). Toward and accessible pedagogy: Dis/ability, multimodality, and


universal design in the technical communication classroom. Technical
Communication Quarterly, 19(4), 427-454.

Wang, Y. (2010). Without boundaries: An inquiry into deaf epistemologies through a


metaparadigm. American Annals of the Deaf, 154(5), 428-434.

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36
APPENDIX 1:
Curriculum Content and Methods of Instruction (MSSE 714-01)
Professor Michael E. Skyer

Syllabus Contract

Please read the syllabus, and then sign the following statement, if you agree to its
terms. This contract will be collected during the second class.

I____________________________________ have read and understood the Syllabus for


Curriculum Content and Methods of Instruction (Sec. 01) with Professor Skyer.

I understand all of the content, and I have had an opportunity to ask questions
regarding its contents. I hereby consent and agree to abide by the rules of the course.

I understand that a failure to follow these explicit rules [especially w/r/t academic
honesty] will result in serious consequences, up to and including failure of the course, or
removal from the university.

I understand that all of my written work will be posted online to a secure and private
forum. I understand that my peers, my professor, his assistants (if any) and I will be the
only people who have access to digital work. I understand that my peer’s feedback on
drafts does not affect my grade, but is a required component of the course.

II. Student Signature: ______________________________________

III. Date: ________________________________________________

IV: Professor Signature_____________________________________

37

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