Reading, Writing and Texts:
A Psycholinguistic Perspective
LRC 551 Fall 2004 ..........................................................................J. David Betts, Ph.D.
Monday 1:30 - 4 PM Room 502 (*)..............................................................621-4035
Date
Discussion
Assignment
Readings
Due
August 23rd
Overview

Discussion: Language and Literacy: Process, teaching and learning.
Oral and written language.
The scientific study of literacy. New literacies, blogs
Introductions.
Purposes and intentions
Committees- refreshments, literature, technology.
Study groups- by interest
Research Groups.

 Assignment: List the reading and writing you do on a weekday and on Sunday. Think about the reason for each kind of use of written language. Do the same for a young learner. Reading: On Reading Chapter 1  
August 30th
Oral and Written Language 		Discussion: Functions, and purposes: When and Why do people read and write.
Literacy Events. New Literacies.
What motivates literacy development.
Authenticity in
learning.		 Assignment:: Examine last week's list--categorize and label purposes and functions.
Collect examples of literacy objects (tickets, menus, shopping lists).
Decide why each has the form it does.
Relate form to use, analyze.		 Reading: On Reading Chapter 2  
September 6th

Labor Day - no classes


   

September 13th
Form, Function, Genres

Discussion:How form relates to function. Alphabetic and non-alphabetic writing systems. Registers: field mode and tenor. Functions of written language. Text structures. Functional grammar, cohesion and coherence. Text and context. Wording, orthography, grammar. What makes text hard/easy to read. Assignment:As you read the newpaper make notes about what you do as you read: For example, you quit reading an article on the front page after the second paragraph...
 Reading: On Reading Chapter 3

DUE:
blog Class
assignment/
responses
September 20th
You as a Reader and Writer.		 Discussion: Self-examination. Perception, Accuracy, Language systems. Language levels, Fluency. Assignment: Observe a child reading and note how the child's reading is like or unlike your own Reading: On Reading Chapter 4 DUE:
blog Class
assignment/
responses
September 27th
When Children Read and Write 		Discussion: What happens when children read and why. Risk taking: intuitive linguists: Miscues, inventing the orthography, strengths, integration of systems. Miscues and constructing texts and meaning. Assignment: Find a text which is hard for you to read and one that is easy. What characteristics of a text make it hard for you or easy? Reading: On Reading Chapter 5

DUE: Proposal for
final project.

blog Class
assignment/
responses.

October 4th
What is text?

 Discussion: What makes texts hard or easy to read. When the same text is hard or easy. Text and context. Woring, orthography, grammar. Accuracy. Assignment: Collect definitions of phonics, phonemic awareness, phonological awareness. Reading:
Phonics Phacts
First half		 DUE:
blog Class
assignment
/responses
October 11th
The system of texts: Orthography, Phonology & Phonics 		Discussion: Orthographic alphabets and writing systems. Distinctive features. The spelling system. Phonetics, phonemics, and phonics. Rules and conventions. Assignment: Examine your own handwriting. Are your letters complete? What characteristics make it hard or easy to read? Reading:
Phonics Phacts
second half 		DUE:
blog Class
assignments/
responses
October 18th
Amibiguity, Recognition and Perception in Reading 		Group meetings to plan bibliographies and presentations Final projects   DUE: n/a
October 25th
The system of texts: Lexico-Grammar 		Discussion:
Short course in grammar: Traditional, descriptive, transformational, systemic-functional. Syntax in reading and writing. Graphophonic (signal) Perception and recognition; Ambiguity, and human communication. Why is phonics so political? Letter recognition, word recognition and perception. Develop model or chart on reading, writing and text. Show similarities and differences and relationships.		 Presentation: Eye movement lab
Assignment: n/a		 Reading: On Reading Chapters 6 & 7 DUE:
blog Class assignments/
response
Midterm reflection.
November 1st
The system of texts: Semantics and Pragmatics
Discussion: Where's the meaning? Constuctivity: Making sense of print. Dual texts. Writer's texts, published texts, reader's texts. Semantics and pragmatics. Assignment: After you have written a short note or letter, think about the process you went through as you did it. Reading: On Reading Chapter 7

DUE:
blog Class assignments/
response.
Group
bibliographies
November 8th
ATransactional Model: Focus on strategies		 Discussion: Cue systems, cycles, strategies. Efficient and effective reading. Short circuits and ineffective reading. Comprehending and expressing. Miscue analysis, cloze, retrospective miscue analysis and other in-process procedures. Assignment: After you have read an article or chapter think about the process you went through as you read it. Reading:
TBA 		 DUE:
blog Class
assignments/
response.
Group
bibliographies
November 15th
Getting at Process 		Discussion: Comprehension and expression. Monitoring, discourse and text analysis, schema theory. New Literacies Assignment: Over a week's time make a note of the number of different English dialects you encounter for next week. Reading:
TBA 		 DUE:
blog Class assignments/
response.
Dr. Ken Goodman
November 22nd
Social Contexts 		Discussion: Language difference, Reading, Writing. Diaiects; Bi-literacy. The reading process in different languages and orthographies. Assignment: Collect a sample of a pre-school child's writing. Reading:
Gee I & II  		 DUE:
blog Class assignments/
response.
Final Written
Projects
November 29th
Developing Written Language
BLOG Discussion: Growing into literacy in a literate environment. Early print awareness. Response to print in the environment. Sense of text. Early reading and writing. Assignment : Critique the teaching of reading and/or writing in your school or one you remember  Reading:
Bruce, Labbo & Reinking   		 DUE:
blog Class
assignments/
response.
December 6th
Developing Written Language in School		 Discussion: The technology of reading instruction, basals, tests, skills and drills, hierarchies, mastery learning. Teaching that supports learning. Expanding language competence. Building Strategies for comprehension and expression.
Revaluing the losers. 		Assignment: Prepare Final Project  

DUE:
blog Class assignments/
response
Final self-
reflection
Poster sessions.

December 12th
Final Projects

 Discussion: the technology of reading instruction, basals, test, skills and drills, hieracrchies, mastery learing. Teaching that supports learning. Exapnding language competence. Building strategies for comprehension and experssions.Revaluing the losers   Sharing Final Projects      DUE: blog Class assignments/response. Final self reflection./


December 17th Final Exam meeting

       All work DUE
   class description  return