This web site
was originally designed to assist community college students from Rhodes
Community College or Owens Community College in articulating into four-year
college teaching licensure programs at The University of Findlay. However,
because its content reflects current scientifically-based thinking about
teaching reading, it is also helpful to inservice teachers who want to upgrade
their reading teaching skills or make sense of current trends in teaching
reading. For teachers seeking to add a reading endorsement to their teaching
license, this site will provide a good overview of the knowledge base related
to best practices in teaching reading to help them study for the required
Praxis II test.
The web site is built around the National Reading Panel report and includes the components they identified as supported by scientifically-based research: phonemic awareness, phonics, comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary. In addition, the site addresses writing, something that was not a focus of the National Reading Panel, but which is integrally related to reading. In response to those students who feel uncomfortable applying what they have learned in their reading courses to actual classroom situations, there is an additional section on how to organize a balanced literacy program. Finally, we visited the classroom of two primary teachers, Angi Schroeder and Heather Howell, to videotape best practices in the teaching of reading. Short film clips are distributed throughout the different sections to illustrate effective, research-based literacy strategies in action.
Dr. Melissa Cain of The University of Findlay developed these modules
as part of a grant of Dr. Susan Hord of Rhodes Community College. Beth
Stewart filmed the video. Bennett Cain of negativespaces.com built the
web site and serves as its web master.
This interactive teaching tool was funded through a collaboration between Rhodes State Community College and The University of Findlay
all content ©2005
