Course Description
This course is designed for non-readers. Reading and writing will focus on basic decoding, developing a sight vocabulary for spelling and reading, and introducing students to simple reading and sentence writing. Students will also work on reading environmental and workplace signs and other literacy tasks which they identify as personally relevant. The course will emphasize behaviours and learning skills appropriate to the classroom, community and workplace.
Course Content
Students will receive instruction and skills in the following areas:
Pre-Reading
- naming and reading the letters of the alphabet in alphabetical order and recognizing, and producing the common sounds of the letters;
- recognizing and naming initial consonant sounds in words.
Pre-Writing
- comfortably holding and using pencil/pen and paper and adjusting paper as needed;
- orienting on page, i.e. left-to-right, top, bottom, lines, margins, double spacing and indentation.
Reading
- hearing and reading short and long vowel sounds;
- reading phonically regular consonant-vowel-consonant (cvc) words;
- reading one syllable, long vowel words of the consonant-vowel-consonant + e pattern (e.g. hike);
- reading simple consonant blends (e.g. CVC, CVVC);
- reading 100 to 150 basic (50-75) and personal (50-75) sight words, including some functional words;
- naming and identifying the meanings of some common symbols (e.g. +, &, $);
- reading simple sentences, experience stories and paragraphs containing common sight words, regular cvc words, and one-syllable cvc + e words;
- describing and dictating the sequence of events in a simple written story;
- answering literal questions about a life experience story / simple written story;
- orally expressing opinions on readings, exchanging ideas and viewpoints to build shared understanding and extend thinking;
- recognizing common signs (e.g., stop, exit, danger).
Writing and Spelling
- printing the letters of the alphabet in upper and lower case;
- printing or writing own name, address and phone number;
- printing or writing phonically regular consonant-vowel-consonant words;
- printing or writing 50 to 75 common sight words;
- completing sentences by adding a subject or verb;
- recognizing and using periods, question marks and exclamation marks;
- recognizing and using capital letters for beginning a sentence, or a name when copying;
- recognizing and using capital letters on proper nouns;
- giving sentence answers to questions, using words and phrases from the question;
- dictating and copying experience stories;
- printing or writing numbers to twenty.
Skills and Strategies for Classroom Learning
- participating in group discussions and activities and responding in a meaningful way;
- working with concrete materials and actions and indicating preferance;
- working independently for short periods of time on assigned tasks;
- organizing work for ready access, with help (e.g. organizing a three ring binder into sections);
- being aware of themselves as different from others, and with some help, identifying some of their attributes;
- interacting with classmates and instructors and being part of a group;
- arriving for class and from breaks punctually, making arrangements for transportation, appointments and child-care to allow regular attendance.
College and Community Resources
- developing an awareness of some college resources and services (e.g. cafeteria, Women’s Centre, Student Union Building);
- developing an awareness of some community resources (e.g. public library, food bank, parks).
Job-related Skills (in addition to those integrated above)
- telling time using an analog watch/clock and understanding minutes, hours, a.m. and p.m.;
- recognizing the days of the week and understanding the concept of months of the year and calendar years;
- maintaining good hygiene and grooming;
- arriving punctually;
- working as a team;
- managing time;
- speaking and listening in a respectful manner;
- following oral instructions;
- reading common signs.
Learning Activities
A combination of instructional methods will be employed in order to balance instructional efficiency with individual student needs, such as:
- tutorial
- class and small group instruction
- individual assistance in lab tutorial or scheduled appointments
- pair work on tasks
- in-class reading and writing practice
- computer assisted learning
- instructor feedback
Means of Assessment
Student achievement will be measured using formative assessment tools and the mastery system in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. Evaluation will be based on learning outcomes and course content. Progress towards course objectives and personal literacy goals will be monitored on a regular basis by the instructor in consultation with the student. Students will receive ongoing feedback from the instructor and informal progress reports. A student will have completed the course when satisfactory completion of exercises and assignments demonstrate that the course objectives have been achieved. Mastery will be granted to students who maintain regular attendance and punctuality and acheive an average of at least 70% on the items listed below. Evaluation will include, but need not be limited to, the following tasks:
Reading
- completing simple forms;
- identifying common abbreviations;
- answering literal questions about a life experience story / short written story;
- identifying words from a list;
- identifying words in a familiar text;
- describing and dictating the sequence of events in a life experience story;
- exchanging ideas and viewpoints to build shared understanding and to extend thinking;
Writing
- completing sentences by adding in a subject or verb;
- copying short sentences;
- giving sentence answers to questions with the answers using words and phrases from the question;
- dictating and copying experience stories.
Sample grade breakdown (based on tasks):
|
1
|
Reading and completing simple forms
|
20% (total)
|
|
2
|
Reading life experience/written stories independently and answering literal questions using the words and phrases in the question
|
15% (total)
|
|
3
|
Reading and Writing tasks involving personal and common sight words/abbreviations/symbols
|
20% (total)
|
|
4
|
Writing sentences independently
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20% (total)
|
|
5
|
Written tasks involving capitalization/ use of punctuation / subject / verb completion
|
15% (total)
|
|
6
|
Participation/in-class work
|
10% (total)
|
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, successful students will be able to:
Reading
- read five to seven simple sentences / experience stories independently;
- fill in one-page simple forms with assistance.
Writing
- fill in one-page simple forms with assistance;
- write five sentences of three to four words, independently.
Supporting
- identify personal short and long term goals for literacy learning;
- acquire initial sight vocabulary;
- develop basic phonic decoding strategies;
- identify meanings for basic signs and symbols;
- read and understand simple sentences and stories;
- write simple sentences using a capital at the beginning and appropriate end punctuation;
- learn organizational skills and the behaviours necessary for success in the classroom;
- develop awareness of community and college resources;
- develop basic job skills.
Textbook Materials
Students are required to supply a three-ring binder, paper, eraser, pen and pencil.