Course Name: INTENSIVE INTERVENTIONS IN READING

Course Developers: Christy Austin, Gina Braun, Samantha Gesel, Kaitlin Leonard, Amanda Martinez-Lincoln

Course Description: This Masters-level course is designed to prepare educators to improve the reading achievement of students with or at-risk for significant reading difficulties or disabilities. Specifically, this course focuses on reading theory, explicit instruction and assessment in each of the five components of reading, and a framework for intensive intervention and data-based decision-making with diverse student populations.

Learning Objectives: 

When presented with course lectures and readings, educators will be able to identify:

• • 1. Core theories of reading development (e.g., Simple View of Reading, Verbal Efficiency Theory, Ehri’s phases of word recognition) that underlie how reading processes develop, how these processes differ for students with and without reading difficulties, and why it is important to use evidence-based practices (EBP) to intervene academically for students who are not adequately developing reading skills.
    2. The importance of explicit instruction, evidence-based practices, intensive intervention, and assessments for students (especially those with disabilities) and identify the role each of these concepts play in a Response to Intervention (RTI) and Data-Based Individualization (DBI) framework.
    3. Each of the five essential areas of reading instruction (i.e., phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension) and compare/contrast the reciprocal influences of the area of reading on each other and broader cognitive processes (e.g., working memory, motivation) on each area.
    4. The continuum of skills within each of the five essential areas of reading, evidence-based strategies for teaching and assessing (i.e., curriculum-based measurements [CBM], diagnostic assessments, and mastery measures) each of the areas, and ways to apply such practices with simulated and actual student data.
    5. Appropriate adaptations or modifications to literacy instruction for students demonstrating inadequate response to an existing standard protocol intervention (e.g., students with persistent and severe reading difficulties, students requiring behavioral support strategies, culturally and linguistically diverse learners, and students with low incidence disabilities).

Developed course materials include the following:

• • Syllabus for 16 weeks of instruction
  • Class PowerPoints
  • Required texts and readings as well as supplemental readings
  • Detailed assignment instructions and related rubrics
  • In-class materials and activity sheets
  • Reflection prompts for weekly readings
  • Grading criteria

**For access to a complete set of materials for a particular course, please email a request to nclii@vanderbilt.edu.

Course citation: Austin, C., Braun, G., Gesel, S., Leonard, K., & Martinez-Lincoln, A. (2018). Scholar-designed Course: Intensive Interventions in Reading. National Center for Leadership in Intensive Intervention; Grant H325H140001. Washington, DC: US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. Available at http://nclii.org/scholar-designed-courses/intensive-interventions-in-reading/.