RED 4844 - Reading Practicum

College of Education

Credit(s): 1
Contact Hours: 17
Effective Term Spring 2026 (660)

Requisites

Permission of the Program or
Admission to Educator Preparation Institute (EPI) with Reading Endorsement (Certificate with Financial Aid Eligibility) (EPIR-CT) or
Admission to Secondary English Education with Reading and ESOL Endorsement (Bachelor of Science) (ENGEDR-BS)

Course Description

Preservice teachers apply principles of effective reading assessment and instruction in a K-12 classroom setting. The focus of this course is to assess and to instruct individuals who may be experiencing difficulties in reading, including students with disabilities and English Learners (ELs.) Topics include the review of current literacy research in all areas: oral/aural language, phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. Based on data, preservice teachers select, plan, and implement appropriate reading assessments and interventions using a problem-solving approach. Preservice teachers will spend a minimum of twenty (20) school-based hours in a K-12 classroom or a setting pre-approved by the faculty member teaching the course.

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

  1. The preservice teacher will synthesize the components of reading by:
    1. applying evidence-based practices in all areas of literacy (oral/aural language, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension), including students with identified reading deficiencies and those with characteristics of dyslexia.
    2. incorporating intentional, explicit, systematic writing activities.
    3. integrating assessment, intervention, and differentiation based on students’ needs.
    4. utilizing assessment data for instruction with English Learners from various backgrounds and at varying English proficiency levels.
    5. analyzing strategies for developing students’ critical thinking skills, background knowledge, and metacognitive skills (i.e., monitoring and self-correcting) using increasingly complex texts.
  2. The preservice teacher will implement a comprehensive research-based reading plan of instruction for all students by:
    1. delivering literacy lessons and evaluating student learning.
    2. creating an information intensive environment that includes print, non-print, multimedia, and digital text.
    3. using assessment and data analysis to monitor student progress and inform instruction to ensure an increase in learning for all students, including students with identified reading deficiencies and those with characteristics of dyslexia.
    4. determining accommodations and/or modifications for English Learners and K-12 learners with exceptionalities.
    5. selecting assessment instruments to evaluate and to monitor K-12 students’ learning.
  3. The preservice teacher will engage in the systematic problem solving process by:
    1. defining a reading problem and identifying a goal.
    2. generating hypotheses to analyze the problem.
    3. developing a systematic plan of interventions to address the problem.
    4. evaluating the effectiveness of instructional interventions.

Criteria Performance Standard

Upon successful completion of the course the student will, with a minimum of 75% accuracy, demonstrate mastery of the stated course objectives.

History of Changes

C&I Approval: , BOT Approval: , Effective Term: Spring 2021 (585).
C&I Approval: , BOT Approval: , Effective Term: Spring 2026 (660)

Related Programs

  1. Educator Preparation Institute (EPI) with Reading Endorsement (EPIR-CT) (660) (Active)
  2. Secondary English Education with Reading and ESOL Endorsement (ENGEDR-BS) (660) (Active)
  3. Secondary English Education with Reading Endorsement Apprenticeship (ENGEDRA-BS) (660) (Active)