As a literacy educator, it is critical you develop a working knowledge of language processes as they relate to literacy development and effective instruction. The purpose of this assignment is to make explicit those understandings, locate authentic examples, and critically evaluate professional resources. The glossary will support your engagement in course discussions and encourage your active participation in the course. Furthermore, the assignment will facilitate active and annotated close reading.

You will create a glossary consisting of 30 key concepts related to language processing and at least 15 resources for teaching. The terms on your glossary represent a theoretically sound and research-based understanding of language systems and phonological and orthographic principles, which will support your teaching decisions and expertise in critiquing instructional materials. Furthermore, the guide will support your success in the exams in the course and the Science of Reading Exam you must pass for Texas State Teacher Certification.

You may work individually or with a group. If you work with a group, google docs will automatically show participation in history. Groups may not be more than three people.

Professional Learning Glossary (PLG) Process and Form

Concepts and Definitions Related to Language Processing

You will clearly define the terms and indicate the source material and page numbers with abbreviations from the course bibliography. Attempt to paraphrase, but you may also use direct quotes. Please put quotation marks around all direct quotes.

Examples from Authentic Texts - Concepts

You will need to provide examples. Authentic texts can help you locate examples of the concept. Here is a folder with examples for texts Links to an external site.. You do not have to use these texts. They are for those of you who may not have access to texts. If you are 4-8 Certification teacher use “Tiny Turtles” or an example you have of a chapter book. All concepts need at least one clear example, preferably two. Some concepts are more abstract, so you will have to be a bit more creative. Essentially the example is an authentic application of the concept. Often, the authors of your readings will provide one to explain the concept.

Resources

You will locate theoretically sound and research-based resources online. The resources are for teachers to use to help them understand and teach; they are not resources that are given/shown directly to children for instruction. Examples include:

Articles
Videos
Blogs
Webpages
Infographics

More innovative ideas!

As you review sources, consider the credentials of the authors and the purpose of the content. Professionals’ sources are really on a continuum from credible to less credible. Be very careful of You tube. There are sources that span the credibility continuum. Here are some different types of sources you will find:

Profession Sources Credibility Continuum

Less Credible

Products/Sales
Unknowing Passionate Posts - Lack of authoritative professional citations

Somewhat Credible

Companies that cite authoritative sources; however, the purpose is to promote a product or promote their website. Example: Scholastic, Pioneer Valley
Non profit curated websites with the purpose to disseminate information for educators. Example: Reading Rockets
Knowing, wise practitioners - rely on authoritative sources, and citations are clear. Example: Cult of Pedagogy

More Credible

Rigorously created sources from authoritative sources in the field (learner.org)
Nationally Recognized Literacy Professional Organizations
Peer-Reviewed Publications - Clear review process
- Professional Peer-Reviewed Journals
  - The Reading Teacher
  - Language Arts

Be a critical consumer of the sources. Critically evaluate those sources and then place the title of the source or short description and hyperlink to the source in the fourth column of your glossary. Please do not post the entire link. Use the “insert hyperlink” tool on Google. Test the link to make sure it works.

Make sure you have watched any video and confidently stand by the source. You may be asked to justify the selection. They must match the course content as there are widely crazy resources.

Use search engines and library databases for good examples that align with the course content. This aspect of the course is pretty open