EDRD 641: Assessment and Intervention for Language Development
Prerequisites: EDRD 688 or EDRD 314 and 414
Cross-Listed: EDSP 641
Credit Hours: (3)
The purpose of this course is to provide knowledge concerning the development of language
skills from birth to maturity, the relationship between thought and language, and
language differences as a result of disability, culture, and life experiences. Students
will learn strategies for assessment and intervention in the areas of oral language
development, word knowledge/spelling, and written language acquisition.
Detailed Description of Content of Course
This course provides knowledge concerning language development from birth to maturity,
the relationship between thought and language, and language differences due to disability,
culture, and life experiences.
Students will learn strategies for assessment and intervention in the areas of oral
language development, word knowledge/spelling, and written language acquisition. Key
topics of study include:
- Reading/writing/oral language connections
- Written expression development, assessment, and instruction
- Oral language development, assessment, and instruction
- Spelling development, assessment, and instruction
- Critical issues related to culture, linguistic differences, and schooling
- Instructional strategies for English language learners
Detailed Description of Conduct of Course
Class sessions for this course may include, but are not limited to, guided discussion
about readings, hands-on activities, peer collaboration, audio-visual presentations,
book discussions, guest speakers, role-playing, quick writes, and applied technology
assignments.
Goals and Objectives of the Course
The goals and objectives included below refer to the Virginia Department of Education
Standards for Reading Specialists, the International Literacy Association (ILA) Standards
for Reading/Literacy Specialists, and the International Dyslexia Standards (IDA),
as well as the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Knowledge and Skill Standards
and the Virginia Department of Education teacher licensure competencies for special
educators.
Candidates will:
Writing
- Candidates demonstrate knowledge of the major theoretical, conceptual, historical,
and evidence-based aspects of writing development, writing processes (e.g., revising,
audience), and foundational skills (e.g., spelling, sentence construction, word processing)
and their relationships with other aspects of literacy.
- Demonstrate expertise in the knowledge, skills, and processes necessary for teaching
writing, including domains of composing and written expression and usage and mechanics,
and the writing process of planning, drafting, revising, editing, and sharing.
- Demonstrate understanding of and proficiency in grammar, usage, mechanics, and their
integration in writing.
- Demonstrate expertise in teaching the writing process: plan, draft, revise, edit,
and share narrative, descriptive, and explanative modes.
- Demonstrate an understanding of and proficiency in pedagogy to incorporate writing
as an instructional and assessment tool for candidates to generate, gather, plan,
organize, and present ideas in writing to communicate for a variety of purposes.
Oral Language and Spelling
- Demonstrate expertise in systematic spelling instruction, including awareness of the
purpose and limitations of invented spelling, orthographic patterns, and strategies
for promoting the generalization of spelling study to writing.
- Demonstrate expertise in the morphology of English, including inflections, prefixes,
suffixes, roots, and word relationships.
- Demonstrate understanding that language acquisition is a precursor to literacy. Language
acquisition shall follow the typical development of linguistic competence in the areas
of phonetics, semantics, syntax, morphology, phonology, and pragmatics.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the significance of cultural context upon language.
- Select, adapt, teach, and evaluate evidence-based, supplemental, and intervention
approaches and programs; such instruction is explicit and intense and provides adequate
scaffolding to meet the literacy needs of individual and small groups of students,
especially those who experience difficulty with reading and writing.
- Provide explicit instruction of reading and writing at appropriate developmental and
grade levels in a systematic and cumulative manner to students with disabilities who
are accessing the general education curriculum.
- Demonstrate expertise in the ability to use diagnostic data to inform instruction
for acceleration, intervention, remediation, and differentiation.
- Demonstrate an understanding of diversity and inclusion around culturally relevant
pedagogy, language acquisition, and students with learning disabilities.
- Identify and apply differentiated instructional methodologies, interventions, accommodations,
including systematic instruction, multisensory approaches, learning cognitive strategies,
study skill, diverse learning styles, and technology use, for students with dyslexia
or a related disorder.
Assessment Measures
Assignments in the course may include but are not limited to
- Phonics Reading Workshop Modules: Certificate of completion
- Developmental Spelling Assessment Assignment
- Structured Literacy Lesson Plan Assignment
- Written Expression Assessment Case Study
Other Course Information
None
Review and Approval
04/14/94 - modified - John E. Sycamore
5/22/95 - reviewed - Robert Lockwood
04/09/98 - reviewed - Judy B. Engelhard
11/20/01 - revised - Anita Corey & Judy B. Engelhard
10/2008 - Course title change; course revision; pre-requisite change - Cheri Triplett/Debora
Bays
May 10, 2024