I just talked with my advisor on skype and we discussed which courses I will be taking next term. I am going to do 3 courses (11 credits). He teaches two of the courses and I want to take one more that is a WEB course and completely online. My first two choices for the WEB course were a no go. The class called American Culture was restricted and the class on Minorities was full already. Boo!
So I am left with two more choices:
Teaching Struggling Adolescent Readers
or
Literacy Instruction for ELL students K-12
I can't decide and I definitely don't want to do both because it's expensive and 11 credits is definitely enough.
Since I am now working with several older students who are struggling readers, I feel like that course would be very applicable to my current job. The drawback is that it is more aligned with SPED and not necessarily so much with culture or multicultural education which I am trying to focus on.
The other course on teaching reading to ELL's is more applicable to my program and my overall course of study. The drawback to that one though, is that I did a whole ESOL endorsement already and I am not sure if it will really introduce a lot of new knowledge and ideas.
I am leaning towards the class geared towards middle and high school struggling readers because it is different than other classes I have taken and I have always taken classes focused on elementary students rather than older students. I think it would be good to take a class that only focuses on older students.
Which class do you think I should take?
7 comments:
Personally, I would take Class 2 because I would like to learn more about ELL. BUT if you already have taken a lot of classes in this and you are working with older kids now...
If I were you, I'd probably go for #1. Will it matter if it's not focused on multicultural ed as far as your program is concerned?
Honestly my first thought when I read the course titles were your EXACT reasoning! I say if it doesn't mess up with your program go with number 1. Can't wait to hear what you decide!
Completely agree!! I had too many classes in college on ELLs that were EXACTLY alike...drove me crazy learning the same thing over and over and wasting money. Go with teaching adolescents how to read--that sounds VERY interesting and completely different from teaching elementary students how to read.
I would go with what you think you'll get more out of. If you think you may be able to learn more from the first course, then go for it. If you find that the second one is a repeat of a program you've already been a part of you don't want to find yourself either bored or regretful! Obviously both hold value or they wouldn't be offered.
Personally the literacy course would be much more interesting to me, SPED or not. I'd go with that one, hands down.
Oooh I think the class for struggling adolescent readers would be SO interesting. I would LOVE to take something like that, even though I teach elementary. My school goes through middle school, and there are a lot of older students who still struggle with reading. I say take that one!
Definitely number 1!
I am a reading specialist and have taking classes on teaching struggling adolescent readers, and my vote is to take that class. It seems you have background in ELL, and I think that alot of the information you learn in the adolescent class you will be able to use in the ELL class in a modified way. However, in the Adolescent class you will get some theory, which is so important. Once you learn a few startegies, you will begin to get the gist, and be able to create some fabulous lessons which can be differentiated and used for all levels of reader in your classroom.
Good luck! Can't wait to hear what you decide.
tutor gal
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