Course Profile

“Language literacy is the foundation to a lifelong learning process that empowers individuals to draw on the gifts of mind, body, heart, and spirit toward the fulfillment of personal and family life and community responsibility.

Language literacy involves a continuum of interrelated skills, practices and learnings that contribute to the development of an individual’s ability to understand, communicate and participate in a variety of roles (e.g., parent, citizen, worker) and settings (e.g., in the home, at work, in education, and in the community.”

Saskatchewan Literacy Commission, 2004

Overview

Treaty Education Alliance (TEA) is committed to the learning success of all children.  We recognize that a strong foundation in both literacy and numeracy are essential in our young students becoming strong Nation Builders who are capable of successfully communicating and navigating all areas of life.  For students to learn, develop and apply their literacy skills in a variety of contexts, we recognize that all teachers are literacy teachers.  The essential elements that support and demonstrate a school wide commitment to literacy are:

• a strong and supportive leadership team
• an engaged community
• on-going professional development

Our goals in creating this balanced literacy framework are as follows:

• To ensure that the importance of literacy is well understood across the Treaty Education Alliance, especially in the early years.
• To define key aspects of effective, research-based literacy programming.
• To build shared responsibility among all educators for quality literacy instruction.

Course Description

This professional learning opportunity has been developed with teachers in mind who are interested in strengthening their approach to literacy. TEA’s balanced literacy approach encompasses the whole child and considers the classroom environment, instruction, relationships and student engagement.

This course will be delivered asynchronously through Treaty Education Alliance’s Online School to teachers within the Treaty Education Alliance member schools. TEA utilizes Moodle as our Learning Management System (LMS).

Required Materials:

• Laptop/Chromebook/Desktop Computer, or similar device
• Internet access
• Speakers/headphones
• Optional: Printer

Course Content

TEA’s Balanced Literacy: Encompassing the Whole Child course will be modelled around the following concepts, with each concept being its own module:

1. What is literacy and why is it important?
2. Essential Conditions: A Welcoming Climate, Instructional Intelligence, Nation Building, Student Engagement.
3. Balanced Literacy & Us.
   • Writing
   • Reading
   • Speaking
   • Listening
   • Viewing
   • Representing
   • Word Study
   • Phonemic Awareness
4. Assessment
5. Whole Child Wellness: Intervention
6. Cross Curricular Connections
7. Resources and Tools

Learning Objectives

Teachers who complete this course will have the tools and understanding of the components of balanced literacy and feel confident utilizing the instructional strategies discussed in each module in their classroom.

Teachers will consider the power of the learning environment while teaching literacy. This includes community and parental communication/involvement and the importance of well planned lessons.

Teachers will set personal professional development goals.

Teachers will recognize the power of assessment, including the why, when, how, and next steps.

Teachers will ensure that learning programs reflect the unique needs of the children and youth in their classrooms. This includes a focus on Treaty and Inherent Rights, the responsibilities of the Indigenous Peoples, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission calls to action.

Teachers will know the importance of Knowledge Keepers and Elders as a part of the learning program. They will identify Knowledge Keepers and Elders in their community who are available to support student learning.

Teachers will understand the importance of engagement as a key element in students being able to retain information.

Teachers will understand the importance of relationships in the classroom. This includes knowing who the students are and where they come from, recognizing student strengths, and providing meaningful feedback.

Teachers will understand the basics of literacy intervention. This incudes available tools, groupings, spaces, and timelines.

Instructional Tools

Students in this online course will be able to login though TEAs Online School by using their educationalliance.ca email and password.

To reach the various learning styles of our teachers, a variety of instuctional tools/strategies will be utilized: text (printable), video, exercises, discussion, audio, quizzes and reflection.

Assessment

Participants will be assessed solely on completion of the activites/quizzes housed within each module and participation in the pre-prompted discussions.

Considerations for Common Concerns

Teachers who may not have stable internet at home are able to print the necessary reading materials and then read through them as needed. The printable materials will be available in PDF format. Printers are available at each school.

Since the course is asynchronous, teachers will be able to complete the course after school, during school closures, and/or during their breaks.

If a school decides to have several teachers or staff members complete the learning opportunity at the same time, TEA has staff available to present the course in a flipped format where the discussions can be held in a virtual TLC format once the participants have read through the materials on their own time. This alleviates some of the pressure of not being able to ask questions in real time and have real relationship building discussions. This also created the community feeling around the learning opportunity as the participants will know that their colleagues are also completing the course at the same pace. This support is also available to individual teachers as requested.

Teachers who are enrolled in the program, but who are not making steady progress will be contacted and supported through TEA as needed.

Teachers who have questions can email myself at sballard@educationalliance.ca or any member of the TEA Student Support Team or Online School.

Rationale for Choices Made While Designing Course Prototype

Treaty Education Alliance has the capacity to provide professional development opportunities to teachers, principals and educational assistants though a variety of methods.  The power of instruction face-to-face is ideal so that real time instruction, working groups and discussion can take place.  We also provide a lot of PD through Microsoft Teams and educational videos.  Something we have been talking about for a few years is to build a bank of asynchronous and occasionally synchronous or flipped learning opportunities that can be accessed though our online school as needed by school staff, or advertised by TEA.  I chose to make this course asynchronous so that teachers can go through it at their own pace.  This method leaves the opportunity for providing a ‘flipped’ experience where we recommend teachers complete certain portions of the course asynchronously and we meet weekly in-person or virtually to discuss what has been presented.  Any synchronous discussions or activities will be completed though Microsoft Teams, as TEA supports and promotes Office 365 and Microsoft Teams.

Moodle was the LMS of choice because it is already being used by our Online School. It is also free and being used by many post secondary institutions in the area. This continuity sets participants in any of the courses we provide familiarity when taking courses set up by other institutions.