SP ED 6634 - Assessment and Intervention for Struggling Readers: Next Steps Practicum

This 6 credit course sponsored by the University of Utah Reading Clinic is designed to help educators develop in-depth theoretical and practical knowledge of research-based assessment and intervention for struggling readers of all ages who have reached a primer level, but whose reading abilities are below chronological grade level. By participating in a clinical practicum, educators will be expected to extend their knowledge of the following topics: reading development, word identification, synthetic blending, decoding by analogy, automaticity, fluency, textual scaffolding, text structure, building/activating background knowledge, comprehension strategies, and motivation. Most importantly, educators will be expected to use their knowledge of these topics as they provide ongoing, one-on-one assessment and intervention for at least one struggling reader. Admission is limited to graduate students who have been invited to participate in a Next Steps field site that has contracted with the University of Utah Reading Clinic.