Executive Function and Literacy - Effective Strategies for In-Person and Remote Classrooms, Tracht, Fall 2020

Note: Course payment or purchase order of $975 payable to CASTLETON UNIVERSITY is due at the time of registration. A purchase order number can be entered into the online registration form. Financial & Registration Services, Castleton University, 62 Alumni Drive, Castleton, VT 05735. To help us ensure that your payment is applied to the correct course, PLEASE WRITE “CFS” IN THE CHECK MEMO LINE. Thank you.

Course Description

This graduate course is designed to explore Executive Function and Literacy through the perspective of today’s unique classrooms. The course will provide a clear understanding of Executive Function and its impact on successful acquisition and growth of Reading and Writing Skills. The course will cover related topics such as language, memory, processing speed, background knowledge, differentiation, brain-targeted teaching strategies and study skills. Participants will be introduced to technology tools specific to remediating reading and writing in remote classrooms. These tools will be utilized and modeled throughout the course.

Through readings, multi-media, and discussions in weekly Zoom online classrooms as well as online discussions, participants share experiences, challenges, strategies and insights. Educators leave the course with a new lens through which to view students and gain strategies to enhance success for the students in their classrooms. 

Course Goals & Objectives

Course Objectives:

1. To identify and describe core characteristics of Executive Function
2. To demonstrate understanding of the connection of Executive Functioning to reading, including decoding and comprehension
3. To demonstrate understanding of the complexity of Executive Function skills required for the task of writing
4. To demonstrate understanding of the role of language in reading and writing
5. To learn and apply classroom strategies to increase reading, writing and executive function skills
6. To learn and apply technology tools to improve reading and writing

Course Requirements:

• Weekly Face-to-Face Zoom Meeting: Attendance is required at the weekly Zoom meeting. You must contact the instructor if you are unable to attend a meeting.
• Significant Take-Away Discussion Board: - After reading and viewing coursework and completing assignments weekly, you will be required to identify at least one significant new understanding. Each week, you will be required to post a comment by Thursdays, minimum of a paragraph, about this new learning and respond to at least two of your classmate’s comments by Sunday. The goal of this forum is to produce some lively discussion and deepen our thinking.
•  Weekly Strategy Application: You will create a lesson for your classroom utilizing a new tool.
• Videos, articles and textbook chapters
• Final Project: You will create a Choice Board for a new unit. The tasks will focus on background knowledge, vocabulary, and various methods for mastery and application of content.

You will give a presentation of your choice board at our final Zoom meeting.

Required Texts

• Executive Function in the Classroom: Practical Strategies for Improving Performance and Enhancing Skills for All Students, 1^st Edition by Christopher Kaufman Ph.D.
• Instructor-provided texts posted on Canvas

 For additional course information

Debbie Tracht
(802) 349-7222

For additional registration information

Bethany Sprague
(802) 468-1325

Register online now!