Regular Semester 97-2

EDUC 422-4 Learning Disa

Tuesdays 13:00 - 16:50

Section: D1.00

PREREQUISITE

60 credit hours & Educ 220

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Inctor: B. Wong

Office: 9505mpc

Work: 291-4115

E-mail: Bernice_Wong@sfu.ca

Major topics covered in Educ 422 include: A lifespan approach to understanding learning disabilities (LD), conceptual and

definitional issues in LD, a language-oriented view to reading disability, visual processing problems, reading research

and LD, metacognition and LD, social aspects of LD, assessment of reading problems, math problems and writing problems

of LD students.

Educ 422 will consist of lectures supported by tutorial sessions. For these tutorial sessions students will be divided into

groups which will meet regularly with either an instructor or a teaching assistant. Tutorial participation is important

because it ensures thorough understanding of text.

OBJECTIVES

This course focuses on the conceptual, research and assessment aspects of learning disabilities. It is the prerequisite course

to Educ 424-6: Learning Disabilities Lab. Educ 424 focuses on providing students with instruction and practice in informal

assessment of reading and mathematic problems and remediation of them.

A pointer from the instructor.

Students are encouraged to take both courses (422 and 424) together. However, it is NOT mandatory for them to take both

together. The advantages of taking both courses are that a student can better relate learning in Educ 422 to Educ 424.

Sti.dents who took an integrated course load of both Educ 422 and Educ 424 in the past summers tended to report that

despite the heavy demands of the courework, they found them to be worthwhile because they learned a lot from seeing

theory translated into practice before their eyes. The disadvantages come from the heavy demands of coursework,

especially Educ 424. So students must make well considered decisions when it comes to whether to take both courses

together.

REQUIREMENTS

* Two quizzes, each worth 35% - total 70%

* Two short think papers, each worth 15% each - total 30%

REQUIRED READING

Wong, B.Y. L. The ABC's of Learning Disabilities San Diego: Academic Press, 1996. ISBN 0-12-76254-3.