D670 picks up literacy teaching in the upper elementary grades. WGU describes it as a review of the fundamental principles of literacy education through the science of reading, with a specialized focus on vocabulary development, reading comprehension and the complex literacy skills of grades 4 to 6.
Candidates explore approaches and materials for all learners, including those with dyslexia, and use Tier 1 multitiered systems of support to plan lessons, select resources and assess progress. Students tend to find that comprehension is harder to plan than phonics, because the teaching is about thinking, not just a set sequence of skills.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | Western Governors University (WGU) |
| Course | D670, Elementary Literacy Methods |
| Level | Undergraduate |
| Program | B.S. Elementary Education (3 CUs) |
| Grade focus | Grades 4 to 6 |
| Typical work | Planning and assessing upper-elementary literacy lessons |
What D670 Covers
| Competency (summarized) | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Analyze reading and writing acquisition | Understand how these develop across the grades |
| Plan literacy instruction and assessment for grades 4-6 | Design experiences that meet rigorous goals for all learners |
Alongside these, the description names vocabulary development, comprehension, resource selection and using Tier 1 MTSS.
Key Concepts Explained
Vocabulary Instruction
Effective teaching combines direct instruction of important words with strategies for working out unknown words, such as word parts and context. Repeated, varied exposure helps words stick.
Example: Before reading a science text, a teacher selects five key words, shows student-friendly definitions with images, and asks pupils to use each in a sentence. During reading, they find the root "port" in "transport" and "export" to infer meaning.
Comprehension Strategies
Strategies such as questioning, summarizing, inferring and monitoring understanding help readers make meaning. Teach them explicitly: model, practice together, then release to pupils.
Planning Within Tier 1
Select texts at suitable levels, give scaffolds and check understanding often, so most pupils succeed in core instruction.
Routines for Vocabulary and Comprehension
Upper-elementary lessons benefit from repeatable routines that learners can use independently. Show that your plan includes them.
| Routine | Steps | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Word study | Introduce, define, use in a sentence, revisit later | Builds depth of word knowledge |
| Morphology | Break a word into prefix, root and suffix | Helps with unfamiliar long words |
| Question-making | Pupils write questions before, during and after reading | Promotes active monitoring |
| Summarizing | Identify key ideas, then compress to a few sentences | Shows understanding of main ideas |
| Text structure | Name the structure, such as cause and effect, and map it | Supports informational reading |
Pick two or three routines and explain them in detail instead of listing ten. Say how you will gradually release responsibility to pupils.
For learners with dyslexia, note that decoding challenges can hide strong comprehension. Offer access to grade-level ideas through read-alouds, audio support and pre-taught vocabulary while continuing explicit work on word reading.
Typical Work and How to Approach It
| Type of work | What it tests | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Vocabulary and comprehension lesson | Strategy instruction | Show modeling, guided and independent practice |
| Text and resource selection | Judgment | Explain why the text fits the goal and learners |
| Assessment plan | Monitoring progress | Choose checks that match the objective |
| Supports for dyslexia | Inclusive teaching | List accessible formats and scaffolds |
Where Students Get Stuck
- Asking questions instead of teaching strategies. Show how you model the thinking.
- Too many vocabulary words. Choose a few that matter most.
- Unclear assessment. Say what evidence shows comprehension.
- Forgetting struggling readers. Plan access to grade-level text with support.
Study Tips for D670
- Practice the "I do, we do, you do" sequence on one strategy.
- Keep a list of root words and affixes with examples.
- Choose a real text and annotate where you would stop and ask.
- Match each assessment to one objective.
Final Checklist Before You Submit
- Vocabulary words are few and chosen for a reason.
- Comprehension strategies are modeled, then practiced, then released.
- The text is suited to the learners and the goal.
- Assessment shows how you will know pupils understood.
- Learners with dyslexia have access to grade-level ideas.
- The plan fits within Tier 1 instruction.
If your questions only check recall, add at least one that requires inference or evidence from the text.
How We Help with D670
Send the task instructions, grade level, text and rubric. A writer can explain the strategies, edit your lesson plan, or prepare a model for study. See our education assignment help guide for wider support.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Grades 4 to 6.
D675 is the graduate (MAT) version; D670 is the undergraduate course.
Yes, vocabulary development and reading comprehension are the two named focus areas.
3 CUs in the B.S. Elementary Education guide.
Yes, for planning lessons, selecting resources and assessing progress.
No. We tutor, edit and model; the work must be yours.