Course Descriptions
Language and Literacy Development
LITC-GE 2010 30 hours: 3 points.
Survey of theories of oral language acquisition and development in first and second languages and the role of language as a foundation for literacy. Special emphasis on the role of language in reading and writing development. Attention to the role of talk across the curriculum and a survey of principles and practices for supporting a language-rich curriculum. Methods of assessing and responding to individual language differences. The relationship between linguistic diversity and academic achievement will be explored.
Literacy Assessment
LITC-GE 2011 30 hours: 3 points. Winter Intersession.
Prerequisites: LITC-GE 2013 or LITC-GE 2015, LITC-GE 2010, LITC-GE 2016, and LITC-GE 2017.
Survey of principles and practices of formal and informal literacy assessment. Critical examination of test types, methods of test construction and interpretation, and large-scale literacy evaluation. Review of measurement concepts and psychometric principles. Use of dynamic assessment to inform the design, monitoring, and evaluation of literacy instruction.
Literacy Education I: Reading Practices in Early Childhood and Childhood
LITC-GE 2012 30 hours: 3 points. Fall.
Survey of reading process theory and related reading assessment and instruction practices. Study of reading development in early childhood and childhood. Focus on teaching comprehension, word identification, vocabulary development, phonemic awareness and phonics skills. Special emphasis on individual differences and potential difficulties in reading development and methods for planning reading instruction for struggling or reluctant readers.
Literacy Education II: Writing Practices in Early Childhood and Childhood
LITC-GE 2013 30 hours: 3 points. Fall.
Survey of writing process theory and related assessment and instruction practices with a focus on standards-based curriculum planning. Students plan and take part in writing activities in order to acquire pedagogical knowledge in writing. Special emphasis on writing development through early childhood and childhood. Exploration of the relationship between reading, writing and literacy development.
Literacy Education I: Reading Practices in Middle Childhood and Adolescence
LITC-GE 2014 30 hours: 3 points. Fall.
Survey of reading process theory and related reading assessment and instruction practices. Study of reading development in middle childhood and adolescence. Focus on teaching comprehension, study skills, word identification, vocabulary development, and, when necessary, phonemic awareness and phonics skills. Special emphasis on individual differences and potential difficulties in reading development and methods for planning reading instruction for struggling or reluctant readers.
Literacy Education II: Writing Practices in Middle Childhood and Adolescence
LITC-GE 2015 30 hours: 3 points. Fall.
Survey of writing process theory and related assessment and instruction practices with a focus on standards-based curriculum planning. Students plan and take part in writing activities in order to acquire pedagogical knowledge in writing. Special emphasis on writing development through middle childhood and adolescence. Exploration of the relationship between reading, writing and literacy development.
Reading and Writing: Foundations
LITC-GE 2016 30 hours: 3 points. Fall.
An examination of reading and writing education from historical, theoretical, critical, and pedagogical perspectives. Course questions include the role of literacy in American history, current views of ‘best practice’ in literacy, political and partisan influences on how literacy is taught, and the relationship between literacy education and social justice. Research studies that have shaped literacy instruction in the last century are considered.
Text, Tools, and Culture
LITC-GE 2017 30 hours: 3 points. Spring.
Children’s and adolescent literature as primary tools in the teaching of reading comprehension from a critical perspective. Strategies for locating, selecting, and evaluating resources and materials for use in classroom literacy programs, and selecting texts that appeal to reluctant readers and students with special needs. Emphasis is placed on teaching children’s literature multiculturally.
Organization and Supervision of Literacy Programs
LITC-GE 2065 30 hours: 3 points. Spring
Exploration of the role of the literacy specialist within the school community with special attention to professional development, literacy program implementation and supervision, and student assessment responsibilities. A variety of literacy programs and the range of functions of the literacy specialist will be considered in light of how these are impacted by the changing needs of the school, community and political exigencies. Field participation is required.
Prerequisite: LITC-GE 2011 or permission.
Supervised Practicum–Early Childhood/Childhood
LITC-GE 2030 48 hours: 2 points (repeatable for 4 points). Spring and Summer.
Prerequisite: LITC-GE 2011.
Designed to refine proficiency in organizing and enhancing literacy programs. Focus on collaboration and communication with other school or organizational personnel. Developing literacy curricula and instruction that is informed by student assessment. Emphasis on communicating assessment results to parents, caregivers, and other school personnel. Students take two 2-point placements at the early childhood and childhood levels under supervision. These placements are coordinated in partnership with local school districts and community-based organizations.
Supervised Practicum—Middle Childhood/Adolescence
LITC-GE 2031 48 hours: 2 points (repeatable for 4 points). Spring and Summer.
Prerequisite: LITC-GE 2011.
Designed to refine proficiency in organizing and enhancing literacy programs. Focus on collaboration and communication with other school or organizational personnel. Developing literacy curricula and instruction that is informed by student assessment. Emphasis on communicating assessment results to parents, caregivers, and other school personnel. Students take two 2-point placements at the middle childhood and adolescent levels under supervision. These field experiences are coordinated in partnership with local school districts and community-based organizations.
Literacy for the Special Learner
SPCED-GE 2055 30 hours: 3 points. Spring. Perequisites: LITC-GE 2013 or LITC-GE 2015, LITC-GE 2010, LITC-GE 2016, and LITC-GE 2017 or permission of instructor.
Exploration of diverse cognitive, neurological, and emotional characteristics and how these manifest in learners’ literacy development. A focus on the atypical development and educational needs of students who experience difficulties in acquiring the literacy skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Overview of the practices of individual assessment of student literacy performance and teaching interventions for students, with a special focus on dyslexia.