Course Description
This course serves as an introductory methods course in early childhood language and literacy development. Students explore the development of language from birth-age 8 and learn effective strategies for promoting language and literacy in the early childhood years. Students plan and implement developmentally appropriate activities to support language development for infants, toddlers, and preschool age children. Students also learn how to create literacy-rich environments for the purpose of supporting young children in developing listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills within young children. Both field experience hours (10 hours) as well as completion of a key assessment are required for this course. (3 credits)
Prerequisites
- ECE 101: Introduction to Early Childhood Education
- ECE 176: Health, Safety and Nutrition: Birth to Eight
- ECE 210: Observation and Assessment in ECE Program
- ECE 217: The Exceptional Learner
- ECE 222: Curriculum for Young Children - Methods and Techniques or ECE 261: Infant / Toddler Care: Methods and Techniques
- ECE 247: Child Development: Birth to Eight
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
- Understand how children acquire oral language and can explain the interrelatedness of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in preparing young children to become capable and competent communicators (NAEYC-Standard 1).
- Communicate with families for the purpose of collaborating as partners in respect to their child’s development (NAEYC 2).
- Use assessment information related to the child’s language for the purpose of planning appropriate experiences to meet each child’s development needs (NAEYC 3).
- Apply effective teaching strategies related to language and literacy when working with young children, including children who are bilingual learners or those with special learning needs (NAEYC, Standards 4).
- Understand and apply current knowledge of developmentally appropriate practices in language arts instruction for children birth-age 8 (NAEYC-Standard 5).
- Apply reflective practices (NAEYC- Standard 6).
Course Activities and Grading
| Assignments | Weight |
|---|---|
Weeks 1-8 - Discussions (9 discussions) | 15% |
Week 1: Reflection Paper: Early Literacy Experiences | 5% |
Week 2: Reflection Paper: Talking with Children | 5% |
Week 3: Interactive Read-Aloud Experience Plan (draft) | 5% |
Week 4: Midterm- Book Analysis | 15% |
Week 5: Letter to Parents and Reflection Paper | 5% |
Week 6: Early Writing Analysis | 5% |
Week 7: Literacy Presentation | 15% |
| Week 8: Key Assessment Case Study | 30% |
Total | 100% |
Required Textbooks
Please note that there is not a required textbook assigned for this course.
Week 1
Learning to Read and Write, NAEYC. Retrieved from: https://www.naeyc.org/sites/default/files/globally-shared/downloads/PDFs/resources/position-statements/WWSSLearningToReadAndWriteEnglish.pdf
CT Early Learning and Development Standards; www.ctearlychildhood.org/uploads/6/3/3/7/6337139/cteldsoct2013.pdf
Roskos, K.A., Christie, J.F., & Richgels, D.J., (2003). The essentials of early literacy instruction. Young Children, NAEYC. (Course Documents)
Week 2
Dickinson, D.K., & Tabors, P.O., (2002). Fostering Language and Literacy in Classroom and Homes. Young Children. NAEYC. (Course Documents)
Hart & Risley, (2003), The Early Catastrophe, the 30 million word gap by age 3. Retrieved from https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/periodicals/TheEarlyCatastrophe.pdf.
Week 3
McGee, L.M. & Schickendanz, J.A., (2007). Repeated interactive read-alouds in preschool and kindergarten. International Reading Association. (Course Documents)
Santoro, L.E., Chard, D.J., Howard, L. & Baker, S.K. (2008). Making the very most of classroom read-alouds to promtoe comprehension and vocabulary. International Reading Association. (Course Documents)
Whitehurst, G.J., Dialogic Reading: An effective way to read to preschoolers. http://www.readingrockets.org/article/dialogic-reading-effective-way-read-aloud-young-children
Week 4
Wanless, S.B. & Crawford, P.A., (2016). Reading your way to a culturally responsive classroom. (Course Documents)
Hoffman, Teale & Yokota, (2015). The Book Matters! Choosing complex narrative texts to support literacy discussion. NAEYC. (Course Documents)
Week 5
Yopp & Yopp. (2000). Supporting phonemic awareness development in the classroom. The Reading Teacher, Vol. 54, No. 2. (Course Documents)
Week 6
Byington, T.A., & Kim, Y. (2017). Promoting preschooler's emergent writing. Young Children, NAEYC. (Course Documents)
Cabell, Tortorelli & Gerde, How do I write…” Scaffolding preschooler’s early writing skills, The Reading Teacher, Vol 66, No. 8. Retrieved from: http://www.readingrockets.org/article/how-do-i-write-scaffolding-preschoolers-early-writing-skills
Week 7
Gerde, Bingham & Wasik, (20120). Writing in Early Childhood Classrooms: Guidance for Best Practices. (Course Documents)
Literacy Rich Environments. Retrieved from: http://www.readingrockets.org/article/literacy-rich-environments.
Course Schedule
Week | SLOs | Readings and Exercises | Assignments |
1 | 1,6 | Topic: Early Language & Literacy Development in Children Birth-Age 8
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2 | 2,4,5,6 | Topic: Oral Language/Vocabulary Development
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3 | 1,3,4,5 | Topic: Creating Interactive Read-Alouds for Young Children
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4 | 1,6 | Topic: Culturally Responsive Teaching
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5 | 1,2,4,5 | Topic: Phonological Awareness for Young Children
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6 | 1,3,4,5 | Topic: Early Writing and Spelling Development
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7 | 4 | Topic: Designing the Environment
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8 | 1,4,5,6 | Topic: Creating a Literacy Rich Environment
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* Key Assessments: Students enrolled in the Associate of Science or Bachelor of Science degree program in Early Childhood Education must successfully complete one assignment in each class that is designed to demonstrate knowledge of the key competencies required of early childhood teachers. The key assessment for this course is the Interactive Read-Aloud. Students will submit the interactive read-aloud experience plan, video of their storytelling and reflection on the experience. For additional field experience hours, students will also submit an analysis of a child’s writing and then create an effective literacy environment in their classrooms that they will take pictures of and upload for grading onto Blackboard.
COSC Accessibility Statement
Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.
COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources
Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.