KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY
GRADUATE COURSE/CONCENTRATION/PROGRAM PROPOSAL
Cover Sheet for Category 3 (Teacher Preparation) Proposals
Course Number/Minor Name/Program Name: ECE 7730 – Development of Language and
Literacy Skills
Department: Elementary and Early Childhood Education____________________
Degree Title (if applicable) M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education with a Montessori Early
Childhood Education 2.5-6 Year Level Concentration
Proposed Effective Date _______Spring 2006_____________________________
Check One or More of the Following and Complete the Appropriate Sections
Sections to be Completed
__ X_New Course Proposal II, III, IV, V, VII
_____Delete Course From Catalog I
__ __Course Title Change I, II, III
_____Course Number Change I, II, III
__ __Course Credit Change I, II, III
_____Course Prerequisite Change I, II, III
_____Course Description Change I, II, III
_____Change in Program/Degree Requirements I, II, III
_____New Concentration Proposal VI
_____New Program Proposal VIII
*If proposed changes to an existing course are substantial (credit hours, title, and description), a new course with a new number should be proposed.
**A new Course Proposal (Sections II, III, IV, V, VII) is required for each new course proposed as part of the program. Current catalog information (Section I) is required for each existing course incorporated into the program.
Submitted by: Feland L. Meadows, Ph.D. Sep. 30, 2005_
Faculty Member Date
___ Approved ___ Not Approved _________________________________________
Department Curriculum Committee*** Date
___ Approved ___ Not Approved _________________________________________
PTEU Program Area Committee*** Date
___ Approved ___ Not Approved _________________________________________
Dept. Chair Responsible for the Course/Program Date
___ Approved ___ Not Approved _________________________________________
Teacher Education Council Date
___ Approved ___ Not Approved _________________________________________
Dean, School of Education Date
___ Approved ___ Not Approved _________________________________________
GPCC Chair Date
___ Approved ___ Not Approved _________________________________________
Dean, Graduate Studies Date
___ Approved ___ Not Approved _________________________________________
Vice President for Academic Affairs Date
___ Approved ___ Not Approved _________________________________________
President Date
***The Department Curriculum Committee and PTEU Program Faculty evaluate a proposal collectively.

KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY
GRADUATE COURSE/CONCENTRATION/PROGRAM PROPOSAL
I. Current Information (Fill in for changes)
Page Number in Current Catalog _______XX________________
Course Prefix and Number _________XXXX____________
Course Title : XXXXX
Credit Hours: _______xxx___________________
Prerequisites: XXX ____________________________
Description (or Current Degree Requirements): xxx
II. Proposed Information (Fill in for changes and new courses)
Course Prefix and Number __ECE 7730________________
Course Title : Development of Language and Literacy Skills
Credit Hours 3____________
Prerequisites __Admission to M.Ed. Program_____________
Description (or Proposed Degree Requirements)
III. Justification
The natural approach to first and second language acquisition is not widely known or practiced in either public elementary schools or early learning centers. For all practical purposes it is completely unknown to most childcare providers. Thus, the presentation of the scientific foundations for the effective acquisition of first and second language and literacy skills by young children is an essential element to be imparted to students in this program. Students need to understand the importance of helping children to develop phonemic awareness, and how to do that effectively. They also need to discover how young children can be helped to develop writing skills which will lead to their discovering the synthesis of reading for themselves. This course will also help students to master a research based, language arts program that is integrated with the content areas of Geography, Biology, Social Studies and the Arts. They will master and present a structured sequence of activities which make it possible for children to achieve maximum development of language and literacy skills while building vocabulary, developing classified nomenclature and learning concepts related to the content areas of the program.
IV. Additional Information (for New Courses Only)
Attach Syllabus/Course Outline
Second Phase of the Early Childhood, (2.5 – 6) Level Track of the M.Ed. Program

Instructor:
Feland Meadows, Ph.D.
Texts:
Dolson, David P. Ed. 1986. Schooling and Language Minority Students: A Theoretical
Framework. Los Angeles, CA: Evaluation, California State University, Los Angeles.
Flesch, Rudolf 1981 Why Johnny Still Can’t Read – A new look at the scandal of our schools.
N.Y.: Harper and Row, Colophon Books.
Lillard, A.S. 2005 Montessori, the Science Behind the Genius. Oxford University Press.
Montessori, Maria 1994. The Absorbent Mind. Oxford, England: Clio Press.
Montessori, Maria 1995. The Discovery of the Child. Oxford, England: Clio Press.
Pinker, Steven 1994. The Language Instinct. New York, N.Y.:William Morrow & Company Inc.
Spalding, Romalda B. 1990. The Writing Road to Reading, New York, N.Y.: Harper-Collins
Additional readings in selected texts from the bibliography will be assigned.
Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, candidates will:
1. demonstrate skill in the facilitation of language acquisition and the development of literacy;
2.
understand and assist the process of second language acquisition;
3. demonstrate skill in the presentation of a structured sequence of developmentally appropriate language materials and activities which make it possible for children to achieve maximum development of language and literacy skills;
5. demonstrate skill in giving 217 presentations with 88 manipulative English language materials;
Candidates will also:
1. demonstrate their ability to design the learning environment by ordering and structuring the language materials correctly on the classroom shelves;
2. demonstrate their ability to diagnose the developmental needs of children they observe;
3. correctly present the developmentally appropriate language materials in the correct sequence to children in the classroom.
Instructional Method:
A theoretical framework for understanding the process of first and second language acquisition will be presented and discussed. Strategies for the presentation of each material will be modeled by the Instructor and other faculty. Students will have hands-on experience with materials and will receive student manuals which they will complete after observing the modeling of presentations by the instructor. Instructional strategies include readings, lectures, group discussions, text reviews, audio-visual presentations, individual and group assignments, modeling of teaching strategies, presentation of materials and independent research. Students will observe children of various ages and stages of development in the classroom working with the language materials. Students will have ample opportunities to observe and interact with children during their fieldwork experience.
Method of Evaluation:
Students will demonstrate their knowledge of how to design the learning environment by ordering the language materials in the correct sequences on the classroom shelves. Students will present

the developmentally appropriate language materials in the correct sequence to the instructor.
Students will document their understanding of the process through which the acquisition of language and literacy skills takes place in a final examination. Students will be observed during their fieldwork experience to record their competency in presenting language materials and activities to children at the appropriate times in their development. Each candidate’s culminating evaluation will occur during the Third Phase, Module VI of the program when s/he will demonstrate competence in presenting randomely selected materials to a virtual child and will submit a final portfolio of materials which demonstrates a thorough understanding of the concepts and practices acquired in the program.
V. Resources and Funding Required (New Courses Only)
Resource Amount **
Faculty __________
Personnel __________
Equipment __________
Supplies __________
Travel __________
New Books __________
New Journals __________
Other (Specify) Specialized funding from Foundations
Total __________
** All funds to be applied from current masters program budget
Funding Required Beyond Normal Department Growth __________
Explanation of Resources and Funding Requirements
VII. COURSE MASTER FORM
This form will be completed by the requesting department and will be sent to the Office of the
Registrar once the course has been approved by the Office of the President.
The form is required for all new courses.
DISCIPLINE Early Childhood Education
COURSE NUMBER _______ECE 7730___________________
COURSE TITLE FOR LABEL Language Dev.
(Note: Limit 16 spaces)
CLASS-LAB-CREDIT HOURS 3 semester hours
Approval, Effective Quarter Spring 2006
Grades Allowed (Regular or S/U) Regular_____________________
If course used to satisfy CPC, what areas? N.A._______________________
Learning Support Programs courses which are
required as prerequisites N.A.________________________
APPROVED:
__________________________________________________
Vice President for Academic Affairs or Designee