EASTERN CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY
Course Syllabus
Fall 2013
Department:
Education
Course Number:
ECE 503
Title:
Language and Literacy
Credit Hours:
3
Instructor:
Dr. Theresa Bouley
Phone:
465-0069
Office Hours:
Email:
Eastern Hall # 3
Monday 12:00-3:00
Tuesday 3-4
Thursday 2-3
bouleyt@easternct.edu
Catalog Description:
Examines the processes of written and oral language development in the early
years taking into consideration cultural variations. Areas of early literacy
development such as phonological and alphabet awareness, concepts about print,
early writing, and oral language and their impact on future reading/writing will be
explored. English language learning, language and speech delays in young
children, and the role of the adult in supporting language and literacy
development will be examined. Surveys approaches to facilitating language and
literacy acquisition in the early childhood classroom with an emphasis on children
of diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
Purpose of the Course:
The purpose of this course is to provide an in-depth understanding of oral
language development and its relationship to the written language processes.
Language development will be studied from cognitive, syntactic, semantic, and
social/cultural points of view. Students will examine the role of phonological and
alphabetic awareness and plan and implement evidence-based best practices in
early literacy instruction. Developmentally and individually appropriate learning
experiences that integrate constructivist and sociolinguistic theories of child
development to learning environments and family and community settings will be
emphasized. The role of home environments, including background experience,
home language cultural style, and family life and values will be explored. Home
and school experiences that facilitate emergent literacy will be examined. The
concept of intercultural communication will be studied with emphasis placed on
the importance of culturally relevant and linguistically diverse materials and
media.
1
Course Outcomes
Course Outcomes Aligned with the Education Department's Performance
Expectations, NAEYC, CEC, CCCT and CCSS, CFRT, and with Related Key
Experiences
Eastern
Candidate
Proficienc
ies (CF)
Preservic
e Teacher
Compete
ncies
(PSC)
1: Content
Knowledge
(CNK)
2:
Pedagogica
l
Knowledge
(PDK)
3:
Integration
of
Knowledge
(INT)
4:
Technology
as a Tool to
Teach
(TTT)
5: Diversity
(DIV)
6:
Professiona
lism (PRF)
1:
Developme
nt and
Characteris
tics of
Learners
2:
Evidencebased/Stan
dardsbased
Instruction
3:
Evidencebased
Classroom
and
Behavior
Manageme
nt
4:
Assessment
5:
Professiona
l Behaviors
and
Responsibil
ities
KEY:
National, State, and Unit Standards
Common
English
NAEYC Standards
Core of
Language
Teaching
Arts
(CCCT)
Common
Core
State
Standard
s (CCSS)
Domain 1:
Content and
Essential Skills
Domain 2:
Classroom
Environment,
Student
Engagement,
and
Commitment to
Learning
Domain 3:
Planning for
Active
Learning
Domain 4:
Instruction for
Active
Learning
Domain 5:
Assessment for
Learning
Domain 6:
Professional
Responsibilitie
s and Teacher
Leadership
ELA
Domains:
Reading:
Literature
Reading:
Informatio
nal Texts
Reading:
Foundatio
nal Skills
Writing
Language
Speaking
and
Listening
2
Standard 1:
Promoting Child
Development and
Learning
Standard 2:
Building Family and
Community
Relationships
Standard 3:
Observing,
Documenting, and
Assessing to Support
Young Children and
Families
Standard 4:
Using
Developmentally
Effective Approaches
to Connect with
Children and Families
Standard 5:
Using Content
Knowledge to Build
Meaningful
Curriculum
Standard 6:
Becoming a
Professional
Council for
Exceptional
Children
Standards
(CEC)
CT
Founda
tions of
Reading
Test
(CFRT)
Strand
Standard 1:
Foundations
Standard 2:
Development and
Characteristics of
Learners
Standard 3:
Individual
Learning
Differences
Standard 4:
Instructional
Strategies
Standard 5:
Learning
Environments and
Social Interactions
Standard 6:
Language
Instructional
Planning
Standard 7:
Assessment
Standard 8:
Professional and
Ethical Practice
Standard 9:
Collaboration
I.
Foundati
ons of
Reading
Develop
ment
II.
Develop
ment of
Reading
Compre
hension
III.
Reading
Assessm
ent and
Instructi
on
IV.
Integrati
on of
knowled
ge and
Underst
anding
Outcomes
Candidat NAEYC/C
e
EC and
Proficienc CCSS
ies (from
ECSU
Conceptu
al
Framewo
rk):
CCSS
(Kinder
garten)
&
CFRT
SDE
CCCT:
1.) Describe and assess
typical and atypical
patterns of oral language
acquisition in children
from birth to age 5 and
apply this information to
curriculum mapping.
CF 1.1, 2.4
CCSS:
Speaking
and
Listening
CCCT 1,
5
2.) Explain constructivist
and sociolinguistic
learning theories of
language learning and
the relationship of
language to thinking and
learning.
CF 1.1
3.) Describe the role of
the adult in supporting
oral language
development among
typically and atypically
developing children.
CF 1.1, 2.1 NAEYC 1,
4
4.) Demonstrate
knowledge of cultural,
class, and gender
differences in verbal and
nonverbal
communication and how
home language
experiences influence
these.
CF 1.1, 5.1, NAEYC 2,
6.1
4
By the end of the
course the students
will:
NAEYC 1,
3
CEC:
2.0; EC2K1,
8.0; CC8S2,
CC8S5
PSC 1, 4
Languag
e
CCCT 1
NAEYC 1,
4
PSC 1
CEC, 2.0;
CC2K1
CEC, 2.0;
EC2K1,
EC2K2
CEC
3.0;CC3K4
6.0;CC6K1
3
CCSS:
Speaking
and
Listening
Languag
e
CCSS:
Speaking
and
Listening
Languag
e
CCCT
I.1. & 2
PSC 1
Key Experiences:
Shared Reading/Writing
Lessons
Phonological/phonemic
Awareness Lessons
Language Analysis
CFRT Quiz
Early Literacy Research
CAP Assessment
Shared Reading/Writing
Lessons
Phonological/phonemic
Awareness Lessons
Guided reading Lessons
Early Literacy Research
Language Analysis
Shared Reading/Writing
Lessons
Early Literacy Research
CCCT 1
Language Analysis
PSC 1
Early Literacy Research
5.) Describe second
language acquisition
processes and the role of
teachers, peers, and
classroom environments,
and parents and families
in facilitating these.
6.) Describe special
speech and language
development needs and
intervention strategies to
address these.
CF 1.1, 5.1
NAEYC 1,
2
CEC 2.0;
CC2K4
3.0; CC3K6,
6.0; CC6K1
CF 1.1, 5.1
NAEYC 1,
2, 5
CEC 2.0;
CC2K1 3.0;
CC3K1
7.) Demonstrate an
understanding of the
similarities and
connection between oral
and written language
acquisition.
CF 1.1, 2.1
8.) Describe the typical
development sequence
of children’s knowledge
of written language
including:
knowledge about the
forms of print
knowledge about how to
encode language in
written form
knowledge about
functions of written
language
knowledge about the
structure of text
knowledge about the
more formal nature of
written text
CF 1.1
NAEYC, 1,
5
NAEYC 1
CFRT: I.
Foundati
ons of
Reading
Develop
ment
CCSS:
CCSS:
Speaking
and
Listening
CCCT 1,
6
Language Analysis
PSC 1, 5
Early Literacy Research
CCCT
I.1. & 2
CCCT
II.7.
Language Analysis
Languag
e
PSC 1, 4
Early Literacy Research
CCSS:
Speaking
and
Listening
CCCT 1
CAP Assessment
PSC 1, 2
Shared Reading/Writing
Lessons
Guided Reading Lessons
Early Literacy Research
CFRT Quiz
CAP Assessment
Languag
e
CCSS:
Speaking
and
Listening
Languag
e
I.
Foundati
ons of
Reading
Develop
ment
CCCT 1
Shared Reading/Writing
Lessons
PSC 1
Shared Reading/Writing
Lessons
Early Literacy Research
CCSS:
Writing
Reading:
Foundati
onal
Skills
Reading:
Literatur
e
4
Guided Reading Lessons
Phonological/phonemic
Awareness Lessons
CFRT Quiz
9) Describe the typical
developmental sequence
of children’s knowledge
of phonological
awareness including
phonemic awareness and
its role in
reading/writing
development.
CF 1.1
10) Describe the
development of alphabet
awareness, define the
alphabetic principle, and
explain its role in
reading/writing
development.
CF 1.1
11) Describe the role of
word identification/word
analysis including the
study of onsets and
rimes, sight words, and
word analogy.
NAEYC 1
CFRT I.
Foundati
ons of
Reading
Develop
ment
CCCT 1
PSC 1
Phonological/phonemic
Awareness Lessons
CAP Assessment
Guided Reading Lesson
CCSS:
Reading
Foundati
onal
Skills
NAEYC 1
CFRT I.
Foundati
ons of
Reading
Develop
ment
Shared Reading/Writing
Lessons
Early Literacy Research
CCCT 1
PSC 1
Shared Reading/Writing
Lessons
CAP Assessment
Phonological/phonemic
Awareness Lessons
Guided Reading Lesson
CF 1.1
NAEYC 1
CCSS:
Reading:
Foundati
onal
Skills
CFRT I.
Foundati
ons of
Reading
Develop
ment
Early Literacy Research
CFRT Quiz
CCCT 1
PSC 1
Shared Reading/Writing
Lessons
CAP Assessment
Phonological/phonemic
Awareness Lessons
Guided Reading Lesson
CCSS:
Reading:
Foundati
onal
Skills
5
Early Literacy Research
CFRT Quiz
12) Describe the role
concepts about print and
early writing play in
reading/writing success.
CF 1.1
NAEYC 1
13.) Describe
characteristics of good
quality children’s
literature and how the
reading of such literature
enhances language and
literacy development
from birth to age 5 and
select books which relate
to children’s interests
and culture.
14.) Observe and
analyze emergent
literacy within children’s
spontaneous play,
storytelling, reading,
writing, and drawing
experiences.
CF 1.1, 3.1, NAEYC 1,
5.1
4, 5
15.) Describe the
functions of language
and literacy in conflict
resolution and in adult
interventions to teach
young children positive
social skills.
16.) Analyze children’s
oral language in regard
to syntactic, semantic,
and phonological rules
and pragmatics.
CF 1.1, 2.1, NAEYC 1,
5.1
5
CFRT I.
Foundati
ons of
Reading
Develop
ment
CCSS:
Reading:
Literatur
e
Reading:
Foundati
onal
Skills
CCCT 1
CCSS:
Reading:
Literatur
e
CCCT 1,
2, 3
PSC 1
Shared Reading/Writing
Lessons
CAP Assessment
Guided Reading Lesson
Early Literacy Research
Shared Reading/Writing
Lessons
CAP Assessment
PSC 1, 2
Guided Reading Lesson
Reading:
Informati
onal Text
CF 1.1, 2.4
NAEYC 1,2
Early Literacy Research
Multicultural Bibliography
and Lesson Plan
PSC 1, 4
CCCT 1,
5
Shared Reading/Writing
Lessons
CAP Assessment
Phonological/phonemic
Awareness Lessons
Guided Reading Lesson
CCCT 1,
2
Early Literacy Research
Class lectures
PSC 1, 2
CF 1.1, 2.4 NAEYC 1,
2
6
CCSS:
Languag
e
Speaking
&
listening
PSC 1, 4
CCCT 1,
5
Language Analysis
Phonological/phonemic
Awareness Lessons
17.) Use national
standards in reading and
language arts, including
those of IRA and NCTE,
the Connecticut
Common Core of
Teaching, CCSS, and
suggestions from reports
such as that of the NRP
and the NELP
18.) Understand
biliteracy and the
influences of culture,
class, and gender on
reading and writing.
19.) Recognize the
potential of the computer
as a tool in the home and
preschool classroom, and
its potential for
promoting two-way
bilingualism.
20.) Apply theory and
research in literacy
development to
implementing the
following classroom and
home strategies:
environmental print, lap
readings, guided reading,
shared reading, literacy
props and play,
strategies to enhance
phonemic awareness,
library and writing
centers, integration of
language and literacy
across the curriculum,
home literacy strategies.
CF 1.1, 2.1, NAEYC 4,
2.2, 2.3
5, 6
5.1
CCCT 6
PSC 5
Language Analysis
Shared Reading/Writing
Lessons
CAP Assessment
Phonological/phonemic
Awareness Lessons
Guided Reading Lesson
CF 1,1, 5.1, NAEYC 1,
6.1
3, 6
PSC 1, 2,
5
CCCT 1,
5
CF 4.1, 1.1
CCCT 1,
3
PSC 1, 2
NAEYC 1,
4, 5
Early Literacy Research
Multicultural Lesson Plan
Language Analysis
Early Literacy Research
Class lectures
Early Literacy Research
Language Analysis
Class lectures
CF 1.1, 2.1, NAEYC 1,
2.2, 2.3,
2, 4, 5
3.1, 3.2,
5.1
CEC 5
CCCT 1,
2, 3, 5
Early Literacy Research
PSC 1, 2,
3, 5
Language Analysis
Shared Reading/Writing
Lessons
CAP Assessment
Phonological/phonemic
Awareness Lessons
Guided Reading Lesson
Multicultural Lesson Plan
Connecticut ELA Curriculum Standards 2010
Pre-K/Kindergarten ELA
1)Reading and Responding
2) Exploring and responding to Literature
3) Communicating with Others
4) Applying English Conventions
CCSS Studied/Observed/Assessed
503 Key Experiences
7
Shared Reading/Writing Lesson Plans
Toddler Language Analysis
Kindergarten Guided Reading Plans
Early Literacy Research (Varies-choice
of topic)
Phonological/Phonemic Awareness
Activities
Concepts About Print Assessment
CFRT Quiz
1,2,3,4
3,4
1,2,3,4
Varies
Annotated Bibliography and
Multicultural Literature Lesson Plan
Class Discussions/Readings
2
1,4
1,2,3,4
1,2
1,2,3,4
Course Outline:
1.
What is communication?
2.
An overview of theories of language acquisition
3.
The relationship between thought and language
4.
Infant communication: The roots of language
5.
Introduction to the components of language: Semantics, syntax,
phonology, and pragmatics
6.
Typical and atypical preschool children’s language: The role of the
adult.
7.
Evidence-based early literacy: Precursors to written language
development.
8.
Parallels between oral and written language growth: The role of
listening comprehension, expressive and receptive language, and
rare words or vocabulary.
9.
The sequence of development and instruction of phonological
awareness including phonemic awareness.
10.
Alphabetic principle: Development and instruction.
8
11.
The role of concepts about print, onsets and rimes, sight words and
early writing in reading/writing success.
12.
Classroom strategies to enhance language and literacy
13.
Assessment of language and literacy development
14.
Children with exceptionalities: Speech and language assessment
and intervention
15.
Language and culture: Bilingual and multilingual and bidialectical
development; Diversity in discourse styles; Stages of social
language use in bilingual children.
16.
The relationship of home and school language and literacy
17.
Ways to support literacy at home
18.
The role of the microcomputer in language and literacy
development
19.
The significance of multimodal communication: Art, Music,
Literature, Dance, and Poetry
Required Texts:
Beaty, J. (2012). 50 Early Childhood Literacy Strategies. Pearson.
Mandel Morrow, L. (2011). Literacy Development in the Early Years. Pearson.
Required Online Reading:
National Early Literacy Panel Report (2008)
http://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/NELPReport09.pdf
Connecticut’s Blueprint for Reading Achievement: Section I
http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2618&q=3208
50
ELA CT Preschool Standards to CCSS Continuum-DRAFT
http://www.ctearlychildhood.org/uploads/6/3/3/7/633713
9/prek_ela_crosswalk.pdf
Suggested Texts:
Vukelich, c. & Christie, J. (2009). Building a Foundation for Preschool Literacy:
Effective Instruction for Children’s Reading and Writing Development. International
Reading Association.
9
Enz, b. & Mandel Morrow, L. (2009). Assessing Preschool Literacy
Development. International Reading Association.
Owocki, G. (1999). Literacy Through Play. NH: Heinemann
Resnick, L. & Snow, K. (2009). Speaking and Listening for Preschool through Third
Grade. International Reading Association
Strickland, D., & Schickedanz, J.A. (2009). Learning About Print in Preschool
(pp. 45-66). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Fisher, B. (1998). Joyful Learning in Kindergarten. NH: Heinemann
McGee, L.M., & Ukrainetz, T.A. (2009, April). Using Scaffolding to Teach
Phonemic Awareness in Preschool and Kindergarten. The Reading Teacher, 62(7), 599–
603. doi: 10.1598/RT.62.7.6
Mandel Morrow, L. et al (2009). Using Children’s Literature in Preschool to
Develop Comprehension: Understand and Enjoying Books. International Reading
Association.
Clay, M. (1993). What did I write? Beginning writing behavior. NH: Heinemann.
Snow, C. et.al (eds) (1998) Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children.
National research Council
Schickadanz, J.A. (1999). Much more than the ABC’s.Washington, DC: NAEYC.
Key Learning Experiences:
Attendance and Active Class Participation
We will come to class session prepared to participate actively and in an informed manner
through discussion and response. Inconsistent class attendance and/or participation
(including active involvement in class, professional and ethical behaviors such as
punctuality, organization, preparedness, and attendance in class as well as completion of
readings and other class assignments to engage in thoughtful dialogue with peers) will
result in a lower grade for the course. See attached ECE attendance policy.
1. Exit Cards
Purpose: Reflection is an important element of being an early childhood professional. It
is important to be open to new ideas and be able to adjust our views to best meet the
needs of all young children. It is equally important to ask for clarification when course
content seems confusing or misunderstood.
10
You will write exit cards after each class. The exit card gives you the opportunity to ask a
question you were thinking during class time and/or while you were reading the text. You
can also ask a question about something you observed during one of your field
experiences.
2. Instructional Option: Shared or Guided Reading
Choice A. Shared Reading/Writing Lessons: Explicit Instruction in Phonemic
Awareness, Alphabetic Knowledge, Concepts about Print, Oral language, and
Children’s Writing
Purpose:
Research has shown that preschool teachers must engage in both spontaneous and explicit
instruction in literacy. Certain areas of development have been identified in early literacy
research as best supporting future reading/writing development. Shared reading/writing
provides a meaningful context to teach early literacy skills. In these shared reading and
writing lesson you will plan to explicitly teach these five areas of literacy development:
Phonemic Awareness, Alphabetic Knowledge, Concepts about Print, Oral language, and
Children’s Writing. Each of the two lesson plans will follow the shared reading/writing
guidelines and identify ways to purposefully point out varying aspects of these areas of
development. The purpose of this assignment is to demonstrate that shared
reading/writing lessons provide rich opportunities to teach numerous literacy skills in
meaningful ways, yet teachers must be explicit in their planning to maximize these
opportunities and children’s learning.
Choice B: Kindergarten Guided Reading Lessons
Purpose:
Children should enter kindergarten with strong skills in phonological/phonemic
awareness, alphabet knowledge, oral language, concepts about print, and a desire to read
and write. Kindergarten teachers should meet with emergent readers in guided reading
groups to further these skills and help them to develop sight words and reading fluency.
Following the Reading Recovery early intervention model, design 3 guided reading group
lessons all using high quality leveled emergent texts and including a skill taught in
context. For one lesson you will teach a phonics generalization, the second will focus on
an onset and high frequency rime, and the third, sight words. If possible conduct these
lessons with kindergarten children. Afterwards you will write a reflection on what you
learned. In this paper you will demonstrate understanding of the following
terms/concepts: phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, phonics, phonics
generalizations, onsets and rimes, and sight words and the role they play in emergent
reading as well as how to conduct a guided reading lesson in kindergarten where these
skills are taught in the context of meaningful, engaging texts. See full description of
assignment and rubric attached.
3. Toddler Language Analysis
Purpose:
11
A great deal of research suggests that oral language is the foundation for literacy
development. Children who have developed strong oral language skills may have an
easier time learning to read and write. Likewise, research has shown that children who
come from language poor homes are very likely to have a difficult time learning to read
and write.
A large percentage of young children are bilingual or have a dominant language other
than English and come to preschool as English language learners. In order to explicitly
support first or second oral language development it is important that you understand the
process of acquiring language. This knowledge allows you to listen more carefully to
children's language and gain information to use in individualizing your instruction (in
other words allows you to use child-directed speech). It is critical that you know and
understand the three rule systems involved in language acquisition: phonology,
semantics, and syntax as well as the role of pragmatics. This activity will help you to:
observe language development; listen for and analyze two children’s use of the rule
systems; compare a monolingual language user to a bilingual or ELL, compare your
observations/assessments to the research; heighten your awareness of typical/atypical and
first/second language development; and to develop keen listening skills to young
children’s language use. For this assignment you will work with two children between the
ages of 2 and 4. One child will be a monolingual English speaker and the other will be
bilingual or an ELL. You will need a tape recorder. You will write a 3-5 page paper
summarizing this experience. See attached assignment sheet for an explanation and
rubric.
CT SDE CALI Component
In class when the language analysis assessment is due, students will form a mock data
team to analyze overall results and develop hypothetical differentiated lesson plans.
Students will share their data and use the SDE “ Data Team Form *: Sample Data
Analysis Template”. Students will refer to the CSDE preschool benchmarks on language
and literacy or the draft alignment of these benchmarks with the prekindergarten CCSS.
Students will develop Scientific Research-Based Interventions (SRBI) or “the use of
educational practices, which have been validated through research as effective, for
improved student outcomes. Educational practices that are implemented in a school or
district which, through data analysis, demonstrate effectiveness (also known as Response
to Intervention)” (http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2618&q=322294)
In addition, students will use the CALI Glossary of Terms to help them understand the
data team process
(http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/pdf/curriculum/cali/cali_glossary.pdf).
4. Phonological/Phonemic Awareness Game
Purpose:
Phonological awareness plays a major role in children’s development as readers.
Preschool children who develop a strong awareness of phonemes have an easier time
learning to read and write. Children acquire phonemic awareness with ease in language
rich environments where preschool teachers provide on-going rich and meaningful
12
models and exploration. Preschool teachers must balance this spontaneous instruction
with explicit lessons in PA. Following the progression of phonological awareness,
students must prepare a learning activity that is age appropriate, hands-on, interactive,
and open-ended. This means that students should prepare an activity/game that includes
whole word rhyming, then can be more advanced by including segmenting/blending
words by onsets and rimes, and then even more complex, isolating, deleting, segmenting,
and blending individual phonemes in words (referred to as phonemic awareness). When
possible, conduct the activity with a small group of preschoolers. Afterwards you will
write a reflection on what you learned. In this 1-2 page paper you will demonstrate
understanding of the following terms/concepts; phonological awareness, phonemic
awareness, phonics, phonemic awareness progression; phoneme, grapheme,
morpheme, deleting, substituting, blending, segmenting phonemes, onsets and
rimes, and syllabication. See full description of assignment and rubric attached.
Students should come to class ready to share the activities with classmates.
5. Concepts about Print Assessment
Purpose:
Concepts about print have been found to also predict children’s reading and writing
development. As a preschool and kindergarten teacher it is important to learn what
children know about the purpose and function of print both in books and the
environment. The major objectives of this assignment are to become familiar with a tool
for finding out what emergent readers and writers know, to assess children’s concepts
about print, to recognize the strength, knowledge, and experiences emerging readers and
writers bring to school, and to establish the role of these early assessments in
individualized instructional planning.
For this activity you will need to work with a child between the ages of 3 and 5. You will
write a 3-4 page paper summarizing this experience. See attached assessment sheets for
further explanation.
6. Annotated Bibliography/Multicultural Lesson Plan
Purpose:
For this bibliography you must write bibliographic information (title, author, illustrator,
awards, publisher, ISBN #) for 25 children’s books. You must also write a brief
annotation describing each book. Books chosen should be age appropriate for Birth-age5
and considered quality literature. Also be certain to include multicultural books and/or
books addressing real-life issues to be used for bibliotherapy. It may be best to complete
this assignment on index cards so you have one card per book and can easily continue to
build this great teaching resource.
Multicultural Lesson Plan
Choose one of the multicultural books on the bibliography and develop a literature based
multicultural lesson plan for either preschool or kindergarten (your choice). The lesson
plan format is attached and must be followed. This lesson plan must have one clear ELA
13
objective from the CCSS. You must also choose one of the six multicultural goals
established by Banks.
7. Early Literacy Research:
Purpose:
You will be asked to identify and research one area, concern, or question in early
childhood education that is related to children’s language acquisition and/or literacy
development. This assignment is meant to be open-ended. You may use this opportunity
to explore an area of early language/literacy development that is of interest or unclear to
you, address an area of need in your literacy pedagogy, take on the role of teacher as
researcher and do some in class research, or address issues or trends in early childhood
literacy. We will discuss possible topics in class. Some of my thoughts are: The impact of
the Connecticut Mastery Test on early literacy pedagogy; multicultural/diversity issues or
concerns; bilingual or English language learners, the kindergarten literacy CCSS, how
books are used in preschool: as a distraction or way to control children, to pass time, etc.;
how literacy play centers promote authentic literacy explorations; an advanced study of
an area of reading development such as phonological or alphabet awareness, etc.; or
examining the role of family literacy.
Your study will be a combination of experience/observation (qualitative techniques, such
as interview, survey, etc.) and a literature review of at least 5 recent research articles on
your topic. These articles must be from reputable reading/early childhood journals or
texts. A minimum five page (maximum 10) typed, and double-spaced paper will be
handed in along with any other data, student work, etc. We can also discuss other ways to
present your study if you are interested such as creating family literacy backpacks, etc.
The reference list and any in text citations must be in APA format. You will present your
topic and findings during the last class.
8. CFRT Quiz:
Very little CFRT material is covered this semester as most of it pertains to grades 1-6
(this is a birth to 5 class). One quiz will be given on the CFRT material that is covered
such as phonological awareness, especially phonemic awareness, the alphabetic principle,
concepts about print, onsets and rimes, and early writing/inventive spelling.
Graduate Level Expectations
ECE 503 course material is aligned with the new early literacy course expectations
established by the SDE and the CFRT. Since most of you are certification students you
are likely learning most of the course material for the first time. That said, this is a
graduate level course and as such I expect students will meet with me if they feel they
are already familiar with some of the material and want to modify an assignment. I
expect that we will work together to individualize course assignments to best meet your
needs. Please see me if you would like to alter or delete an assignment and replace it
with an area of most need and interest.
Assignment of Grades:
14
Students will be assigned grades based on the quality of their work on all assignments.
Grades will be calculated using the following weighting:
Project:
CFRT Quiz
Phonological/Phonemic Awareness Activity
Multicultural Bibliography/Lesson Plan
Shared or Guided Reading Lesson Plans
Language Analysis
Concepts About Print Assessment
Early Literacy Research
Total:
Grading:
A
AB+
B
B-
Percentage of Final Grade:
5%
15%
10%
15%
20%
15%
20%
100%
3.86-4.00
3.70-3.85
3.30
3.00
2.70
C+
C
CD+
D
2.30
2.00
1.70
1.30
1.00
If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations for this
class, it is your responsibility to contact the Office of Disability Services at (860) 4655573. To avoid any delay in the receipt of accommodations, you should contact the office
of Disability as soon as possible. Please understand that I cannot provide
accommodations based upon disability until I have received an accommodation letter
from the Office of Disability Services. Your cooperation is appreciated.
Students are encouraged to use the support offered by the Academic Services Center
located on the ground floor of the Library. Tutoring, Math, Writing, and supplemental
Advising Services are available for students in the Center at the following times: Sun. 29; M.-Th. 9-9, Fri. 9-5. (Closed Sat.) For further information call 465-4272 or check the
ASC website at http://www.easternct.edu/asc/
Connecticut Foundations of Reading Test (CFRT)
**If you are in the certification program you will be asked to take the CFRT during
the semester that you take ECE 507
Students who keep up with the readings, pay attention in class, and therefore
develop a deep understanding of the material will have a much easier time passing
the CFRT, a mandatory test for teaching certification. Yet, there is a lot more
covered in this course than what is on the test. The primary purpose of this course is
to prepare you in reading/writing pedagogy including assessment. Your success on
the test will be a combination of effort/success in this course, attendance at test
review sessions, and outside of class studying. The test will be reviewed in class so
15
bring a copy of the practice test to every class. The practice test can be located at
www.ct.nesinc.com. You must start a folder for the CFRT practice test and
handouts from class that are most relevant.
Course
Schedule
September
3
September
10
September
17
September
24
Oct 1
Topic
Assignment
Introduction: What do we know
about language and literacy?
Brain based research
*Culturally Responsive
Teaching (DVD) by Geneva Gay
Review Theoretical Framework:
*Developmentally Culturally
Mandel Morrow Chapter One
Appropriate Practice
*Constructivist &
Read the CT English Language Arts Connecticut
Sociolinguistic perspectives on
Standards to Common Core State Standards Con
language and literacy
Beaty 1-3
Cambourne’s natural conditions Cambourne article
of oral language and literacy
development-synchronic
Mandel Morrow Chp 3 & 4
processes
Beaty 7, 27, 39
National Early Literacy
Panel(NELP) Early Literacy
Predictors
Literacy Development Strands
(Oral language, phonological
awareness, word identification,
comprehension)
Infant Communication
Beaty 2-6, 10, 15
Toddler language acquisition:
Handout –Machado Chp two
Syntax, semantics, phonology,
pragmatics
English/Dual Language
Learners: Phonemic awareness,
cognates, comprehension, best
practices, etc.
Preschool language development Mandel Morrow Chp 5
NELP Literacy Predictor 1:oral
Beaty 8 & 9
language-listening
comprehension, vocabulary,
NELP Report
receptive/expressive speech,
self-regulation, etc.
16
Oct 8*
Oct 15*
Oct 22*
Oct 29
NELP Literacy Predictor 2:
Phonological/Phonemic
Awareness: phonics, onsets and
rimes (high frequency words),
morphology, phonics
generalizations, etc.
Preschool literacy:
Explicit and implicit teaching of
literacy in context of play
Preschool literacy:
Functions, Features & Forms of
Print (genre, story elements,
directionality)
NELP Literacy Predictors 3Alphabet Awareness: Alphabetic
principle, phonics, etc.
NELP 4-Early Writing with
Inventive Spelling: stages of
writing, spelling & phonics, etc.
Preschool literacy environments:
Interactive environmental print,
classroom library, and writing
center
*Monday--Language Analysis Due
Mandel Morrow Chp 7
CT Blueprint Section I
Beaty 11-14
Mandel Morrow Chp 6
Beaty 17-18, 20, 22-25
*DUE: Bibliography/MC Lesson Plan
Mandel Morrow Chp 8
Beaty 33-35,
*Due:
Phonological/Phonemic Awareness Activity
NELP Predicator 5: Concepts
About Print: Directionality, book
concepts, story knowledge,
genre, etc.
CFRT Quiz
Mandel Morrow Chp 9 (review chp 5)
Literacy learning in
Beaty 21, 26, 28-31
Kindergarten settings:
Development
Sight words, word attack
strategies, emergent texts and
fluency
17
Nov 5**
Nov 12
Nov 19*
Nov 26
Dec 3*
Literacy learning in kindergarten
settings: Pedagogy
Shared writing and dictation
Development: Comprehensionmetacognition, informational
text, fluency,
transactions/interactions with
text, pre-during-post strategies,
prior knowledge, text-text
connections, etc.
Literacy learning in kindergarten
settings: Pedagogy
Read alouds, Shared and Guided
Reading Best Practices
Literacy learning in kindergarten
settings: Classroom
environments
Early Literacy Assessment:
Authentic and formal literacy
and oral language assessments
Early Literacy Assessment:
Differentiation/Individualized
instruction
Culturally/linguistically diverse
language/literacy instruction
Family Literacy: Parents as
Literacy Partners
18
* Concepts About Print Due
*CFRT Quiz
Beaty 36, 38, 40-43, 46-48
TBA
Beaty 15, 32, 49, 50
TBA
Handout: Clay packet
Mandel Morrow Chp 10
*Due: Kindergarten Shared/Guided Reading
Mandel Morrow Chp 10
TBA
*Due: Early Literacy Research