University of Arkansas, College of Education & Health Professions
DEPARTMENT OF CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION
I. Program Affiliation:
Elementary Education
Course Number and Title: CIED 3103 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE
CIED 3113 EMERGENT & DEVELOPMENTAL LITERACY
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This six hour block course provides a comprehensive study of
the content area of children’s books, their authors and illustrators, along with focus on
theories and processes of teaching emergent and developmental literacy in pre-kindergarten,
kindergarten, and early elementary years. Class sessions are held at the University of
Arkansas campus and at the field-based site of George Elementary School, Springdale.
A one hour weekly field experience is required outside of class time at George Elementary
School. Course activities may also take place at selected community sites.
PREREQUISITES: Students must be in the senior (last) year of B.S.E. course work and
must have met the Elementary Education program requirements for gpa and PRAXIS I.
Students must be enrolled in the same section number of each co-requisite course.
INSTRUCTOR: THERESA H. CRONAN, Ed.D., Peabody Hall 201-A
Phone 575-6195, email: thercron@uark.edu
Office hours: Wed 9:30-11:30, 1:30-3:30, & additional times/days by appointment
II. Relation to Knowledge Base: Specialty Studies
III. Goals: The course goals are to prepare the evolving reflective scholar practitioner
to understand emergent literacy processes, learners, philosophy, and classroom practices
based upon current literacy theory and research; to be able to make instructional decisions
based on these understandings; and to demonstrate learning in written applications and
selected classroom applications. The university learner will develop a working knowledge
of the content, genres, authors, and illustrators of award winning children’s books, and
understand the role of appropriate children’s literature and other materials in literacy
learning and reading for enjoyment.
V. Competencies: Upon completion of this course, the student will:
A. “Recognize that reading should be taught as a process,” (SP 2,6,7)
B. “Understand, respect, and value cultural, linguistic, and ethnic diversity,” (SP 3)
C. “Recognize the importance of literacy for personal and social growth,” (SP 4)
D. “Understand that students need opportunities to integrate their use of literacy through
reading, writing, listening speaking, viewing, and representing visually,” (SP 2,7)
E. “Understand emergent literacy and the experiences that support it,” (SP 1,2)
F. “Understand how contextual factors in the school can influence student learning and
reading (e.g., grouping procedures, school programs, and assessment),” (SP 7)
G. “Create a literate environment that fosters interest and growth in all aspects of literacy,”
(SP 1,2,5,6)
H. “Teach students to monitor their own word identification through the use of syntactic,
semantic, and graphophonics relations,” (SP 1,2,7)
I. “Use phonics to teach students to use their knowledge of letter/sound correspondence to
identify sounds in the construction of meaning,” (SP 1,2,7)
J. “Teach students to connect prior knowledge to new information,” (SP 1,2,3,7)
K. “Select and evaluate instructional materials for literacy, including those that are
technology-based,” (SP 1,4,6,7)
L. “Pursue knowledge of literacy by reading professional journals and publications, and
participating in conferences and other professional activities,” (SP 1,4,5,6)
M. “Model ethical professional behavior,” (SP 4,6)
N. “ Reflect on one’s practice to improve instruction and other services to students,” (SP 1,4)
O. Select and evaluate quality and appropriateness of children’s literature for the classroom,
including titles of award winning authors and illustrators. (SP 1,2,3,5,6,7)
Items A-N in quotation marks above are drawn from Standards for Reading Professionals,
Revised; A Reference for the Professional Preparation of Educators in the United States,
1998, pps 9-21. Professional Standards and Ethics Committee of the International Reading
Association, Newark, Delaware.
VI. Content:
A. Literacy Defined
1. Interrelationship of the language arts
2. Literacy as an emerging process
B. “A Literate Environment”
1. Print in the environment
2. Effects of early home experiences
C. Children’s Books
1. Genres
2. Authors and illustrators
3. Quality and selection
D. Text Types and Features
1. Narrative story schema
2. Expository text structure
3. In recreational and instructional reading and writing
E. Interacting Cueing Systems
1. Syntactics
2. Semantics
3. Graphophonics
4. Schema
F. Strategic Reading
1. Fluency and meaning construction
2. Self-monitoring
G. Motivation to Read and Write
1. “Aliteracy” and “Illiteracy”
2. Teacher’s role in fostering love of reading
3. Responding to reading
H. Facilitation of Writing
1. Development and stages
2. Writing as a recursive process
3. Purposes and audiences
4. Finding a “voice”
I. Assessment
1. On-going process
2. Authentic assessment
J. Professional Development of the Literacy Educator
1. Growing in appreciation of diversity
2. Affiliating with professional organizations
3. Keeping updated in technology applications in literacy
VII. Evaluation: Students are evaluated through in-class participation and products resulting
from out-of-class preparation and experiences: IN-CLASS PARTICIPATION includes
attendance, attention, participation in class activities, written and oral responses (topic
responses, concept checks, reflections) which demonstrate student understanding and
synthesis of outside reading and in-class discussion/activities, sharing of professional journal
article summaries, teaching and interacting in a professional manner with elementary
learners, teachers, and other school personnel, and instructor conferencing. A final
assessment will be given. OUT-OF-CLASS PREPARATION AND FIELD EXPERIENCES
provide a foundation of content for reflection and synthesis of course learning and for
your in-class participation. Out-of-class activities include reading of course textbooks,
children’s trade books, professional literacy journal articles and other sources, and
conferences. Written products include journal article summaries, children’s literature
reviews, lesson plans, and field experience notes. SPECIFICATIONS ON THESE
REQUIREMENTS WILL BE GIVEN IN CLASS.
YOU ARE EXPECTED TO CONDUCT YOURSELF IN A PROFESSIONAL
MANNER IN ALL SETTINGS RELATED TO THIS COURSE.
Grading Scale: 90-100% = A, 80-89%=B, 70-79%=C, 65-69%=D, below 65%=F
Weights of Course Requirements toward Final Grade:
IN-CLASS:
ATTENDANCE/PARTICIPATION/PROFESSIONALISM 5%
FINAL ASSESSMENT
10%
RESPONSES/REFLECTIONS/CONCEPT CHECKS
25%
OUT-OF-CLASS:
JOURNAL ARTICLE SUMMARIES
FIELD EXPERIENCES
LESSON PLAN
LITERATURE LOGS
PLEASE NOTES:
10%
10%
20%
20%
______
100%
1. Please be aware of the policies and services for UA students as outlined in the
University of Arkansas Student Handbook 2003-2004. Please note in particular, the
information provided on the following topics:
a. The Enhanced Learning Center, page 31
b. Center for Students with Disabilities, page 40
c. Academic Dishonesty (under “Definitions” and “Procedures”), pages 70-73
d. Student Standards of Conduct, pages 83-86
All students enrolled in CIED 3063 are expected to adhere fully to the university policies.
2. Ask for CLARIFICATION ON COURSE REQUIREMENTS WELL IN ADVANCE OF
ASSIGNMENT DUE DATES.
3. The INSTRUCTOR is available to meet with you to discuss matters related to this course.
Please make use of appointments, and voice mail and e-mail as needed to keep in
communication with your instructor between class sessions as needed.
4. If FAYETTEVILLE Public Schools are not in session due to INCLEMENT WEATHER on
the day of our class meeting, we will not hold class. Also, call/check with the instructor’s
voice mail if you have a question concerning class meetings and weather.