Methods of Reading and Language Arts in Primary Grades

Catalog description

This is a basic course in methods of teaching beginning reading. The course includes a study of methods for teaching early literacy skills to primary grade readers, including emergent literacy, the development of the alphabetic principle, concepts about print letter-sound patterns, comprehension of connected text, vocabulary, fluency and writing. Teacher candidates will learn classroom-based assessments to evaluate student learning in these areas, including such things as concepts of print interviews, running records, miscue analysis, informal reading inventories, fluency checks, oral retelling rubrics and rubrics to assess strategy use. Many approaches to teaching reading are examined, including basal, literature-based, individualized, reading workshop, guided reading, and language experience. Through lecture, classroom practice and labs, the teacher candidates gain experience in planning reading lessons designed to meet the needs of young children from various cultural and experiential backgrounds. Teacher candidates will develop an understanding of the methods of teaching language arts, with an emphasis on principles, trends, methods and materials based on current research, practice and the integration of technology. Teacher candidates will learn how to develop a community of learners in a classroom where the teacher interacts with the children while applying learning theories and gaining an understanding of how children learn best.