Multicultural Literacy Methods

Catalog description

The purpose of this course is to inform students about the foundations of literacy methods for adolescent literacy development in all secondary schools. The role of basic skills, such as phonics, vocabulary development, fluency, comprehension and the reading/writing connection will be analyzed in terms of adolescent literacy development. Additionally, the theoretical framework for the course is the sociocultural perspective, a perspective that sees home, school, and community as interrelated components that inform the development of reading, writing, listening, speaking, and viewing. As a result, there will be an emphasis on a clear understanding of diverse physical, cognitive, economic, linguistic, ethnic, and cultural diversity in rural, urban, and suburban schools. Furthermore, students will complete cultural self-analyses and cross-cultural analyses to learn the meanings of ethnocentrism, cultural conflict, and the importance of authentic literacy learning assignments. This course is also designed to assist students as they participate in service learning (tutoring and classroom observations), particularly in impoverished rural and urban schools. Finally, students will gather a bibliography of multicultural literature, materials, and resources, and create strategic plans for establishing classroom content area environments that connect home, school, and community for literacy learning. This course is required for students seeking New York state teacher certification in Adolescence (7-12), Adolescence/Students with Disabilities (7-12), and T.E.S.O.L. (Teachers of English to Students of Other Languages)(K-12).