Early Literacy and Language Development

Catalog description

This course focuses on the early literacy and language development of regular and special education of children, ages three through eight. The content includes the study of language theories and acquisition of language, the interrelated nature of reading and writing, the appropriate development and assessment of early literacy, methods for engaging and motivating young learners, and the importance of family involvement. This course includes research-based pedagogical strategies for teaching linguistically diverse students and those with diverse learning needs. The course concentrates on developing the pedagogical content knowledge and conceptual framework for teaching early literacy skills for foundational reading skills, including, but not limited to, phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, reading comprehension, fluency, and concepts of print. This course also addresses the assessment for, and planning of, remedial instruction to address reading problems for early and emergent readers, and assessment and screening of early reading difficulties. Additionally, this course addresses utilization of data from formal and informal assessments and language theories to guide instruction. This course incorporates developmentally appropriate instructional technology into the classroom.