Teaching Language Arts Pre-K-4

Catalog description

This course examines theories, issues, methods, materials and assessments for a developmental PK-4 language arts program. Integrating reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing, and visually representing as tools for communication, discovery, and learning across the curriculum will be emphasized. This course is intended to enable participants to help elementary students learn to communicate using various language competencies including writing, listening, speaking, viewing, and visually representing. As pre-service teachers and as writers, it is especially important to understand the writing process and how children learn to write. Students will explore the rituals and routines that foster a supportive language arts environment and the interconnections of language, literacy, and culture. They will examine various topics, such as the writing process, writing workshop, genres of writing, listening to learn, sustaining productive talk, spelling, grammar, assessment, and integration of technology. The writing activities in this course are designed to help students see themselves as writers and to reflect on their future role as exemplary teachers of writing.