EDUT 513: Language Development and Emergent Literacy for ...



EDUT 513: Language Development and Emergent Literacy for Diverse Learners Ages 3-5 (Also EDSE 557, EDUT 413, EDSE 457) Fall 2007

Tuesdays 4:30 – 7:10 PM Fine Arts Building B112

George Mason University, College of Education &Human Development,

Early Childhood Education Program

Instructor: Peg Griffin, Ph. D;

E-mail: pgriffin@gmu.edu Phone: (334) 322-2973;

Out of class meetings arranged on request; Website: blackboard (open week 2)

Course Description:

This course provides students with an understanding of first and second language acquisition and its application in the various contexts in which children develop. Students explore the impact of disability and second language acquisition, and better understand the inter-relationship of speaking, listening, and writing. They will also gain an understanding of diversity of communication styles in families, communities, and cultures.

Rationale:

This course is offered as a required course in the Early Childhood Special Education program, a program designed to offer teacher licensure in Early Childhood Special Education and/or a Masters Degree in Special Education. It is also offered as one of the strands in the Unified Transformative Early Education Model in Early Childhood (UTEEM), an early childhood teacher training model providing an integrated approach to preparing teachers to work with diverse young children and their families.

CEHD Syllabus Statements of Expectations:

The College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) expects that all students abide by the following:

Students are expected to exhibit professional behavior and dispositions. See gse.gmu.edu for a listing of these dispositions.

Students must follow the guidelines of the University Honor Code. See for the full honor code.

Students must agree to abide by the university policy for Responsible Use of Computing. See and click on Responsible Use of Computing at the bottom of the screen.

Students with disabilities who seek accommodations in a course must be registered with the GMU Disability Resource Center (DRC) and inform the instructor, in writing, at the beginning of the semester. See gmu.edu/student/drc or call 703-993-2474 to access the DRC. Note: To determine whether the campus is closed due to inclement weather, call 703-993-1000 or go to gmu.edu.

Texts:

Genesee, F., Paradis, J., & Crago, M. B. (2004). Dual language development & disorders. Paul H. Brookes Publishing. (Required, available in Bookstore)

Burns, M. S., Griffin, P. and C. E. Snow (1999). Starting Out Right: A Guide to Promoting Children’s Reading Success. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. (Required, available online)

Ballenger, C. (1998). Teaching Other People’s Children: Literacy and Learning in a Bilingual Classroom. New York: Teachers College Press. ISBN 0-8077-3789-5. (Optional)

Berko Gleason, J. ( 2004). The Development of Language (sixth edition). Boston: Allyn & Bacon. ISBN 0205394140. (Optional, a required chapter will also be on reserve at the library in the Johnson Center)

Other readings on reserve to be announced in class; Special material for subgroup assignments

Relationship to Program and Professional Standards

Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Standards

1. Foundations

2. Development and Characteristics of Learners

3. Individual Learning Differences

4. Instructional Strategies

5. Learning Environments and Social Interactions

6. Language

7. Instructional Planning

8. Assessment

9. Professional and Ethical Practice

10. Collaboration

For descriptions of each of the above standards, go to .

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Standards

1. Promoting Child Development and Learning

2. Building Family and Community Relationships

3. Observing, Documenting, and Assessing to Support Young Children and Families

4. Teaching and Learning

5. Becoming a Professional

For descriptions of the above standards, go to and click on NAEYC Standards for Professional Preparation.

Course Outcomes

1. Students will demonstrate an understanding of typical and atypical language development in diverse young children.

2. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the developmental, social, cultural, affective, and cognitive factors that play a role in early language development.

3. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the various factors that play a role in first and second language acquisition.

1. Students will apply current research on typical and atypical language development, second language acquisition, home language, family communication, play, story telling, and emergent literacy to various settings.

2. Students will select children's literature and design meaningful literacy activities which reflect and appreciate cultural, linguistic, and ability diversity.

3. Students will create and promote a print and language rich environment for diverse young children.

Nature of Course:

The course work includes lecture and discussion, small group activities, web based activities, observations, and instruction of young children. Active participation of all students is required. Students are expected to complete all class readings prior to each session so as to engage in active dialogue, sharing of ideas and reflection to engage in productive learning. Students are expected to integrate course readings and class information into their written assignments to demonstrate knowledge of content matter.

General Requirements:

1. The completion of all readings assigned for the course is assumed. Because the class will be structured around discussion and small group activities pertaining to language and literacy development, it is imperative that students keep up with the readings and participate in class.

2. Class attendance is important. If, due to an emergency, students will not be in class, they must email or call the instructor and leave a message.

3. The university requires that all pagers and cell phones be turned off before class begins.

4. It is expected that assignments will be turned in on time (the beginning of the class in which they are due). However, it is recognized that students occasionally have serious problems that prevent work completion. If such a dilemma arises, students should speak to the instructor in a timely fashion.

Written Assignment Expectations

All written assignments prepared outside of class will be evaluated for content and presentation as graduate-level writing. The American Psychological Association, Fifth Edition (APA) style will be followed for all written work. All written work unless otherwise noted must be completed on a word processor and should be proofread carefully. (Use spell-check!) If students are not confident of their own ability to catch errors, they should have another person proofread their work. When in doubt, they should check the APA manual. Portions of the APA manual appear at the Style Manuals link on the GMU library website at .

1. Present ideas in a clear, concise, and organized manner. Develop points coherently, definitively, and thoroughly. Use correct capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and grammar. Refer to appropriate authorities, studies, and examples to document where appropriate

2. Avoid wordiness and redundancy. Avoid meaningless generalizations, unwarranted assumptions, and unsupported opinions. Do not refer to published works in a general way; make specific the part of the work you are relying on.

Specific Assignments:

1 – Language/Literacy biography.

Part A: Each student will write a language and literacy autobiography. Gather information from memory and by talking with family members about experiences with language and literacy throughout childhood and to the present. Write a three part paper: One section with basic dates/facts will provide a context for the second section with three literacy or language events narrated in more detail and a final section on the influence the language and literacy upbringing has the person’s life as a grown-up. The types of stories and information that might be included in the autobiography will be brainstormed in class. If someone prefers not to write an autobiography and instead write a biography of someone else, that substitution can be made. DUE September 11

Part B: A small group of students (about 5) will compare and contrast the language and literacy autobiographies they have submitted. The group will prepare a short presentation for the class. DUE October 16

Rubric for Part A of L/L biography

|15 |You submit on time a paper with the three sections described in the assignment, each section complete, and the |

| |paper overall meets all the Written Assignment Expectations (above). |

|13 |You submit on time a paper with two sections complete (as described in the assignment) but one section inadequate,|

| |and the paper overall meets all the Written Assignment Expectations (above). |

|10 |You submit on time a paper with one section complete (as described in the assignment) but other sections missing |

| |or inadequate, and/or the paper overall does not meet the Written Assignment Expectations (above) |

|5 |You have started this assignment but have not done enough. |

|0 |Not handed in when assignment is due. |

Rubric for Part B of L/L biography

|5 |The group of about 5 people presents a 10 minute comparison/contrast of the biographies of your group members. All|

| |people need not speak; all will get the same grade unless a “divorce” is negotiated with the instructor. You may |

| |but are not required to use a poster or PowerPoint or handout. |

|3 |The group presentation was incomplete. It covered most or all of the biographies but listed rather than compared |

| |or contrasted the features from them. |

|1 |The presentation was incomplete and not coherently presented |

|0 |Not done |

2 – Aspect/acts of language in a literacy event. Each student will write an essay describing what happened in a literacy event they observed. Use information from class and the readings about the aspects and activities of language involved in the literacy event. Identify the reading and/or writing material and the participants or participants and their roles. At least one participant should be between 3 and 5 years old. The types of events, materials and information that might be included will be brainstormed in class. If students prefer to work with research partners, they may inform the instructor.

DUE Nov. 13

Rubric for Aspect/acts of language in a literacy event

|25 |You submit on time a paper as described in the assignment and the paper overall meets all the Written Assignment |

| |Expectations (above). |

|20 |You submit on time a paper with less than clear and complete description of either the language or the literacy |

| |parts described in the assignment) and or the paper overall meets all the Written Assignment Expectations (above).|

|10 |You submit on time a paper with less than clear and complete description of both the language or the literacy |

| |parts described in the assignment) and/or do not meet the Written Assignment Expectations (above) |

|5 |You have started this assignment but have not done enough. |

|0 |Not done |

3 - Research based instructional strategies project: In this project your group of about 3 students will examine Scaffolded Writing, Dialogic Reading or the Buddy System. During class you will receive introduction to and more detail about these instructional strategies. Someone (or more of you if you like) will implement the strategies with a student. The group will collect data on the instruction and present the program and findings in a poster session toward the end of the course. DUE Dec. 4

Research Based Practice Project Rubric

|Area of Interest |Excellent |Good |Average |Poor |

|Implementation of the |Project represented an |Project represented an |Project was representative of |Project was |

|procedure. |excellent implementation |accurate but minimal |the procedure for the most |representative of the |

| |of the procedure. |implementation of the |part. Student took |procedure for the most |

| | |procedure. |responsibility for inaccuracies|part. Student did not |

| | | |and asked for guidance. He/she|ask for needed guidance|

| | | |understood difficulties they | |

| | | |encountered. | |

|Scores |10 |8 |5 |3 |

|Presentation of Poster |Was excellently prepared |Was well prepared for poster |Was well prepared for poster |Was not well enough |

| |for poster session. |session and contributed to |session and contributed to |prepared for poster |

| |Presented in such a manner|their peers learning the |peers learning the procedures. |session. |

| |so that peers would learn |procedures. Poster well | | |

| |about the new procedure. |organized. | | |

| |Poster well organized. | | | |

| |10 |8 |7 |3 |

4. Handbook for Families: Students will compile a language and literacy handbook that can be used by families of preschoolers as a resource for (a) understanding the complex nature of preschool children’s language and literacy development and (b) materials and activities that can enhance their own children’s language and literacy development. The handbook will be a synthesis of students’ understanding of the topics explored throughout the semester. The broad categories will include the following: (a) language and language development; (b) literacy and literacy development; (c) children with multiple languages and literacies; (d) children with atypical language and/or literacy development; (c) the influence of family and culture on language and literacy development; (e) research-based practices that enhance language and literacy development, including practices at school and in the home and community. In addition, students will include at least five activities, five children’s books, and five technology-based resources (e.g., videos, songs, websites, etc.) that might be of interest to children and their families.

Students may create a handbook or may develop a website. They will use APA style to format the written documents and will include appropriate reference citations. Because this is a synthesis of their knowledge, they will use a variety of sources to support the ideas and concepts shared. Bibliographical information for the children’s books and technology-based resources will also be included. DUE Finals week date TBA

|Handbook Rubric |Points possible |

|Addresses various aspects and activities of language |7 |

|Addresses various aspects of literacy |7 |

|Communicates the importance of intergenerational communication |4 |

|Addresses variation in language/literacy development |3 |

|Written at level a variety of parent’s can understand and is non-judgmental |4 |

| |25 |

5. In class writings ( ICW): Students will write a short essay in response to a prompt during 20 minutes of class time. Prior to writing, there will be both small and large group discussions. The prompt to be addressed will be voted on from several possible related to the topic and/or readings of the day. Each ICW is a possible worth 3.3 points, based on how coherently and completely the short essay addresses the prompt. 9/11; 10/2; 11/27

Tentative Schedule

|Date |General Topic |Hand in/present |Reading to be finished |

|Aug. 28 |Typical & atypical language| | |

| |development (including | | |

| |various factors that play a| | |

| |role in early language | | |

| |development) | | |

|Sept. 4 | | |Genesee, et al. Ch 1, 2 |

| | | |Burns, et al. pp 5-14 |

|Sept. 11 | |Bio paper due, ICW 1 |Heath (on reserve) |

|Sept. 18 | | |Genesee, et al. Ch 3 |

|Sept. 25 | | |Tabor et al. (on reserve) |

| | | |Selected readings for group work(Begin|

| | | |Instructional Strategies Project) |

|Oct. 2 | |ICW 2 |Ratner in Berko Gleason (on reserve) |

|Oct. 9 no class |

|Oct. 16 |Literacy |Bio group class presentations |Burns et al pp. 15-60 |

|Oct. 23 | | | |

|Oct. 30 | | | |

|Nov. 6 |Second or more language | |Genesee, et al. Ch4,5,6,7 |

| |acquisition | |Ballenger (optional) |

|Nov. 13 | |Language in literacy event essay | |

|Nov. 20 |Applying research | |Genesee, et al. Ch 8 |

| | | |Burns, et al. 130-145 |

|Nov. 27 | |ICW 3 | |

|Dec. 4 last class | |Instruct. strategy group projects | |

| | |Summary for family audience | |

Overview of Course Requirements:

|Assignments |Pts |

|Language/literacy biography part A |15 |

|Language/literacy biography part B (group) |5 |

|Aspect/acts of language in a literacy event |25 |

|Research based instructional strategies (group) |20 |

|Summary – for family audience |25 |

|In-Class-Writings 1, 2, 3 |3.33 each |

| |100 |

Grading Scale for Graduate Students

A 93 – 100 A- 90 – 92 B+ 88 – 89 B 80 – 87

C 75 – 79 F below 75

Heath, Shirley Brice. 1983. Ways with Words. New York: Cambridge University Press. Pp. 149-189

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