Language and Emergent Literacy: Foundational Skills for Teaching Reading

Course Description

This course will provide a foundation in language and emergent literacy skills necessary to teach reading. Students will learn a breadth of knowledge about language development, the links between language structures and literacy components, characteristics of children at risk for reading difficulty, and children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Prerequisite: Admission to teacher education; 3.0 GPA.

Syllabus

Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

  • Demonstrate an understanding of the development of language and emergent literacy skills in young children and be able to identify key language behaviors that characterize stages or at-risk status, including disabilities that impact language and/or literacy.

  • Identify examples of how language components impact the development of emergent literacy skills, particularly foundational reading skills (phonemic awareness, phonics and word study, and vocabulary).

  • Describe the characteristics of language acquisition for children from homes with dual languages and the process for learning different languages in different environments (i.e., home and school).

  • Identify and demonstrate or implement effective evidence-based language and emergent literacy practices to impact literacy development for all students, including those at risk, from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and those with disabilities.

  • Assess language and emergent literacy skills, including informal data collection and language analyses and use this information to develop appropriate goals.

Course Grading Information:

Course Grading Information: 

Requirement

Possible Points

Percentage of Course Grade

Attendance, Participation, Professionalism, and Readings

60

15%

Sound Cards (2; 20 points each)

40

10%

Assessments: Administration of Informal Assessments and Analysis of Oral and Written Language

60

15%

Vocabulary Instruction for ELLs

20

5%

Emergent Literacy Plans and Demonstration of Evidence-Based Practices (4; 30 points each)

120

30%

Oral and/or Written Language Sample Analysis

40

10%

Exams (2; 30 points each)

60

15%

Total

400

100%

Grading Scale

Percentage

Letter Grade

93.0%-100%

A

90.0%-92.9%

A-

87.0%-89.9%

B+

83.0%-86.9%

B

80.0%-82.9%

B-

77.0%-79.9%

C+

73.0%-76.9%

C

70.0%-72.9%

C-

67.0%-69.9%

D+

63.0%-66.9%

D

60.0%-62.9%

D-

Attendance/Participation:

Attendance/participation is a graded component included in the student's final grade for this course (see above).

Course Materials Purchased by the Students:

  • Moats, L. C. (2020). Speech to Print: Language Essentials for Teachers, 3rd edition. Brookes.

  • Moats, L. C. & Rosow, B. (2020). Speech to Print Workbook: Language Exercises for Teachers, 3rd edition. Brookes.

  • Cárdenas-Hagan, E. (2020). Literacy Foundations for English Learners: A Comprehensive Guide to Evidence-Based Instruction. Brookes Publishing Company

Scholarly Perspectives

This course engages diverse scholarly perspectives to develop critical thinking, analysis, and debate and inclusion of a reading does not imply endorsement.