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COURSE NUMBER: EDUC 306
COURSE TITLE: Elementary School Language Arts
NAME OF INSTRUCTOR: Bernice Stieva
CREDIT WEIGHT AND WEEKLY TIME DISTRIBUTION: credits 3(hrs lect 3 - hrs sem 1 - hrs lab 0)
COURSE DESCRIPTION: The focus of this course is the language arts curriculum in elementary grades. Topics include: language acquisition, the oral language base of reading and writing, as well as theories, methods and materials related to the teaching of listening, speaking, reading and writing. A weekly seminar period will be used to have students engage in micro-teaching opportunities.

This course is open only to students in the B.Ed. (AD) program.
REQUIRED TEXT:
  • Bainbridge, J. & Heydon, R. (2013).Constructing Meaning: Teaching the Language Arts, K‐8. Toronto, Ontario: Nelson Publishing.
  • Lobel, Arnold (1971). Frog and Toad Together
  • Alberta Elementary Language Arts Curriculum: Available at: http://education.alberta.ca/
MARK DISTRIBUTION IN PERCENT:
Seminar Assignments & Participation20%
Interactive Notebook30%
Lesson Plans & Reflection25%
Final Exam25%
100%
COURSE OBJECTIVES: Students will
  • develop a critical understanding of different approaches to teaching the elementary language arts.
  • explore a Biblical view of children, language and learning.
  • be presented with a language‐centered, Christian philosophical language arts framework.
  • develop their understandings of how children learn language and apply this understanding to planning instruction in listening, speaking, reading and writing.
  • understand the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to teach the Alberta Language Arts curriculum.
  • practice their language arts planning and teaching skills in peer teaching situations.
COURSE OUTLINE:
  • Curators of Language
    • dimensions of ELA
    • defining literacy
  • The Wide Literacy Landscape
    • defining literacy & multi‐literacies
    • literacy demands
    • literacy & identity
    • literacy across the curriculum
  • Balanced Literacy
  • Context of Language Learning Language Structures
  • Language Acquisition and Development
    • language systems
    • social context
    • purpose & function of language
  • Early & Emergent Literacy
    • literacy rich environment
  • Phonics & Phonemics & Phonology
  • Reading, The Great Debate
    • approaches, perspectives & pedagogies to support
    • major components of reading instruction & assessment
  • Phonics & Phonemics & Phonology
  • Reading
    • benchmarking
    • fluency
    • comprehension
    • using context clues
  • Word Work
    • word identification
    • vocabulary
    • spelling & grammar
  • Writing
    • approaches, perspectives & pedagogies to support
    • major components of writing instruction & assessment
  • 6+1 Traits of Writing
    • writing across the curriculum
  • Junior High
    • unique demands of junior high
    • other literacies
  • Struggling Readers & Writers
  • English Language Learners
  • Key Learnings in Teaching ELA
  • Bringing all the strings together


Required texts, assignments, and grade distributions may vary from one offering of this course to the next. Please consult the course instructor for up to date details.

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