H811F: Language and Literacy Development Series: From Language to Literacy

Students in this course will learn about children’s development of oral language and of early literacy skills, and about parallels and differences in the two developmental trajectories. Students will be exposed to research on the major domains of development in oral language (pragmatics, phonology, vocabulary, grammar, and extended discourse), with attention to the following questions: Is skill in this domain prerequisite to the trouble-free acquisition of literacy? Does variation in this domain relate to variation in literacy skills? Is the variation related to social, cultural, or cognitive factors? What implications does the variation have for practices in early childhood settings, in initial literacy instruction, and in later supports to reading comprehension? Students will be expected to participate actively in class discussions and activities; including writing reactions to the readings, writing a short essay integrating material from readings and lectures, and engaging in a group project. Class format will be a combination of brief lectures, hands-on analysis of children's oral/written production or other activities, small- and large-group discussion, and student led presentations.