IEDUCATION 472-4

Designs for Learning: English and Language Arts

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(Elementary Generalist Module, Learning the Language Module and

Diversity Module

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PDP Students)

Regular Semester, 1987

(May 4 - July 31)

Tuesday, 1:00 - 4:50

Prerequisite: Educ. 401/402 or equivalent.

Instructors:

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Dr. Kelleen Toohey

Prof. Meguido Zola

Location:

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MPX 7600F

Canadian elementary school classrooms are comprised of children who have all successfully

learned how to understand and speak the language of their families and communities. In such classrooms,

there are children who have learned to understand and speak a language other than English; there are children

who understand and speak English in ways similar to the ways their teachers use English; there are students

whose use of English is different from the ways of their teachers or their classmates. So the typical

Canadian classroom is linguistically diverse; however, all children come to school having successfully

learned how to understand and speak a language.

This universal mastery of oral language contrasts with the difficulties some children experience in

coping with written language when they come to school. Many children seem unable to extend their

command of language to include the written mode.

This course will examine how children acquire the four language skills (speaking and listening,

reading and writing) at home and at school. Partly theoretical and partly pedagogically prescriptive, this

course will engage participants in an exploration of how children develop oral language and how that

development might be facilitated inside and outside of school. The links between oral and written language

will be examined. The enhancement of children's development of reading and writing will be explored.

Throughout, we will keep in mind the various ways communities socialize their children linguistically,

discussing how teachers might recognize and build upon the linguistic resources

fl

children bring to

school.

Texts:

Listening/Speaking

Gordon Wells. 1986. The Meaning Makers. Heinemann. (Required)

Shirley Brice Heath. 1983. Ways with Words. Cambridge University Press. (Required)

Joan Tough. 1985. Listening to Children Talking. Ward Lock Educational. (Required)

William Glasser. 1969. Schools Without Failure. Harper & Row. Chapters X-XII

(Recommended)

Reading/Writing

Bruno Bettetheim and K. Zelan. 1981. on Learning to Reading. Vintage. (Required)

Betsy Hearne. 1983. Choosing Books For Children: A Common Sense Guide.

Dell Laurel Leaf. (Recommended)

Donald Graves & Virginia Stuart. 1986. Write From The Start: Tapping Your Child's

Natural Writing Abilit

y

. New American Library. (Required)

Marie M. Clay. 1975. What Did I Write? Heinemann Educ. Books. (Required)

Jan Turbill (Ed.). 1982. No Better Way To Teach Writing. Roseberry, New South Wales,

Australia, P.E.T.A. (Required)

Assignments:

Students will:

- participate in a tutorial to develop their own communication skills;

- complete assigned professional readings;

- complete an observation of the oral language of a child or a group of children

- complete brief oral and/or written presentation assignments as appropriate throughout the course.

- complete a professional journal cum resource book.

Note: This course will be team taught. Dr. Kelleen Toohey will give lectures for the first half

of the

course; Professor Meguido Zola will give the lectures

of the second half Two Faculty Associates will