Faculty of Education

EDUCATION 385-4

SPECIAL TOPICS: WHOLE LANGUAGE

April - June 1989 (Intersession)

5 weekends: April 7/8; April 28/29;

May 19/20; June 2/3; June 16/17.

Friday:

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7:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.

Saturday: 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

Location: KELOWNA, TLC

Instructor: ?

Prof. Meguido Zola

Telephone: 291-3395 (office)

669-6701 (home)

E-mail: ?

Meguido Zola

Whole language in its essence goes beyond the simple delineation of a

series of teaching strategies to describe a shift in the way in which

teachers think about and practise their art." (Sharon Rich)

ELIGIBILITY

The course is restricted to practising teachers who are currently teaching in a grade

K-7 classroom a minimum of half-time, and is limited to a maximum of 30.

Preference will be given to teachers who work in K-3 classes.

PURPOSES

This is a 4 credit course comprising 48 hours instruction delivered over 5 weekends,

April-June, 1989. It is proposed as the first part of a two-part course; the second part

(also 4 credits comprising 48 hours delivered over 4 weekends) would take place in

Fall 1989 or Spring 1990.

The purposes of this course are to help beginning and experienced teachers

a)

understand the theoretical foundations on which whole language instruction is based, and

b)

develop practical strategies for a whole language instruction approach throughout the

classroom curriculum.

OBJECTIVES

Students in this course will:

1)

understand the theoretical and research foundations of the whole language approach;

2)

become familiar with a variety of instructional strategies'for implementing a whole language

approach;

3)

become familiar with strategies for assessing children's language and evaluating individual

progress in a whole language program;

4)

clarify personal beliefs about the teacher's role in a whole language program;

5)

be able to articulate a rationale for using a whole language approach in their own classrooms,

supported with examples from current educational literature and classroom practices.

OUTLINE OF TOPICS

What is literacy? How do we grow into literacy?

Theoretical and research foundations of whole language instruction

Principles of whole language instruction

Developing

storytelling

meaning

and drama

through oral language - with special reference to informal talk, discussion,

Developing meaning through reading - with special reference to the emergent reading process,

reading aloud, individualized reading, and literature-based reading instruction

Evaluation and record-keeping in a whole language approach

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INSTRUCTORS

Prof. Meguido Zola, Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, SFU

Assisted by:

D. Melanie Zola, teacher S.D. #39 (Vancouver) and Sessional Instructor, SFU and

U. of T. in Language Arts, Drama, and Early Childhood Education and Kindergarten

Laurie Hansen, professional storyteller

Julie Corday, consultant, S.D. #37 (Delta) and Sessional Instructor, U.B.C.

FORMAT

The course addresses both theories of whole language development and instruction and the more

practical, day-to-day aspects of teaching using a whole language approach. Therefore, classes

will include a variety of learning opportunities such as lectures, class discussions, small-group

tasks, experiential learning activities and student presentations. The instructors will complement

the investigation of whole language principles with the modeling of whole language teaching

strategies.

REQUIRED READINGS

Barrett, F.L.

A Teacher's Guide to Shared Reading.

Scholastic, ISBN 0-590-71163-6

Barton, Bob.

Tell Me Another.

Pembroke.

Baskwill, Jane & Whitman, P. Evaluation: Whole Language, Whole Child.

Scholastic,

ISBN 0-590-71858-4

Booth, D., Swartz, L., & Zola, M.

Choosing Children's Books.

Pembroke, ISBN 0-921217-12-9

Booth, D., & Zola, M.

Whole Language: A Workshop Approach.

Pembroke (in press).

Goodman, Ken.

What's Whole in Whole Language?

Scholastic, ISBN 0-590-71630-1

Hancock, J., & Hill, S. (Eds.). Literature-based Reading Programs at Work.

Heinemann,

ISBN 0-435-08466-6.

Hansen, J., Graves, D., & Newkirk, T. Breaking Ground: Teachers Relate Reading and Writing in the

Elementary School.

Heinemann, ISBN 0-435-08219-1.

Hart-Hewins, L., & Wells, J. Borrow a Book: Your Classroom Library Goes Home.

Scholastic, ISBN

0-590-71859-2.

Jaggar, Angela & Smith-Burke, M.T.

Observing the Language Learner.

IRA/NCTE

ISBN 0-87207-890-6.

Lynch, P.

Using Big books and Predictable Books.

Scholastic, ISBN 0-590-71368-X.

Newman, Judith (Ed.).

Whole Language Theory in Use.

Heinemann, ISBN 0-435-08244-2.

Peetoom,

A.

Shared Reading: Safe Risks with Whole Books.

Scholastic,

ISBN 0-590-71698-0.

Trelease, J.

The Read-Aloud Handbook.

Penguin, ISBN 014-046-727-0.

Waterland, L. (1985). Read With Me: An Apprenticeship Approach to Reading.

Thimble Press, ISBN

0-903355-175

Wells, G.

The Meaning Makers.

Heinemann, ISBN 0-435-08247-7.

Throughout the course, the instructors will suggest related additional articles and books.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Attendance and participation in all aspects of the course

Completion of assigned professional readings

Completion of oral and/or written assignments

Completion of professional journal