- ?

*IVION FRASER UNIVERSE

FACULTY OF EDUCATION

in collaboration with

BURNABY AND LANGLEY SCHOOL DISTRICTS

will be offering an exciting new course

focusing on

The Theory and Implementation

WHOLE LANGUAGE: THEORY AND IMPLEMENTATION

Education 385/407

Instructors:

?

Pat Holborn, Sessional Instructor, SFU.; U. Vic.

Meguido Zola, Associate Professor, SFU

Susan Montabello, Program Co-ordinator, SFU

Whole language in its essence goes beyond the simple delineation

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

Sharon Rich, 1985

The purposes of this six-month integrated package are to help teachers

a)

understand the theoretical and research foundations on which the whole

language approach is based;

b)

articulate a personal philosophy of whole language;

c)

develop, implement and evaluatewhole language strategies both in

language arts and theory and pedagogy of whole language strategies

both in language arts and throughout the classroom curriculum.

The package consists of a four-credit course in the theory and pedagogy of

whole language and a five-credit classroom-based implementation practicum.

These two components will be integrated into a six-month ongoing inservice

program consisting of coursework sessions, seminars, small-group support meetings,

peer observations and individual consultations with the inservice associate.

The instructional team will work together to ensure that coursework and

practicu m activities are complementary.

---

. ?

S

Education 385-3

explores the theoretical and research foundations

of whole language and critically examines current classroom practices

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 practice.

During this course teachers will be expected to develop their own rationale for

whole language through readings, writing, and discussion.

Evaluation in this course

is

based on the SFU grading system.

Education 407-5

is an implementation practicum in which teachers

develop one or more aspects of the whole language approach in their

Students in this course will:

1.

develop, implement and evaluate one or more whole

language projects designed around an area of interest;

2.

participate in self-evaluation and classroom program

evaluation with the support-of the inservice associate;

3.

participate in peer observations and group support activities;

4.

attend and participate in regular seminars with the inservice

associate and course participants.

Activities in Education 407 will be aimed at helping teachers develop strategies

for continuing their professional development in whole language beyond the scope of

the course. Peer support and supervision, sharing of ideas and collaborative

problem-solving will be facilitated.

The practicum is graded on a pass/withdraw

system.