•

a

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

Intersession 1999

t?T'TTC

_.'*

D. Blume

Designs for Learning: Language Arts

Office: MPX 8637

(Elementary)

Tel: 291-5975

D02.00

E-mail: dblume@sfu.ca

PREREQUISITE

Educ 401/402

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course will focus on developing knowledge, skills and strategies to create a rich and stimulating Language

Arts program in the classroom. Issues in Language Arts will be examined through current pedagogy and teaching

practice. This course will provide you with a framework to examine and reflect on your understandings about

learning and teaching language arts, and your role in engaging children in communicating and searching for

meaning.

This course has an emphasis on experiential learning. It will require personal involvement and class participation.

You will have opportunities to examine your personal beliefs about children, the teacher and the curriculum; and to

explore the congruency between theory and practice. There will be professional readings, discussions, written

response, seminars, demonstrations, group work and other action-based learning experiences. Upon completion

of this course you should have an extensive repertoire of strategies and materials to use in the language classroom.

TOPICS

• Language and the learning process

• The process of reading and writing

• The development of oral language and listening skills

• The linking of reading and writing

• Reading and writing across the curriculum

• Children's literature in the Language Arts program

• Strategies for effective Reading and Writing Instruction

• Developing an effective Language Arts program

• Assessment and Evaluation

REQUIREMENTS

• Regular attendance and participation

• Completion of assigned professional readings

• Completion of reading and writing assignments

• Personal writing and reading throughout the session

REQUIRED READINGS

• Calkins, Lucy. The Art of Teaching Writing (New Edition). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1986.

ISBN 0-435-08809-2.

(Choose between Calkins OR Atwell, Calkins isforfocusing on the teaching

of

reading and writing in the primary and early

intermediate grades)

• Atwell, Nancie. In the Middle. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1987. ISBN 0-86709-163-0.

(Atwell isforfocusing on the teaching

of

reading and writing in the upper intermediate grades)

• Evaluating Reading Across the Curriculum: Reading Reference Set. Province of B.C.: Ministry of Education

• Evaluating Writing Across the Curriculum: Writing Reference Set. Province of B.C.: Ministry of Education

RECOMMENDED READINGS

A list of recommended readings will be available and readings will be assigned throughout the session.