Academic Catalog

CHLD 72: LANGUAGE, LITERACY & THE DEVELOPING CHILD

Foothill College Course Outline of Record

Foothill College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Summer 2024
Units: 3
Hours: 3 lecture per week (36 total per quarter)
Degree & Credit Status: Degree-Applicable Credit Course
Foothill GE: Non-GE
Transferable: CSU
Grade Type: Letter Grade Only
Repeatability: Not Repeatable

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Identify the stages of language acquisition and development.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of how language can be integrated throughout the program.
  • Recognize and understand the importance of studying language development within a social context.

Description

Development of language and speech, language acquisition theories, and emergent literacy in monolingual and young English language learners. Discussion of experiences and activities which promote oral and written language abilities. Focus on the developmental stages of receptive and expressive language, conversations, print awareness, phonemic awareness, reading and writing, bilingual development, and speech and language delays, children's literature and poetry. Students gain experience in using language art materials and planning language experiences for young children.

Course Objectives

The student will be able to:

  1. Identify theories of language development and stages of language acquisition and development.
  2. Demonstrate knowledge of how language can be integrated throughout the early care and education program.
  3. Define criteria for evaluating children's literature.
  4. Explain developmentally appropriate principles and practices used in working with different cultures and individual abilities.
  5. Understand the importance and value of supporting literacy development in young children.
  6. Identify principles of literacy development.

Course Content

  1. Identify theories of language development and stages of language acquisition and development
    1. Behaviorist, maturational, predetermined cognitive, and constructivist
    2. Infants/pre-verbal communication, toddlers, preschoolers, school-age children
    3. Adult's role in fostering language and literacy development
  2. Demonstrate knowledge of how language can be integrated throughout the early care and education program
    1. Role of the teacher and developmentally appropriate practices in fostering language and literacy development
    2. Learning experiences which foster language and literacy development
      1. Storytelling, poetry, puppetry, felt board activities, and dramatic play
      2. Reading aloud, visual aids, children as storytellers
    3. Learning environments which foster language and literacy development
      1. Teaching methods
      2. Classroom design
      3. Classroom routines
      4. Developmentally appropriate instruction
  3. Define criteria for evaluating children's literature
    1. Content
      1. Emotional needs of children
      2. Appropriate characterization
      3. Quantity of text
      4. Suitable concept
      5. Age appropriate
    2. Anti-bias factors
      1. Gender issues
      2. Cultural diversity
      3. Stereotypes
    3. Illustrations
      1. Child-oriented perspective
      2. Meaning of text conveyed
      3. Interpretation elicited
      4. Art style appropriate for text
      5. Aesthetic quality
  4. Explain developmentally appropriate principles and practices used in working with different cultures and individual abilities
    1. Promoting English language learner literacy/bilingualism
    2. Characteristics of language learners
    3. Speech and language disorders
    4. Language delay
    5. Environmental and cultural differences
    6. Partnering with parents
    7. Developmentally appropriate literacy experiences
  5. Understand the importance and value of supporting literacy development in young children
    1. Current research and practical application
    2. Support for children's growth in all domains of development
    3. Providing a language-rich environment
  6. Identify principles of literacy development
    1. Emerging literacy
    2. Interaction with books
    3. Stages of writing-from pictures to words
    4. Developing phonemic awareness in children

Lab Content

Not applicable.

Special Facilities and/or Equipment

When taught via Foothill Global Access, on-going access to computer with email software and hardware; email address.

Method(s) of Evaluation

Methods of Evaluation may include but are not limited to the following:

Child observation related to language development of an infant, toddler, preschooler, or school-aged child
Essay and objective exams
Cooperative group learning assignments/project
Research paper
Class participation-small/large group discussions and projects
Oral presentation demonstrating an activity or reading a book to an audience
Written work, such as reflections or reactions to observations, articles, or video

Method(s) of Instruction

Methods of Instruction may include but are not limited to the following:

Lecture presentations and classroom discussion
Group presentations of major projects followed by in-class discussion and evaluation
Demonstration
Field trips
Oral presentations

Representative Text(s) and Other Materials

Machado, Jeanne M.. Early Childhood Experiences in Language Arts, 11th ed.. 2015.

Schickedanz, Judith A.. So Much More Than the ABCs. 2013.

Although these texts are older than five years, they continue to be relevant to the course content and they are user-friendly.

NAEYC Code of Conduct: https://www.naeyc.org/resources/position-statements/ethical-conduct

Child Care Exchange (assigned articles): https://exchangepress.com/

NAEYC (assigned articles): https://www.naeyc.org/resources/topics/literacy

Strasser, Janie, and Lis Mufson Bresson. "Big Questions for Young Minds." NAEYC.

McAfree, Oralie, and Deborah J. Leong. "Assessing and Guiding Young Children's Development and Learning."

Open Educational Resources

Types and/or Examples of Required Reading, Writing, and Outside of Class Assignments

  1. Assigned readings in text or articles provided by the instructor
  2. Written interpretation of child observations. Example: a written reflection, reaction, or interpretation of a child observation conducted outside of class related to language development of an infant, toddler, preschooler, or school-aged child
  3. Reaction writing assignments to guest speakers, video viewings, and experiences, such as research projects and field trips
  4. Children's book evaluation project including written paper
  5. Community library storytelling program written observation and reflection

Discipline(s)

Child Development/Early Childhood Education