Preschool Language and Literacy:

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Preschool Language and Literacy
Free Course Curriculum

• Willa Choper Siegel, Ph.D.
• Joanne Knapp-Philo, Ph.D.
• Kay Hamlin, Ph.D.
• Deborah Conn, M.A.
• National Head Start Family Literacy Center
• Sonoma State University

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National Head Start Family Literacy Center

• Mission
• To provide training and technical assistance
  on the four components of family literacy to all
  Head Start and Early Head Start programs
• Staff
• Families
• Communities

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National Head Start Family Literacy Center

• Services
• Training
• National, regional, state, locally based training
• SPARC multiyear, team-based training
• Multimedia training materials
• Showcasing successful family literacy practices
• Online courses available to colleges and
  universities where Head Start staff are enrolled

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Session Outcomes

• Participants will leave this session with the
  following information
• Preschool Language and Literacy course content
• Course pedagogy
• Course technology requirements
• One instructors experience teaching the course
• How to acquire course materials

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Session Agenda
Preschool Language and Literacy

• Course overview
• Course content and pedagogy
• Technology requirements
• Course dissemination
• Questions and Answers
• Evaluation

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Course Overview

• 16-week online college course
• Three semester units
• 200-300 level course
• Available to colleges and universities serving
  Head Start staff and families
• Can be modified

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Course Outcomes

• Students completing the Preschool Language
  and Literacy course will
• have an increased awareness and understanding of
  current research on early language and literacy
• be able to select, plan, implement, and evaluate
  appropriate instructional and environmental
  strategies that support early language and
  literacy development of preschool children from
  diverse populations.
• Added benefit Students will increase computer
  and technology skills.

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Course Development

• Curriculum Development
• Research based writing team
• E-learning best practices design team
• Collaboration with Winston-Salem State University
• Piloted Fall 2006 Dr. Kay Hamlin, Birth through
  Kindergarten Education
• Student population Head Start teachers

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Course Content and Pedagogy

• Reflects current research on early language and
  literacy development
• Important articles in early childhood language
  and literacy are included as required reading.
• Lecturettes and articles were developed
  specifically for the course.

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Course Content and Pedagogy

• Based on adult learning principles and
  constructivist pedagogy
• Activities and assignments draw upon real life
  experiences and build transferable skills.
• Asynchronous discussions create a learning
  community and synthesize student learning.
• Best practices in e-learning

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Modules

• Modules 1 and 2 orient students
• Modules 3-6 present core topics
• Childrens Communication and Language Development
  
• Books and Print Awareness
• Childrens Writing
• Learning the Code Phonological Awareness and
  Alphabet Knowledge
• Module 7 provides synthesis and review

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Module Components

• Module goal(s) and objectives
• Research overview and main concepts
• Developmental continuum
• Required reading
• Activities and assignments
• Discussion instructions

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Course Text

• Neuman, S. B., Copple, C., Bredekamp, S.
  (2000). Learning to read and write
  Developmentally appropriate practices for young
  children. Washington, DC National Association
  for the Education of Young Children.

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Examples of Required Reading

• Video recording Ross, A. (Producer/Director),
  Cole, K., Maddox, M. (Writers). (1997).
  Language and play video recording on Language is
  the key Follow the CAR Video recording.
  (Available from Washington Learning Systems, 2212
  Queen Anne Ave. No. 726, Seattle, WA 98109)
• Journal articles (example) Notari-Syverson, A.
  (2004). Literacy for all children Scaffolding
  early Language and literacy in young children
  with special needs. Children and Families, 28(1),
  48-52.
• Lecturettes (example) English Language Learner
  Developmental Continuum

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Activities and Assignments

• Written assignments vs. tests
• Observations
• Small group assignments
• Reaction papers
• Curriculum planning and assessment
• Posted assignments by students to read and
  discuss with peers

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Online Discussions

• Important to student success
• Build community of learners
• Assist students to synthesize learning
• Provide litmus test of student learning

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Teaching the Course One Instructors Firsthand
Experience

• Academic Rigor
• As I looked back through this book I realize how
  much information for young children is in itThe
  books I have in my own library are books that I
  know will help me in the future as a teacher and
  this book is one that I have added to it
• The literacy and developmentally appropriate
  practice are two of the bigger things that made
  an impression with me. If we as teachers do not
  make the classroom meet the childrens needs,
  then we are not helping them grow. As the
  teachers in this class exchanged ideas and talked
  about different ways of helping the children, we
  grew ourselves, and expanded our knowledge to
  make a better classroom for the children.
• WSSU Student, FA 2006

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Teaching the Course One Instructors Firsthand
Experience

• Hands-on Activities
• My favorite activity for the class was doing the
  book review.  I loved hearing about everyones
  favorite book and why they picked that
  book. There were books I had heard of, and then
  there where books I had never heard of but would
  be great to put in a classroom. 
• WSSU Student, FA 2006

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Teaching the Course One Instructors Firsthand
Experience

• Synthesizing Course Content
• I liked the fact that we put our assignments on
  discussion board and were able to view everyone
  elses, and they could view ours. This way you
  had a chance to see others views of things. This
  gave you ideas that you may have never thought
  of. I really enjoyed all the assignments and
  learned a lot, but I believe I liked the
  activity where we were to read our favorite book
  to a group of children and then we did a
  reflection of how it went. I was able to learn
  about books I had never heard of before and have
  even gotten a couple of them from the public
  library and read them to my classroom. I think
  the class interaction was great!!!
• WSSU Student, FA 2006

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Teaching the Course One Instructors Firsthand
Experience

• Theory to Practice
• The activity that I liked the most was on
  print awareness. My classroom children went on a
  walk out around the school to see what they could
  see with words or symbols on it... I took
  pictures of what they saw so they could talk
  about our walk when came back the next day and to
  share with their parents.
• WSSU Student, FA 2006

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Course Package on CDROM

• Welcome letter
• Complete course curriculum
• Instructors guide
• Overview of course curriculum
• Teaching the course online
• Teaching the course in a traditional classroom
• Resources
• Technology requirements
• Blackboard 6.0 or WebCT 4.1 or higher

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How to Acquire the Course

• Available August 2007
• Order CDROM from the NHSFLC c/o
  Joanne.Knapp-Philo_at_csuci.edu
• Sample module and syllabus on NHSFLC Web site
  http//www.sonoma.edu/cihs/familyliteracy/

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Closing

• Questions and Answers
• Summary of key messages
• Evaluation
• Thank you!