Forming and Reforming Early Reading, Writing and Talking

This course provides early childhood educators with evidence-based, practical strategies that create positive early childhood literacy experiences, making connections to Family Engagement through the five domains of early childhood education: (1) Positive Interactions with Children and Families (2) The connections to Planning and Implementing Lessons, (3) Observation-Based Assessment, (4) Social Emotional Development, and (5) Working with Children Who Learn Differently (special needs). These five domains are explored, each with a focus on The Frameworks of PLN: The Five Early Reading, Writing and Talking Processes and The Four Lenses of Learning. The Early Reading, Writing and Talking Processes provide the foundation for examining texts and reflecting on classroom applications. Participants conduct family engagement workshops at their school site with literacy strategies for parents to use with their children.

Coursework includes on the job learning competencies focused on the implementation of active learning for young children. The PLN frameworks, The Five Early Reading, Writing and Talking Processes and The Four Lenses of Learning, are integrated into these learning experiences. Participants also gather evidence-based artifacts of student learning that are generated from lesson try-outs based on course content. Online Schoology course content is included as a part of coursework in addition to face-to-face sessions. Course time includes face-to-face classes, online Schoology sessions and on the job coursework. Journals are assigned and written with a focus on classroom implementation and family workshop experiences, professional readings and a final project focused on a continued literacy link between the classroom and the home. Participants are also asked to bring a classroom book to each session.