Forming & Reforming Reading, Writing, and Talking Across the Curriculum

Early childhood educators learn how to address the language, literacy, and learning needs of young dual language learners using evidence-based, active, hands-on experiences. Practical activities are informed by research second-language acquisition and bi-literacy development and they blend with discussions of current evidence-based, best early literacy approaches based on state and local standards. Teachers explore engaging and age appropriate early reading, writing and talking strategies and work to establish literate classroom environments that are accessible to all students. This course is designed to foster collaboration between mainstream teachers and ESL teachers while strengthening collegial support and problem solving.

Course texts: Participants must purchase the course text “No Limits to Literacy” by Theresa A. Roberts. Which focuses on early childhood English Learners. Though noted as Preschool, the text is appropriate for PreK-2.) PLN provides “The Plainer Truths of Teaching, Learning and Literacy” by Morton Botel and Lara Paparo as a mentor text.

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 class sessions are part of the required coursework in addition to face-to-face sessions.