EDUC 6628 Literature for Children: Expanding Students' Reading Abilities and Interests

The purpose of this course is to familiarize candidates with literature appropriate for children in the early childhood and middle grades. Candidates will explore guidelines for selecting appropriate children's literature and reading strategies to enhance the development of life long reading. Topics for consideration include: multi-ethnic literature appropriate for the various age groups; techniques for stimulating children's interest in literature; computer software programs, internet capabilities, and other media that enhance the use of children's literature; children's special needs and developmental responses to literature; criteria for book selection/evaluation; strategies for integrating children's literature into an interdisciplinary curriculum; and methods for stimulating critical and creative thinking through the use of children's literature. (Field experience required.)

Credits

3

Typically Offered

spring

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the candidate will be able to:

1. Find pleasure and enjoyment in children’s literature through reading many children’s books. InTASC 3, 4, 5
2. Show familiarity with the various genres of children’s literature and how each might be integrated into the K-8 school curriculum. InTASC 3, 4, 5
3. Know evaluation criteria for children’s picture books, fiction, and nonfiction. InTASC 4, 5, 9
4. Understand developmental stages and types of books appropriate to use with each stage. InTASC 1, 3, 4, 5
5. Be aware of censorship of children’s books and ways to deal with would be censors. InTASC 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7
6. Be familiar with the historical development of the various genres of children’s literature. InTASC 3, 4, 5
7. Be able to design, role play, and teach literature lessons which encompass a variety of literature-related activities and purposes. InTASC 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8
8. Demonstrate an ability to read orally both prose and poetry in an entertaining fashion and to develop storytelling techniques. InTASC 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7
9. Be able to appreciate the aesthetic quality of illustrations in children’s picture books, as well as to perceive the illustrations’ contributions to the story. InTASC 1, 2, 5, 7, 8
10. Show familiarity with noted authors and illustrators of children’s literature. InTASC 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7
11. Show awareness of the way diverse cultures (past and present) are portrayed in children’s literature. InTASC 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7
12. Have begun building a personal knowledge of children’s books and professional books in this field, many of which may be used with children in the classroom. InTASC 4, 5, 9
13. Know the conditions that are most conducive to the development of competent readers. InTASC 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7
14. Be familiar with the Reader-response Transactional model. InTASC 9
15. Be familiar with books appropriate for emergent readers and research based strategies to enhance their reading abilities and interests. InTASC 1, 5, 7, 8, 9
16. Know, implement, and assess characteristics of effective teaching utilizing children’s literature. InTASC 4, 5, 6, 7
17. Be able to help children become more proficient at efferent and aesthetic reading. InTASC 1, 3, 3, 4, 5, 7
18. Know how to use literature to support, make visible, and affirm student linguistic, cultural, and ethnic identities InTasc 1, 2, 4, 5, 7
19. Be familiar with formative and summative literacy assessments, and use them to inform instruction. InTASC 5, 6, 7, 8
20. Be able to critique audiovisual materials, games, simulations, and computer software programs related to children’s literature. InTASC 5, 7, 8