TE 851  Literacy for the Young Child in Home and School

Fall Semester 1996

Course Description:

This is a seminar for masters and doctoral students who have already some knowledge of literacy. Students in this course will meet to learn more about literacy inside and outside of school and how literature impacts literacy learning. This course will introduce students to the theory and current methods in the study of literacy inside and outside 6f school. Among the educational topics to be explored in readings, discussions, and projects are: historical context of literacy; the need for parental involvement; approaches to parental involvement; effective home-school-community relationships; parental involvement: continuities and discontinuities; policy issues in family literacy; literacy beginnings; families as environments for literacy; family literacy programs; what is means to be literate about classrooms; culturally relevant teaching; cultural narratives; books before five; multicultural literature; and evaluating literature. The course will use the following books, all available at the International Center Bookstore:

Taylor, D. (1991). Learning denied. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

 Taylor, D. (1983). Family literacy: Young children learning to read and write. Exeter, NH: Heinemann.

 Taylor, D., & Dorsey-Gaines, C. (1988). Growing up literate: Learning from inner-city families. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

In addition to the four books, there will be a collection of supplementary articles available at Michigan Document Service Inc., 1331 E. Grand River (Brookfield Shopping Center), 337-7630.

Course Format and Requirements:

The class will meet on Wednesdays from 4:00-6:50 pm. The class meetings will incorporate lecture and discussion of the assigned readings and actual examples of literacy inside and outside of school.

During the course, each student will be responsible to analyze a set of literacy stories from parents of young children; informally present his/her analysis of the parent literacy stories data to the class and lead a class discussion on the parent literacy stories data, and present a final written report of the parent literacy stories data drawing on theory and research learned in course readings, lectures, and discussions. Students will also be responsible for two written responses to the readings. Details of assignments will be distributed in class.

Students will be graded for their class participation, and attendance at all class sessions is mandatory. Students will be penalized for unexcused absences. An absence will be considered "excused" if (1) the students notifies the instructor in advance of the reason for the absence and (2) the student writes a 3-5 page (double-spaced) response to the readings discussed during the class s/he missed. This response is due the day after the absence. If a student is excused from a class during which classmates are making oral presentations, s/he must meet with the presenters and respond to their work at an alternate time to be arranged with them. It is best to plan to be present at all classes--this primary professional responsibility of graduate students is even more important when participating in a seminar where your learning and the learning of others is dependent on active participation.

In addition to attendance, class participation will also be evaluated for (1) evidence that you have completed the readings for each class session, and (2) the thoughtfulness of your contributions to class discussion. All students are expected to participate in seminar discussions.

Course evaluation will be based on (1) class participation in the class meetings; (2) analyzing literacy stories from parents of young children; (3) oral presentation of parent literacy stories data; (4) group discussion of how classroom teachers would organize and/or reorganize their classroom instruction based on the parent stories; (5) a written report of the profile data, and related research and theoretical work; and (6) two written responses to the class readings. Each assignment will be described in greater detail in class and will be due on the date specified in the course outline. Written assignments must be typed. Late assignments are strongly discouraged and will be penalized. No deferred grades will be given.

Requirements and Grading:

Assignment Due Dates:

First written response to the readings - September 11

Second written response to the readings - October 16

Parent literacy stories data report - November 27

Course Outline and Assigned Readings

 August 28

INTRODUCTION TO THE CLASS

 Videotape - America's Kids: Why They Flunk

September 4

Topics

Historical Context of Literacy

REQUIRED READINGS

Author unknown. What is literacy?

Gee, J. P. (1991). What is literacy? In C. Mitchell & K. Weiler (Eds.), Rewriting literacy: Culture and the discourse of the other. New York: Bergin & Garvey.

Acquisition of literate discourse: Bowing before the master - Lisa Del pit

Walters, K. Whose culture? Whose literacy?

Videotape - Cultural Illiteracy

The Need for Parental Involvement (optional readings)

REQUIRED READINGS

Berger, E. H. (1991). Parent involvement: Yesterday and today. Elementary School Journal, 91 (3), 209-219.

Edwards, P. A. (1993). Before and after school desegregation: African-American parents' involvement in schools. Educational Policy 7 (3), 340-369.

Effective Home-SchooI-Communitv Relationships (optional readings)

REQUIRED READINGS

Bauch, J. P. (1989). The transparent school model: New technology for parent involvement. Elementary Leadership, 47 (2), 32-34.

Edwards, P. A., Young, L. 5. (1992). Beyond parents: Family, community, and school involvement. Phi Delta Kappan, 74 (1), 72-80.

September 11

Topics

Parental Involvement: Continuities and Discontinuities

REQUIRED READINGS

Rosow, L. V. (1989). Arthur: A tale of disempowerment. Phi Delta Kappan, 71(3), 194-199.

Taylor, D. (1991). Learning denied. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Videotape - The Unraveling of the American Family

Assignment Due - First Written Response to the Assigned Readings

September 18

Topics

Families as Environments for Literacy (I will give you a set of parent stories to analyze).

REQUIRED READINGS

Anderson, A. B., & Stokes, S. J. (1984). Social and institutional influences on the development and practice of literacy. In H. Goelman, A. Oberg, & F. Smith (Eds.), Awakening to literacy. London: Heinemann.

Heath, S. B. (1982). What no bedtime story means: Narrative skills at home and school. Language in Society, ll, 49-76.

Heath, S. B. (1982). Questioning at home and at school: A comparative study.

Leitcher, H. J. (1984). Families as environments for literacy. In H. Goelman, A. Oberg, & F. Smith (Eds.),

Awakening to literacy. London: Heinemann.

Videotape - First Things First

September 25

Topic

Families as Environments for Literacy Continued

REQUIRED READING

Taylor, D. (1983). Family literacy: Young children learning to read and write. Exeter, NH: Heinemann. October2

 Topic

 Families as Environments for Literacy Continued

 REQUIRED READING

Taylor, D., & Dorsey-Gaines, C. (1988). Growing up literate: Learning from inner-city families. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

October 9

NO CLASS (I will be departing for Tokyo, Japan to conduct a workshop for

teachers who teach in military schools throughout Japan).

October 16

Topics

Literacy at School

REQUIRED READINGS

Corno, L. (1989). What it means to be literate about classrooms. In D. Bloome (Ed.), Classrooms and literacy (pp.29-52). Norwood, NJ: Ablex.

Delpit, L. D. (1988). The silenced dialogue: Power and pedagogy in educating other people's children. Harvard Educational Review, 58 (3), 280-298.

Phelan, P., Davidson, A. L., & Cao, H. T. (1991). Students' multiple worlds: Negotiating the boundaries of family, peer, and school cultures. Anthropology & Education Quarterly, 22, 224-250.

Videotape - I am a Promise: The Children of Stanton Elementary School

Assignment Due - Second Written Response to the Assigned Readings

October 23

Family Literacy Programs

Topics

REQUIRED READINGS

Auerbach, E. R. (1989). Toward a social-contextual approach to family literacy. Harvard Educational Review 59(2), 165-181.

Edwards, P. A. (1995). Empowering low-income mothers and fathers to share books with young children. The Reading Teacher, 48(7), 558-564.

Edwards, P. A. (1994). Responses of teachers and African-American mothers to a book-reading intervention program. In D. K. Dickinson (Ed.), Bridges to literacy: Children. families. and schools (pp.175-208. Cambridge, MA: Basil Blackwell Ltd.

Edwards, P. A. (1989). Supporting lower SES mothers' attempts to provide scaffolding for book reading. In J.

Allen & J. M. Mason (Eds.), Risk makers, risk takers. risk breakers: Reducing the risks for young literacy learners. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Videotapes - The Best of Us and Parents Sharing Books

Topics

Parent Stories of Literacy

October 30, November 6 and 13

Topic

Parent Stories of Literacy Continued - I will share with you videotapes and/or audiotapes of the parent stories to facilitate our discussion and analysis of the parent stories.

November 20

NO CLASS (I will be conducting a workshop on the new language arts for K-12 teachers at the International School of Beijing (Beijing, China).

November 27

Submit final written report based on the parent stories. Our class discussion will focus on comments and reflections based on the parent stories.

November 24

NO CLASS (I will be presenting three research papers at the National Reading Conference in Charleston, South Carolina. Also, I will be a keynote at The Citadel).

December 11

Bringing Closure. Dinner at my home.