Developing Literacy Across the Grades: Methods and Strategies

The course serves as an introduction to the teaching of literacy in grades Preschool-12 and focuses on both theoretical and practical approaches to assessing teaching, and incorporating literacy into the classroom. Teacher candidate will explore and learn to apply teaching practices related to balanced, comprehensive literacy including phonemic awareness, phonics, comprehension, fluency, vocabulary, development, and motivation. These approaches will be discussed in the context of special needs and ELL students, multicultural education, technology integration, and differentiated strategies. Connections to the New Jersey State Learning Standards will be integral. This course will also expose teacher candidates to developing/analyzing lesson plans, evaluating case studies, and reading/discussing contemporary issues in literacy through a review and synthesis of peer reviewed, scientific-based reading research (SBRR) studies..