Ideas

Harvard Account Sign In

Sign in with your HarvardKey to access my.Harvard Student, Teaching/Advising, Delegate, Harvard Chan, Admissions, and Admin.

Brown, MGH, & Tufts Students

Register for access to participate in Harvard cross-registration.

  1. Course Search
  2. EDU H811F

Language and Literacy Development Series: From Language to Literacy
EDU H811F

Course Information

Description

Students in this course will learn about children’s development of oral language and of early literacy skills, and about parallels and differences in the two developmental trajectories. Students will be exposed to research on the major domains of development in oral language (pragmatics, phonology, vocabulary, grammar, and extended discourse), with attention to the following questions: Is skill in this domain prerequisite to the trouble-free acquisition of literacy? Does variation in this domain relate to variation in literacy skills? Is the variation related to social, cultural, or cognitive factors? What implications does the variation have for practices in early childhood settings, in initial literacy instruction, and in later supports to reading comprehension? Students will be expected to participate actively in class discussions and activities; including writing reactions to the readings, writing a short essay integrating material from readings and lectures, and engaging in a group project. Class format will be a combination of brief lectures, hands-on analysis of children's oral/written production or other activities, small- and large-group discussion, and student led presentations.
 

School Graduate School of Education
Credits 2
Cross Reg

Available for Harvard Cross Registration

Department Education
Course Component Regular Course
Instruction Mode In Person
Subject Education
Grading Basis HGSE Student Option (Letter Graded, Sat/Unsat)
Learning Goals Students in this course will:•    Learn about children’s development of oral language (pragmatics, phonology, vocabulary, grammar and extended discourse)•    Learn about how the development of oral language forms a foundation for early literacy skills•    Learn about the extensive individual variation in early language and literacy development•    Learn about the role of the child and the child’s environment in the development of early language and literacy skills•    Understand the implications of this variation for practices in early childhood settings, in initial literacy instruction, and in later supports to reading comprehension/academic language.
Career Focus <p>Careers related to early childhood development or education, family services, speech and language, literacy.</p>