3 semester credits

Building a strong foundation of literacy skills and experiences in young children is critical to their success in school and life. In this course, education professionals take a developmental approach to literacy instruction and provide practical research-based approaches to help students in preschool through third grade achieve the literacy goals of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and/or other state standards. The characteristics of emergent and beginning readers and writers are explored, focusing on essential literacy components, including oral language, phonological awareness, concepts of print, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Education professionals evaluate the role of motivation in learning to read, and they explore writing and multiple text genres. Education professionals plan and implement developmentally appropriate assessment and instruction, including technology tools, to support the literacy development of all learners in preschool through third grade.