Children's FL literacy development 2300-NJ-DWNJA-PT

Developing the ability to write, read and, above all, understand and apply text is now seen as one of the key competences in the modern world. The life of a modern person in a digital reality is daily linked to the need to communicate and receive a large amount of meaning in a variety of forms. In English, such a skill is called with the term ‘literacy’, which unfortunately does not have a good equivalent in Polish. In contemporary English-language literature, there is a move away from linking these goals to literacy alone, emphasising the complexity of the issue. The term ‘literacy’ consists of the ability to understand, interpret, analyse, interact with different types of texts from different sources of information (Sensenbaugh 1990). Researchers emphasise that the current approach, which is limited to literacy only and does not include the impact of new technologies, diverse types of texts, critical thinking, analysis and synthesis skills, is insufficient in the current world. The aim of this course, therefore, is to attempt to discuss the complexity of topics related to these issues.

This course covers the following content:
- The concept of literacy in early childhood education and foreign language didactics
- Factors influencing literacy acquisition in the mother tongue and foreign language
- Approaches to teaching reading and reception in a foreign language when working with children
- Approaches to teaching writing and producing texts in a foreign language when working with children
- Factors influencing text selection in children's language teaching
- The use of text in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL)
- Using a variety of strategies in teaching reading and writing in early childhood education and language education
- Ways of assessing literacy in children's language teaching

Type of course

foreign languages
obligatory courses

Mode

Classroom

Prerequisites (description)

Contemporary language teaching pedagogy aimed at children cannot be indifferent to the changes taking place either. Despite the complexity of the issue requiring an understanding and adaptation to the educational needs of children involving first language development, the topic of ‘literacy’ is relatively under-emphasised in language teacher education, especially for teachers of children. Teaching literacy in a foreign language cannot be dissociated from literacy in the mother tongue or unrelated to oral communication development. The aim of the course is therefore to provide a theoretical and practical introduction to contemporary approaches to the development of writing, reading, comprehension and working with text in foreign language didactics at early educational levels in diverse contexts of foreign language education (TEYL, CLIL).

Course coordinators

Paulina Marchlik

Learning outcomes

In terms of knowledge, the student knows and understands:
- theories and concepts related to the process of teaching reading and writing in the mother tongue and foreign language (K_W08)
- factors influencing the process of developing reading and writing skills in native and foreign language (K_W08, K_W10),
- approaches and methods of teaching reading in the didactics of English in early education (K_W08, K_W09),
- approaches and methods for teaching writing in the didactics of English in early childhood education (K_W08, K_W09),
- strategies for developing writing, reading, working with text in integrated language and literacy education (K_W08, K_W09).

In terms of skills, the student is able to:
- plan activities that develop reading and text reception skills in English and early childhood education lessons (K_U09, K_U10),
- plan activities developing text production skills in English language and early childhood education lessons (K_U09, K_U12),
- make a selection of appropriate texts tailored to the needs of pre-school and early school children appropriate to different contexts (K_U08, K_U16).

In terms of social competence, the student is prepared to
- collaborate with other teachers and students to develop their literacy teaching skills in integrated teaching and language education (K_K01, K_06),
- to develop their own skills concerning the teaching of writing and reading through individual exploration of the subject literature (K_K01, K_K02).

Assessment criteria

- Attendance
- Active participation and preparation for class
- Planning a unit to develop writing, reading and reception skills
- Final test

Practical placement

Bibliography

Core literature:

Fountas, I., Pinneli, G., (2001). Guiding Readers and Writers: Teaching Comprehension and Writers. Teaching Comprehension, Genre, and Content Literacy. Heinemann: Portsmouth. NJ
Pinter, A. (2006). Teaching Young Language Learners. Oxford University Press: Oxford
Slattery, M., Willis, J. (2009). English for Primary Teachers. A Handbook of activities and classroom language. Oxford University Press: Oxford
Cameron, L. (2009). Teaching Languages to Young Learners. Cambridge University Press
Szpotowicz, M., Szulc-Kurpaska, M. (2011). Teaching English to Young Learners. Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN: Warszawa

Supplementary literature - Selected according to the topics discussed

Additional information

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 2300-NJ-DWNJA-PT in USOSweb