Singapore University of Social Sciences

Communication and Emergent Literacy in Play-Based Curricula

Communication and Emergent Literacy in Play-Based Curricula (ECE212)

Synopsis

ECE212 Fostering Communication and Emergent Literacy in Play-Based Curricula, delves into how children are eager to begin to communicate and make sense of the world from birth throughout the pre-school years. Students in ECE212 will examine how young children learn to listen, speak, read, write, through every day and contextualised opportunities to perceive, reflect, and represent their ideas in a language and literacy-rich environment. Students in this course will also be challenged to (re)think ways to support children’s language acquisition through reciprocal and responsive ways; (re)consider how literacy learning that includes both print and multi-modal texts; and reflect on how multilingualism and multi-literacies influence young children’s development as effective communicators, engaged readers, and creative writers. ECE212 is framed by the principles of developmentally appropriate practice (DAP), guided by the assumption that children learn best through interactive activities that are engaging and relevant to them. In the context of a play-based curriculum, this entails having sustained shared conversations and meaningful interactions with everyday objects, peoples, and print, facilitated by knowledgeable teachers who are active listeners and intentional facilitators.

Level: 2
Credit Units: 5
Presentation Pattern: EVERY JULY

Topics

  • Theoretical perspectives of language and literacy development
  • Emergent literacy: From birth to conventional literacy
  • Focus on infant-toddler communication
  • Creative strategies and activities to support listening and speaking
  • Literacy’s beginnings: Awareness of print, symbols and patterns
  • Developmental stages of reading and writing
  • Critical thinking dispositions for communicative competence and effective reading and writing
  • Principles of Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) and language and literacy development
  • Role of the intentional teacher in fostering communication and emergent literacy
  • Designing literacy-rich environments for young children
  • Observing and assessing language and literacy development in early childhood education
  • Fostering family-centred partnerships

Learning Outcome

  • Identify the key assumptions underlying the theoretical perspectives of language and literacy development
  • Discuss the importance of the principles of developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) in relation to language and literacy instruction for young children
  • Explain what it means to be an intentional teacher with regard to fostering communication and emergent literacy
  • Analyse the effectiveness of strategies and activities in fostering communication, and emergent literacy
  • Apply knowledge of the developmental stages of reading and writing to design meaningful literacy experiences for young children
  • Propose strategies and activities to cater to difference in language development amongst children
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