EDC 555: Reading/Literacy - Elementary

Description:

Competency Area: Curriculum & Instruction

Is reading a skill that children naturally develop or is it a process that requires programmatic, constant instruction? Is it better to teach phonics or try a whole language approach? This course will address these questions and consider the following topics: an analysis of the reading process and what is involved in encoding and decoding; different approaches to reading instruction and the use of children's literature; ways to teach reading that promote confidence and fluency; assessment tools to determine the strengths and needs of young readers; and the integration of reading, writing and speech activities throughout the curriculum.