College of Education

Department of Literacy

Boise State University

ED-LTCY 346- 1154 Children’s Literature

CLICK HERE to see the full syllabus.

Instructor: Michael Strickland, M.A.

Here are the International Reading Association Standards for Reading Professionals as they apply to classroom teachers.

Through participating in this course, you should be able to:

1. Understand major theories and empirical research that describe the cognitive, linguistic, motivational, and sociocultural foundations of reading and writing development, processes, and components, including word recognition, language comprehension, strategic knowledge, and reading–writing connections (Standard 1.1); in particular, we will address central theories that inform our understandings of how readers engage with a text, including but not limited to reader response theory and critical literacy and, more generally, a constructivist view of learning.

   2. Understand the historically shared knowledge of the profession and changes over time in the perceptions of reading and writing development, processes, and components (Standard 1.2); in particular, we will address the constantly changing landscape of children’s literature and the role that such literature has played and continues to play in effective literacy instruction for diverse learners.

   3. Understand the role of professional judgment and practical knowledge for improving all students’ reading development and achievement (Standard 1.3), use foundational knowledge to design or implement an integrated, comprehensive, and balanced curriculum (Standard 2.1) and use appropriate and varied instructional approaches (Standard 2.2). In particular, we will address the role of the teacher (grounded in knowledge about literature, learning, and learners) in selecting quality literature and effective engagements with such literature for diverse learners. We will engage in a variety of learning experiences that will serve as models for your own best practice (learning through doing) and you will develop and implement a literature-based lesson with learners in your placement classroom.

   4. Use a wide range of texts (e.g., narrative, expository, and poetry) from traditional print, digital, and online resources (Standard 2.3); you will become familiar with a wide range of texts across genres and with resources for selecting high quality texts for elementary and middle school readers.

   5. Recognize, understand, and value the forms of diversity that exist in society and their importance in learning to read and write (Standard 4.1); use a literacy curriculum and engage in instructional practices that positively impact students’ knowledge, beliefs, and engagement with the features of diversity (Standard 4.2) and; develop and implement strategies to advocate for equity (Standard 4.3). In particular, we will focus on multicultural literature that illuminates multiple perspectives with the goal of expanding your understandings and strengthening your ability to select literature that both reflects and expands learners’ experiences. Using a critical literacy perspective, we will explore how engagement with literature can bring about social change.

   6. Understand a social environment that is low risk and includes choice, motivation, and scaffolded support to optimize students’ opportunities for learning to read and write (Standard 5.2); in particular, we will address pedagogical approaches that fully engage learners in engaging thoughtfully with texts in ways that are meaningful to them and that allow them to grow as readers, writers, and thinkers.

   7. Display positive dispositions related to their own reading and writing and the teaching of reading and writing, and pursue the development of individual professional knowledge and behaviors (Standard 6.2). Effective literacy teachers must be enthusiastic, thoughtful readers and writers themselves. By reading and responding to a variety of high quality literature, engaging thoughtfully with other readers, and developing scholarly insights about literature and literacy, you will have the opportunity to grow your own literacy while you grow your knowledge of how to teach children’s literature. You are expected to demonstrate awareness of and mastery of skills you will teach (NCTE/IRA Standards for English Language Arts, http://www.ncte.org/standards; Idaho Common Core Standards for English and Literacy, http://www.sde.idaho.gov/site/common/english/), and these competencies, both your ability to do and teach, will be developed through class engagements.