300

This course provides an overview of the planning, preparation, and delivery of a developmentally appropriate curriculum for young children. Historical and philosophical influences on past and current approaches to teaching young children are traced and evaluated. It includes a critical examination of principles underlying curriculum development and program planning for young children. The role of the teacher and the curriculum in supporting the development of the whole child will be analyzed. The class will cover the basic components and developmentally appropriate implementation of curriculum across content areas.

This course presents methods best suited for educating young children who have exceptional learning needs, whether through disabilities or high/gifted abilities. Legal foundations, policies, and procedures are examined, as well as lesson planning, how to identify types of learning needs, evidence-based instructional strategies, and ways to assess growth in these children. Data-driven decision making is emphasized.

This course is a focus on the appropriate use of assessment and observation strategies to document development, growth, play, and learning to join with families and professionals in promoting children's success. Recording strategies, rating systems, portfolios, Response to Intervention, and multiple assessment tools are explored.

This course provides a foundation for teaching reading to children in P - 3 classrooms. Using a reading framework based on scientific reading research (SBRR), candidates will learn how to both teach and assess literacy skills in young children. Topics include print awareness, the alphabet, phonemic awareness, graphemes, phonics, and the structure of our language. Instructional strategies for teaching each of these are explained and modeled. Candidates will assess a single student in Grades 1 - 3 who has been identified as reading below benchmark. Prerequisite: ECED-320

This course focuses on the development of reading comprehension and writing skills of young children based on scientific reading research (SBRR). Topics include selection of appropriate reading materials, development of thematic units around texts, reading comprehension, vocabulary instruction, text structure, grammar, and the writing process. Candidates will design a literature-based lesson to teach in a P-3 classroom during their field experience. Prerequisite: ECED-325

The course will investigate the practices and procedures using Basal Reading approach, Four Blocks literacy model, Daily 5/CAF literacy framework, faith-based reading curriculum, and computer-based programs for the teaching of reading in early childhood education. Methods and tools for organizing assessment data, tracking goals and achievement, working with individuals and groups, and reading comprehension strategies are emphasized for gaining practical application to theory and best practice in literacy instruction.

The course will explore the techniques and methods using literature for pre-school age in teaching reading. Candidates will develop techniques and methods in selecting, interpreting, discussing, and formulating strategies for using quality children's books. The course will focus on the following genres: inter-relationship of reading, writing, listening, and speaking; multicultural and international publications; and historical and contemporary publishing trends

This course focuses on play as the principle medium of children's learning and development of visual and performing arts. Its objectives relate mainly to learning the teacher's role in facilitating and supporting developmentally appropriate activities for birth through age 8 settings.

This course teaches basic concepts and principles related to the mathematical understandings of young children. Numeracy, hands-on construct exploration, comprehension of computation foundations, and the relationship of math with literacy are integrated with appropriate developmental milestones when utilizing instructional strategies with young children.

This course examines the role of technology for early childhood in the 21st century and provides a comprehensive study of the use of technology to support learning domains. Top findings and statistical trends regarding children's habits and effects of media usage on development, health, and behavior will be analyzed. The course further emphasizes technology issues in education as related to technology aids for the exceptional learner, English language learner and family outreach, diversity and bias in the media, home applications, and digital citizenship.