Preschool English Learners Online | Syllabus
Preschool English Learners Online - Syllabus
Index of Weeks
Week 1
Online Orientation -- January 31- February 6
Objectives
- Be familiar with the content and expectations of the course
- Be familiar with how to use the features and resources of this course
- Be aware of hints for succeeding as a distance learner
- Talk about the changing demographics of English Learners in California
Library Resources
- The syllabus -
- What makes a successful online student?
- Resource Guide pages 10-12
- English Learner Students—Fact Book 2005
Learning Games
- Top Ten
- Are you ready to be an online learner
- Try out an articulate file
- Try out our email system
- Sign up for our Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
- Share a little about the kind of work you do, the advantage to you of taking this course online, what challenge you might have in completing this course and what you hope to gain from this online experience.
- The readings highlighted how more and more of our youngest students are English Language Learners. What is your own experience in your work? Does your program have clear guidelines on how to support these students in their language development? Please post your response in the Café and respond to the response of at least one other participant
Week 2
The Eight Core Beliefs -- February 7-13
Objectives
- Be able to briefly discuss each of the eight core beliefs
- Discuss the distinction between teaching through language and teaching language
Library Resources
- The Eight Core Beliefs
- Chapter 1 Preschool English Learners Resource Guide
- Page 76
- Responding to Linguistic and Cultural Diversity
- Fostering Second Language Development in Young Children
- Early Childhood Programs for Language Minority Students
Learning Games
- Eight Core Beliefs
- True or False
Journal Assignment--reflection on learning
Discussion Forum
How would you respond???? Choose one of the three scenes below and post your response in the Discussion Forum. When you are done, respond to at least one posting of a classmate.
Week 3
Language and the Family -- February 14-20
Objectives
- Be able to discuss the role of families in language and literacy development
- Explain some of the variations in how families teach their children language
- Talk about the potential for loss of proficiency in the home language and strategies for prevention of such loss
- Discuss strategies to support the home school connection in the development of children’s literacy
Library Resources
- Pages 13-15, 25-29, 60-62 and 73-75 Preschool English Learners Resource Guide
- Working with Young English Language Learners: Some Considerations
- Two or More Languages in Early Childhood: Some General Points and Practical Recommendations
- Involuntary Language Loss Among Immigrants: Asian-American Linguistic Autobiographies
- Cultural Diversity and Language Socialization in the Early Years
Learning Games
- Myth or Truth
Discussion Forum
Choose one of the two topics for this week's posting on the Discussion Forum. After you have posted, please respond to the postings of at least two of your classmates.
- Did you yourself grow up with a home language other than English? Were you able to retain fluency in your home language as you learned English? Please share your own experience here.
- The readings talked about many strategies for supporting the home language while helping children learn English. Please select one of these strategies either talk about how you already use this strategy with the children in your care, or talk about how you plan to integrate this strategy into your program.
Week 4
Language Development and Language Practices -- February 21-27
Objectives
- Discuss the meanings of formal language register, informal language register, telegraphic, overgeneralizations, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, language brokers, code switching
- Talk about the role of peers in language development
Library Resources
- Chapter 3 and pages 17-18 Preschool English Learners Resource Guide
- Chapter 6 Preschool English Learners Resource Guide
Learning Games
- Hangman
Journal Assignment--reflection on learning
Discussion Forum
- Share one strategy you use or intend to use to support children's language development based on each of the above principles. (Principle 2 3, 7)
- Respond to the posts of two of your classmates
Week 5
Paths to Bilingualism -- February 28 - March 6
Objectives
- Discuss the meanings of simultaneous bilingualism, successive bilingualism, receptive bilingualism
- Talk about characteristics of Early, Middle and Later phases of bilingual development
- Discuss the advantages of knowing more than one language
- Identify strategies to support principles 4, 5, 6 in the classroom
Library Resources
- Chapter 4 Preschool English Learners Resource Guide
- Bilingual development in the early years--an overview of research
- Fostering Second Language Development in Young Children: Principles and Practices
- Bilingual Children's Mother Tongue: Why is it important for education
- Early bilingual communication
Learning Games
- Three Stages
- Bilingual True/Not True
Discussion Forum
Choose two of the following three topics for your posting in the discussion forum this week. When you are done with your postings, please read and respond to the posts of two of your classmates.
1. Do you consider yourself to be bilingual? How did you achieve bilingualism? What are your memories of learning two (or more) languages? Do you find any advantages to being bilingual?
2. Compare and contrast simultaneous and successive bilingualism, talking about two aspects of each.
3. The Resource Guide introduced Principles 4, 5 and 6. Using all the readings as a resource, talk about one new idea you plan to try out to support each of the three principles. Also, share one idea that you already use that supports any one of the three principles.
Week 6
Stages and Strategies in Second-Language Acquisition -- March 7-13
Objectives
- Discuss the four stages of learning a second language
- Identify teaching strategies to support children in each of the four stages of second language acquisition
- Identify the difference between social English and academic English and the significance of the differences in the school setting
Library Resources
- Chapter 5 Preschool English Learners Resource Guide
- Becoming Bilingual: First and Second Language Acquisition
- Young English Language Learners in the U.S.
- Effective Approaches to Teaching Young Mexican Immigrant Children
Learning Games
- Four Stages
- Match the Strategy
Journal Assignment--reflection on learning
Discussion Forum
- Describe an English language learner
- Read the descriptions of two children, identify which of the four levels they are at and describe two teacher strategies to use to support each child
Week 7
Reading and Writing-- March 14-20
Objectives
- Discuss effective reading, writing and story strategies to support English language learners
- Discuss the use of music, rhymes, games, chants and fingerplays in language development
- Define and discuss phonological awareness
- Define and discuss environmental print and alphabetic knowledge for the preschool child
- Develop lesson plans to integrate these strategies into the daily program
Library Resources
- Chapter 8 Preschool English Learners Resource Guide
- Learning to Read and Write: Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Young Children http://www.naeyc.org/about/positions/pdf/PSREAD98.PDF
- Language and Literacy for All Children http://www.headstartinfo.org/publications/hsbulletin74/hsb74_04.htm
- Thematic Literature and Curriculum for English Language Learners in Early Childhood Education http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/0208smallwood.html
Classroom resources for Cafe assignment
- ICDL--International Children's Digital Library
- Songs, Rhymes, and Fingerplays: Project Family of Arlington County and The Child Development Center of Northern Virginia
- Mama Lisa's World
- ALA--Bilingual Books for Children
- Wiggles, Tickles and Rhymes
- BANANAS fingerplay handout
- Traditional Songs, Rhymes, Fingerplays and Games in English and Spanish
Learning Games
Literacy terms crossword puzzle challenge
Discussion Forum
- Select one of the Classroom Resource links from the library for this first part of this posting. In your post, tell your classmates a bit about the site--what is in it, did you find it useful, do you recommend it to others.
- Please recommend ANOTHER valuable resource to your classmates that is not listed in this week's module.
- Respond to the postings of two of your classmates.
Week 8
Special Topics: Learners with Special Needs and Involving the Family -- March 21-27
Objectives
- Compare and contrast second-language development of typically developing children and children with special needs
- Reflect upon the importance of family engagement
Library Resources
- Chapter 7 Preschool English Learners Resource Guide
- Transcript of an online chat with Dr. Jana Echevarria, a Professor of Special Education at California State University, Long Beach on the challenges of early literacy for English language learners.
- The Importance of Family Engagement
- Raising Bilingual Children: Common Parental Concerns and Current Research
- Assessing Language Development in Bilingual Preschool Children
Learning Activity--This is a final written assignment to be submitted to the Instructor.
Select one of these topics: English learners with Special Needs, Importance of Family Engagement, or Assessing Language Development in Bilingual Preschool Children
Write a summary paper of 250-350 words including:
1. Three important points to remember
2. Strategies you already use or strategies you intend to try out
Journal Assignment--reflection on learning
Discussion Forum
Reflecting on this week's readings about English learners with special needs, please
- Identify one similarity or one difference you find between typically developing English language learners and English language learners with special needs
- Identify one strategy you use or plan to use to assess language development of English language learners
- Read and respond to the postings of two of your classmates.
Week 9
Moving Forward -- March 28 - April 3
Objectives
- Identify next steps to take in your personal/professional development to support English learners in your program
Library Resources
- What Early Childhood Teachers Need to Know About Language (digest)
- What Teachers Need to Know About Language (optional full report)
- Moving In and Out of Bilingualism: Investigating the Native Language Maintenance and Shift in Mexican-Descent Children (optional)
Learning Activity--This is a final assignment to be submitted to the Instructor.
This week, your Journal assignment is to write an Action Plan. Your plan should include at least three strategies that you intend to integrate into your work in the next three months.
Discussion Forum
Reflecting on your last nine weeks of exploring preschool English learning, what are three of the most important things you learned, two things you have already tried out and one thing you plan to implement in the near future. When you are done posting, please respond to the posts of two of your classmates.
