EDUC 7036 - Literacy in the Elementary School

3 cr.

This course is designed for Lowell teachers who teach balanced literacy to elementary students. The components of balanced literacy will be addressed as they relate to Massachusetts curriculum frameworks: phonemic awareness, phonic, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, writing, and assessment. Throughout the course, emphasis will be on culturally responsive literacy instruction that incorporates an understanding of the development of motivation and resiliency in a diverse, urban population. Readings from research literature and current practice will frame discussion, inquiry, and analysis of the complexities of teaching literacy. Teachers will use Lowell’s current curriculum materials to apply course concepts and strategies in job-embedded assignments and conduct a teacher inquiry connected to a course topic and the needs of the teachers’ students.