READ 514: Linguistics for Teachers: K-12 (3 cr)

COURSE
DESCRIPTION

This introductory course introduces the graduate student to the structure and functions of English. Course participants will analyze the underlying grammatical system of English at the phoneme, word, and text levels. Learners will demonstrate their knowledge of how language change influences the rise of dialects within a given language and the creation of new languages over time. Learners will engage in a comparative analysis of the linguistic features of several world languages, collect and analyze different speech samples in English, and prepare a series of lesson plans aimed at helping specific learners analyze authentic English language and usage related to a selected content area.

PREREQUISITES

Graduate standing. Learners are assumed to be K-12 teachers with native or near-native proficiency in English. Recommended especially for grade-level and content-area teachers who are trying to improve their ongoing instruction in English for those students who come to their classes as English language learners.

COURSE
STRUCTURE

This is an online Blackboard course. Activities include textbook readings with online discussions; language analysis tasks; collection/analysis of speech samples; lesson series or unit plan; final exam.

STANDARDS

This course supports the following International Reading Association's Standards for Reading Professionals (2003):

1.3	Demonstrate knowledge of language development and reading acquisition and the variations related to cultural and linguistic diversity.
2.2	Use a wide range of instructional practices, approaches and methods, including technology-based practices, for learners at different stages of development and from differing cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

PRACTICAL
APPLICATIONS

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Develop their linguistic awareness of the underlying structure of English
Analyze, in writing, English language oral and written texts at the phoneme, word, phrase, and text levels
Familiarize themselves with grammatical features of selected languages spoken in the U.S. that are least like English
Analyze, in writing, speech data from different English language speech communities
Examine and discuss linguistic phenomena related to classroom interaction such as code-switching, slang, and language "hybridization"
Describe how dialects arise within English and other languages
Examine their own experiences with and attitudes toward teaching and learning Standard English
Develop a lesson series or unit plan which deals with selected language area, targeted at a specific class of learners, related to language use within the content area of teacher's choice

CORE/ELECTIVE

This graduate course can be used as a core course in the Literacy Foundations thematic area in the 24-credit Reading Endorsement program, as 3 elective credits for those in the 12-credit Literary Education program, or as a stand-alone course.

INSTRUCTOR

Dr. Kerri Wenger, Assistant Professor, College of Education, Eastern Oregon University. Site Coordinator, ESOL program at EOU branch campus. 10 years K-adult experience as French and Spanish foreign language teacher, English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher, language arts and family literacy specialist. (B.A., English, B.A., Secondary Education, University of Wyoming; Ed.M., Ph.D., Washington State University)

TARGET
AUDIENCE

K-12 teachers and those seeking a Reading Endorsement.

TIME
COMMITMENT

Students should expect to spend approximately 9 hours per week for 10 weeks in course-related activities (e.g., reading the text and course materials, posting to discussion forums, completing written reports/papers and classroom-based assignments). This course is online and does not require in-person attendance. Assignments are completed on the learner's time schedule and are due as posted.

TEXTBOOKS

Textbooks are required for this course. You will be sent the textbook titles and suggested purchase locations when you register for the course. You should also have access to a tape recorder and audiotapes for collection of speech samples.

CONTACT(S)

For more details on this course, please contact Dr. Kerri Wenger, Eastern Oregon University.