1. Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Syllabus for EME 874, Language Arts in the Curriculum
Credit hours: 3
Instructor:
Office:
Phone:
Email:
2. Course Description: Examination of current trends and curriculum problems related to
teaching of language arts. Major emphasis on listening, oral and written expression, spelling,
and handwriting.
3. Texts: Gail Tompkins. (2006). Language Arts Essentials. Prentice Hall.
4. Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, through review of current literature, participation in class
discussions, and performance on tests and other assigned activities, the student should
demonstrate the following:
1. Knowledge of the theoretical concepts which underlie and tie together the various aspects of
the language arts. KTS I Content
2. Ability to identify and evaluate innovative trends in the teaching of the language arts. KTS I,
KTS II Pedagogy
3. Knowledge of the subskills in each of the major language arts areas and their interrelatedness.
KTS I Content
4. Ability to plan and execute lessons for teaching a single strategy or skill in the language arts.
KTS I, II, III, & IV Pedagogy
5. Knowledge of Kentucky's State Department requirements and professional organizations'
recommendations for language arts instruction. KTS I, II Pedagogy
6. Knowledge of authors, illustrators, and titles of recently published quality children’s resources
and ability to select those which are relevant to children's needs, value multicultural themes,
and address a variety of learning styles. KTS I, II Content, Pedagogy
7. Knowledge of all genres of writing and the most appropriate ways of teaching them to
children. KTS I Content, Pedagogy
8. Skill in the preparation of instructional materials to encourage appreciation of language,
enhance lessons, and provide reinforcement of skills. KTS I, II, & III Pedagogy
9. Ability to identify motivational techniques which promote appreciation of language, books,
and other resources for personal growth and lifelong learning. KTS II, III Pedagogy,
Dispositions
10. Ability to assess needs and organize an instructional program in language arts that provides
for individual and diverse needs of children. KTS I, II, III, & V Pedagogy
11. Ability to develop a system for evaluating progress in the language arts that includes selfevaluation by children. KTS V Pedagogy
12. Ability to examine social attitudes toward dialectal variations and nonstandard usage and their
implications for instruction. KTS II, III Pedagogy, Dispositions
13. Ability to develop collections of appropriate resources, including technology resources,
related to a theme appropriate for teaching in a P-8 classroom. KTS I, III Pedagogy
14. Dispositions appropriate for teaching P-8 children language arts. KTS II, III Dispositions
5. Evaluation Methods:
Points
70
70
260
70
100
100
Response Assignments (DB)
Module Tasks/Assignments
Lesson Plans
Quizzes
Dispositions
Final Project
Total
Grading Scale:
92 – 100% = A
83 – 91% = B
74 – 82% = C
65 – 73% = D
Below 64% = F
Due
Weekly
See Modules
Weekly
see Modules
Weekly
12-8-13
670
(616-670 pts.)
(556-615 pts.)
(496-555 pts.)
(435-495 pts.)
(below 435 pts.)
Evaluation:
All course requirements must be completed original work for this course, in Standard English,
and submitted on time. Dispositions are evaluated throughout the course within each module
and include professional dispositions (punctuality, preparedness, professionalism, effective
oral and written communication skills, appreciation for diversity, self-reflection, and
willingness to accept feedback) and personal dispositions (positive attitude, appropriate
interaction, and positive perception of self and others). Each student will receive a
dispositions/participation grade for the course which is 15% of the final course grade. Each
student begins with 100 points for dispositions/participation upon completion of the
Introductory Module (IM). If an assignment or posting is submitted late, the student will lose
points. If an assignment is submitted within 24 hours of the due date the
dispositions/participation grade will be reduced by 10 % of the assignment value, if submitted
within 48 hours the grade will be reduced by 20%, and so on. (For example, and assignment
worth 100 points and due at 8:00 am on Monday which was submitted at 8:00 am on
Wednesday would result in the dispositions grade being reduced to 80 points). Students will
also lose points for demonstrating ineffective communication (including work submitted with
numerous errors in mechanics), inappropriate interaction, and ineffective self-evaluation
(unwillingness to self-evaluate work as directed). Assignments submitted 1 week after the
due date will receive a grade but will not receive feedback. No work will be accepted
after 3:00 p.m. on the last day of class for the semester (March 9, 2014). Plagiarized work
(that copied from another source or another student) will receive a failing grade.
Incomplete grades will adhere to the University policy for incompletes. Only students who
have experienced a legitimate extenuating circumstance during the semester that has
prevented the completion of work as scheduled will be considered for an incomplete.
Extenuating circumstances that qualify include severe personal illness, personal involvement
in an accident resulting in serious injury, and death in the immediate family, or like
occurrences. In these situations the instructor will consider granting an incomplete when
three conditions have been met: (1) the student has notified the instructor about the
circumstance preventing the completion of work as scheduled as soon as possible after the
occurrence, (2) the student has provided the instructor with documentation (documentation is
required by the university) proving a legitimate extenuating circumstance has occurred and
has kept the instructor informed (as s/he is able) about the potential for the completion of
work or a request for an alternate timeline, and (3) the student has completed at least 75% of
the work for the course. The process outlined by the university is followed if an incomplete is
granted.
Eastern Kentucky University has officially established expectations for class preparation, and
these expectations are available in the EKU Student Handbook. EME 874 adheres to this
policy. Students are expected to come to (online) class prepared, having completed all
readings and course assignments as specified in the CLASS SCHEDULE for the current
semester.
6. Student Progress: Student progress is regularly recorded and maintained in the Blackboard
course site. Assignments will be assessed and returned to students in a timely manner,
generally within one week of submission.
7. Attendance Policy:
Absences from discussions (or non-participation) equating 20% of class meetings (2 or
more sessions) will result in automatic failure as per University policy. Class discussions
missed as a result of late entry (on discussion forums) will be counted as absences. The
student is responsible for presenting adequate reason for absence from online participation to
the instructor in order to be given opportunity to make up missed work. (Adequate reasons
include personal illness, death or serious illness in the immediate family, or participation in an
approved university activity.) Please note the University Policy on attendance during the first
week of class; if you do not participate during the first few days of class, you will be
dropped from the course. You may be allowed to re-register for the course if a spot is
available, but will not be eligible for an override if the course is full.
8. Last day to drop course or to withdraw from the University are included in the class schedule.
9. Disability Statement: If you are registered with the Office of Services for Individuals
with Disabilities, please make an appointment with the course instructor to discuss any
academic accommodations you need. You must provide the instructor with a letter
outlining your modifications. If you need academic accommodations and are not
registered with the Office of Services for Individuals with Disabilities, please contact the
Office on the third floor of the Student Services Building, by email at [email protected]
or by telephone at (859)622-2933 V/TDD. Upon individual request, this syllabus can be
made available in alternative forms.
10. Academic Integrity Statement: Students are advised that EKU’s Academic Integrity
policy will strictly be enforced in this course. The Academic Integrity policy is available
at www.academicintegrity.eku.edu. Questions regarding the policy may be directed to
the Office of Academic Integrity.
11. Course Requirements:
Active participation in general class online discussion
Module Assignments
Lesson plans and assessments
Instructional design project
Discussion of outside readings and written assignments in collaborative groups, and
book projects or book talks
Examination and evaluation of:
Instructional materials print and non-print
Evaluation instruments
Sources of information on language arts
Demonstration of current language arts materials and approaches
Quizzes/Examinations
12. Course Outline:
1.
Language arts areas as tools of communication
2.
Interrelatedness of the language arts areas
3.
Cognitive and linguistic aspects of the language arts (see objectives above) for these
areas:
a. Listening
b. Speaking
c. Reading
d. Writing
e. Viewing
f. Visual Representation
g. Communications Skills
a. Usage and Grammar
b. Handwriting
c. Spelling
4.
Methods and materials for teaching language arts
a. Children’s literature
b. Responding to literature
c. Sensitive issues
d. Balanced approach
5.
Mainstreaming the exceptional child in language arts
6.
Language Arts: the school, the home, and the community
7.
Influence of cultural differences
8.
Classroom organization and management for effective teaching of language arts
Official E-mail: An official EKU e-mail is established for each registered student, faculty, and
staff member. All university communications sent via e-mail will be sent to this EKU e-mail
address.
Revised January 10, 2014 by Michael A. Martin