GEC7210

Language, literacy and literature in education

E M Pascoe

6 points
* 2 hours per weekend school
* First semester
* Gippsland and distance

Objectives Upon successful completion of this subject, students should be able to examine and critically evaluate young people's literature in order to formulate selection criteria; assess reader response by sharing literature with young people; examine the reading needs and interests of young people, in order to encourage and promote wider reading; examine the question of literacy from a sociolinguistic viewpoint; and introduce students to strategies for developing literacy in the school.

Synopsis The subject includes (1) some basic sociolinguistic concepts - language and attitudes to language, the primitive language myth, standard and nonstandard English, language structure and language use; (2) sociolinguistics of literacy - functional literacy, influences on children's language - family, school and peer group, communication and content area reading-subject registers, reading for meaning and decoding to sound, libraries and the growth of literacy; (3) literature for young people - introduction to the range of literature available to young people, approaches to literary criticism, examination of the child as reader, the reading needs and interests of young people, issues of content and formulation of selection criteria, historical antecedents of modern literature for young people, introduction to particular themes and genres, a study of selected authors, promotion of reading by evaluating a range of teaching strategies and encouraging reader response, catering for special groups, eg ethnic minorities and those with learning disabilities; (4) the role of the librarian as a cooperating team member in promoting literature across the curriculum. The subject is taught by readings, lectures, tutorials and study guides.

Assessment Two assignments (1200 words each): 30% each
* One assignment (2000 words): 40%

Recommended texts

Hunt P Children's literature: The development of criticism Routledge, 1992
Saxby M R and Winch G Give them wings: The experience of children's literature Macmillan,1987
Stubbs M Language, schools and classrooms 2nd edn, Methuen, 1983