EEC3301 - General Teaching Methods in Early Childhood Education: Pre-K to Grade 3

Academic Dean’s Contact Information

LAKELAND DEAN’S OFFICE: LLC 2255              PHONE: (863) 297-1024
WINTER HAVEN DEAN’S OFFICE: WSC 101      PHONE: (863) 297-1020

Polk State College Mission and Program Outcomes

Polk State College, a quality driven institution, transforms lives through the power of education by providing access to affordable associate and baccalaureate degrees, career certificates and workforce employment programs, delivered by diverse, qualified faculty and staff. In line with this purpose, Polk State’s Associate in Science and baccalaureate degree programs develop competence in career areas. This course focuses on the development of competencies related to the following program outcomes:

1. Demonstration of Florida Educator Accomplished Practices (FEAPs)
2. Demonstration of Competencies and Skills for Teacher Certification (C&S)
3. Demonstration of Florida Reading Endorsement Competency One (Foundations of Reading)

Upon successful completion of this course, students are able to:

1.a Align instruction with state-adopted standards at the appropriate level of rigor.

1.c Design instruction for students to achieve mastery.

1.d Select appropriate formative assessments to monitor learning.

3.a Deliver engaging and challenging lessons.

Competencies and Skills for Teacher Certification (C&S)

Developmental Knowledge

Upon successful completion of this course students are able to:

2.5     Interpret professional standards set by early childhood and elementary educational

organizations.

3.1     Identify and apply developmentally appropriate practices that guide effective

instruction.

3.4     Identify and analyze strategies for short- and long-term planning to set instructional

goals that align with standards and develop teacher objectives.

3.5     Identify strategies for designing appropriate objectives, and develop, implement,

and assess lesson plans.

3.8       Identify and apply characteristics of an integrated curriculum.

3.11     Analyze and evaluate the use of evidence-based practices to improve student

achievement.

4.4       Select and apply strategies, including the use of technology, for presenting

instruction and concepts related to health, safety, and nutrition.

6.4       Identify procedures for appropriately using authentic assessments.

Language Arts and Reading

Upon successful completion of this course, students are able to:

1.1       Identify the content of emergent literacy.

Reading Endorsement Competency One - Foundations of Reading Instruction

A. Comprehension

Upon successful completion of this course, students are able to:

1.A.1    Apply skills that build oral and written language and facilitate comprehension.

1.A.2    Indicate the importance of learning syntax, semantics, pragmatics, vocabulary,

and text structures that are required for comprehension of the formal written language of school (often called “academic language”).

1.A.3    Analyze the impact of text upon reading comprehension (e.g., genre, readability,

coherence, text structure, and text complexity).

1.A.4    Analyze the interaction of reader characteristics, motivation, purpose of reading,

and text elements as they impact comprehension and student engagement. 

1.A.5    Identify cognitive targets (e.g., locate/recall; integrate/interpret; and

critique/evaluate) and the role of cognitive development in the construction of

meaning of literary and informational texts.

1.A.6    Analyze reading as a process of constructing meaning from a wide variety of

print and digital texts and as an activity performed for a variety of purposes.

1.A.7    Determine the reading demands posed by domain-specific texts.

1.A.8   Evaluate effective comprehension processes as they rely on well developed

language, strong inference making, background knowledge, comprehension

monitoring, and self-correcting.

1.A.9    Evaluate how English Language Learners’ linguistic and cultural background

influence their comprehension.

1.A.10  Evaluate the role of formal and informal assessment of comprehension in making

instructional decisions to meet individual student needs.     

2. Oral Language

Upon successful completion of this course, students are able to:

1.B.1    Analyze how students’ development of phonology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics

relates to comprehending written language. 

1.B.2    Evaluate the differences between social and academic language.

1.B.3    Determine how writing enhances the development of oral language.

1.B.4    Analyze the variation in students’ oral language exposure and development and

determine how these factors lead to the requirement of differentiated instruction.

1.B.5    Recognize the importance of English Language Learners’ home languages, and their

significance in the process of learning to read English.

1.B.6    Assess the role of formal and informal oral language assessment to make

instructional decisions that meet individual student needs.

3. Phonological Awareness

Upon successful completion of this course, students are able to:

1.C.1   Apply phonology as it relates to language development and reading achievement

(e.g., phonological processing, phonemic awareness skills, phonemic analysis, and

synthesis). 

1.C.2   Recognize the phonological continuum beginning with sensitivity to large and

concrete units of sound (i.e., words and syllables) and progressing to small and abstract units of sound (i.e., onset-rimes and phonemes).

1.C.3   Recognize that writing, in conjunction with phonological awareness, enhances

reading development.

1.C.4   Distinguish both phonological and phonemic differences in language and their

applications in written and oral discourse patterns (e.g., language and dialect differences).                                                                                                                

1.C.5   Recognize similarities and differences in sound production between English and other

languages affect English Language Learners’ reading development in English.       

1.C.6   Assess the role of formal and informal phonological awareness assessment to make

instructional decisions to meet individual student needs.

4. Phonics

Upon successful completion of this course, students are able to:

1.D.1   Reflect that phonological units (i.e., words, syllables, onset-rimes, and phonemes)

map onto orthographic units (i.e., words, rimes, and letters) in alphabetic languages.

1.D.2   Study sound-spelling patterns and phonics (i.e., grapheme-phoneme correspondence

rules). 

1.D.3   Review structural analyses of words.

1.D.4   Recognize that both oral language and writing can be used to enhance phonics

instruction.                                                                                                                     

1.D.5   Assess the role of formal and informal phonics assessment to make instructional

decisions to meet individual student needs.

5. Fluency

Upon successful completion of this course, students are able to:

1.E.1    Review the components of reading fluency: accuracy, expression, and rate, and that

these impact reading endurance and comprehension.

1.E.2    Reflect that effective readers demonstrate flexibility by adjusting their reading rate to

accommodate the kinds of texts they are reading in order to facilitate

comprehension.                                                                                                                

1.E.3    Review the relationships among fluency, word recognition, and

comprehension.                                                                                                                

1.E.4    Recognize that both oral language and writing enhance fluency in instruction.

1.E.5    Assess the role of formal and informal fluency assessment to make instructional

decisions to meet individual student needs.

6. Vocabulary

Upon successful completion of this course, students are able to:

1.F.1  Apply receptive and expressive vocabulary instruction to a student’s acquisition of

    word meanings for multiple oral and written contexts.  

1.F.2    Assess morphology as it relates to vocabulary development (e.g., morphemes,

inflectional and derivational morphemes, and morphemic analysis). 

1.F.3    Identify principles of semantics as they relate to vocabulary development (e.g.,

antonyms, synonyms, figurative language, etc.).

1.F.4    Assess the domain-specific vocabulary demands of academic language.   

1,F.5    Reflect that writing can be used to enhance vocabulary instruction. 

1.F.6    Assess the role of formal and informal vocabulary assessment to make instructional

decisions to meet individual student needs.

7. Integration of the Reading Components

Upon successful completion of this course, students are able to:

1.G.1   Identify language characteristics related to social and academic language.

1.G.2   Identify phonemic, semantic, and syntactic variability between English and other

languages.

1.G.3   Review the interdependence between each of the reading components and their effect

upon reading as a process for native speakers of English and English Language Learners.

1.G.4   Consider the impact of oral language, writing, and an information-intensive

environment upon reading development

1.G.5   Review the importance of comprehension monitoring and self-correcting in

            increasing reading proficiency.

1.G.6   Assess the role of formal and informal reading assessment to make instructional

decisions to meet individual student needs. 

Additional Course Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students are able to:

Apply appropriate teaching methods and strategies to meet the instructional needs of diverse learners in a variety of settings. 

Course Content:

1. Foundations of Reading Instruction
2. Characteristics of Diverse Learners
3. Teaching Methods for Preschool Populations

1. Preschool Standards
2. Instructional Methodology
3. Lesson Planning
4. Lesson Delivery

4. Teaching Methods for School Age Populations

1. Common Core State Standards
2. Instructional Methodology
3. Lesson Planning
4. Lesson Delivery

5. Bringing it All Together

            Design and teach a unit of study appropriate for diverse student learners.

Textbook and Other Requirements

Textbook information is provided in the course syllabus, at the campus bookstore, on the campus bookstore website (www.polk.bncollege.com), or via the “Shop Textbook” button on the PASSPORT schedule of classes.

The Gordon Rule

This is not a Gordon Rule course.

Student Help

The professor is available for help during posted hours and by appointment during other non-class hours. Students are encouraged to seek assistance from the professor. To further the educational process, the campus Learning Resources Centers, comprised of the Teaching/Learning and Computing Center (TLCC) JDA Student Success Center, and library, are available for student use. Each resource provides qualified staff and up-to-date equipment and facilities to promote students’ academic success. The TLCCs and JDA Student Success Center provide tutoring services, computing resources, and other instructional support. The library provides information resources, individual and group study space, research assistance, information literacy instruction, and computing resources. Each facility provides free wireless access to the Internet. Polk State College Library, Student Success Center, and TLCC hours of operation and tutoring schedules are posted at each facility and on the College website.

Withdrawing From a Course

Students may officially withdraw from course(s) during any given term, provided they follow the appropriate policy and procedure. Following the conclusion of the Drop/Add Period, a student may officially withdraw without academic penalty from any credit course, provided he or she has submitted the appropriate forms to the Student Services Office no later than the published deadline. The published deadline reflects approximately (but no more than) 70% of the term, based upon the course’s scheduled duration. It is the student’s responsibility to submit these withdrawal forms; failure to do so may result in a grade of F in the course. Under the Forgiveness Policy, a student is allowed only three attempts in any one course: one initial enrollment and two repeats. A student is not allowed to withdraw from a third course attempt. Limited admission programs may have specific guidelines regarding course withdrawal that vary from this policy. Individuals should refer to the student handbook for that program for more information. If a student stops attending class, the grade earned, usually an F, is assigned and posted. Prior to withdrawing from a course, the student should consult with the Financial Aid Office to determine what impact, if any, withdrawal from the course will have on his or her financial aid status. A student cannot use course withdrawal to avoid academic dishonesty penalties. A student who has been penalized for academic dishonesty in a course is not eligible to withdraw from the course.

Repeating a Course

Under the Forgiveness Policy, a student is allowed only three attempts in any one college credit course: one initial enrollment and two repeats. Under certain circumstances, a student may petition to repeat a credit course beyond the three attempts. Limited admission programs may have specific guidelines regarding repeating a course that vary from this policy. Individuals should refer to the student handbook for that program for more information. The student should be aware that repeating a course may result in a higher course cost. A course cannot be repeated unless the previously earned grade is a D, F, or W (the Polk State College Catalog provides further details regarding this process). Prior to repeating a course, the student should consult with the Financial Aid Office to determine what impact, if any, repeating the course will have on his or her financial aid status.

Academic Dishonesty

Each student is responsible for his or her work. It is assumed that each student is honest and will abide by this standard; however, in the event that there is an indication or suspicion of cheating/plagiarism, the situation shall be dealt with in accordance with the published College policy. Copies of this policy are available in the Student Services Office. Students should also refer to the course syllabus for more specific information.

Information Technology Access/Use Policy

All individuals who employ the information technology resources provided by Polk State College (this includes, but is not limited to, telephones, computers, the Polk State College Local Area and Wide Area Networks, and the Internet) must use these resources for academic purposes only. Use of these resources is a privilege, not a right. Inappropriate use can result in revocation or suspension of this privilege.

Equal Access/Opportunity

Polk State College is an equal access/equal opportunity institution committed to excellence through diversity in education and employment. The College complies with all state and federal laws granting rights to students, employees, and applicants for employment or admission to the College. Polk State College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, age, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, genetic information, disability, or pregnancy in its programs, activities, or employment.

The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:
Valparisa Baker
Director, Equity & Diversity (Title IX Coordinator)
999 Avenue H NE
Winter Haven, FL 33881-4299
Office: WAD 227, 863.292.3602 Ext. 5378, vbaker@polk.edu.

Equal Opportunity For Students With Disabilities

The College complies with The Americans with Disabilities Act and provides equal educational opportunity for qualified individuals. A student with a disability who requires special accommodations or auxiliary aids under The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) should contact the Student Services Office on either campus and speak with a Disability Services Advisor or the Coordinator of Disability Services. Note: Limited admission programs may have performance restrictions that apply. Restrictions (where applicable) are outlined in each program’s student handbook.

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