Course Description
Literacy in additional languages was a key focus of my graduate work in applied linguistics. In particular, I have been concerned with the disconnect between cognitive and sociocultural views of literacy development, which has led to very different priorities and strategies for language learners. I have designed multiple courses on literacy and reading for the MAFLT Program.
Literacy and Biliteracy
+ Pedagogy of Reading and Writing
This course takes a broad view of literacy in one’s first language and in second and foreign languages, ranging from the cognitive processes of reading to the roles that reading and writing play in our lives.
Topics will include components of literacy skills in multiple languages and writing systems; sociocultural approaches to literacy and literacy practices; ways of analyzing the increasingly wide range of texts that language learners will need to interpret and produce; digital literacies; and specific pedagogical approaches for developing reading and writing in language courses. In addition to reading about and working with important theoretical concepts related to literacy and the pedagogy of reading and writing through discussions and weekly tasks, students will engage in observations of literacy practices, collaborate on the design of activities and lessons, and develop a major writing task for language learners that draws on principles of process writing, peer interaction, corrective feedback, strategies, and assessment.
Reading in a Foreign Language
Reading is one of the most complex tasks that human minds have learned to do over the last several thousand years, and yet we often take it for granted. Learning to read again in an additional language brings us back to the precise and demanding levels of identification and awareness that allow us to decode writing into meaningful text. We can transfer some of our reading skills into the new language, but we must also resist interference and develop new skills. This course covers the processes and pedagogy of reading in second and foreign languages, ranging from the cognitive processes of reading to the roles that literacy plays in our lives. Topics will include components of literacy skills in multiple languages and writing systems; sociocultural approaches to literacy and literacy practices; ways of analyzing the increasingly wide range of texts that language learners will need to interpret and produce; digital literacies; and specific pedagogical approaches for developing reading and other aspects of literacy in language courses. The topics we discuss will be relevant for learners of various target languages, from young beginning readers to highly proficient users of multiple languages. In addition to weekly discussions and tasks, students in this course will design activities and lessons for teaching reading, analyze texts in the target language, critique current research on literacy and biliteracy, and conduct a case study of reading development in language learners.
