Literacy Development in Education

The aim of the course is that students acquire basic knowledge of Swedish and subject-specific teaching methodology. The course deals with basic reading and writing skills and strategies for supporting pupils language, reading, and writing development. Students acquire the skills and understanding required to teach a heterogeneous group of pupils, and therefore the course focuses on perspectives on first and second language learning and gender equality. Module I: Basic reading and writing (7.5 ECTS cr) The module deals with how children learn to read and write. The course also covers the steering documents for the Swedish subject, reading and writing education from the perspectives of first and second language learning, the development of childrens linguistic awareness, theories of literacy and early reading and writing, and the integration of digital tools and multimodal resources in teaching. Module II: Learning and teaching writing (7.5 ECTS cr) The module deals with different theories of and approaches to pupils writing development from the perspectives of first and second language learning. Based on central discourses of writing pedagogy, the module covers different text types in terms of structure and linguistic traits, basic grammatical concepts, and how knowledge of language structure provides support for pupils reading and writing development. Students acquire an essential metalanguage for childrens literacy, reading, and writing development. In addition, the module covers how digital tools and multimodal resources can be integrated in teaching to promote pupils writing development. Module III: Learning and teaching reading (7.5 ECTS cr) The module deals with theoretical perspectives on and approaches to pupils reading development from the perspectives of first and second language learning. The module focuses on how different models of an strategies for reading comprehension can be used in teaching. Another component is analysis of fiction based on concepts of literary analysis and pedagogical methods for reading literature, both fiction and non-fiction. Yet another component in this module is oral story-telling as a teaching tool and how multilingual and intercultural perspectives can be included in teaching in the Swedish subject. Module IV: Assessment and reading and writing difficulties (7.5 ECTS cr) The module deals with assessment and documentation of pupils reading and writing development, as well as theories of reading and writing difficulties. Based on the steering documents for the Swedish subject and linguistic concepts, the module covers different ways of documenting and assessing pupils reading and writing. The module also treats different approaches to supporting pupils with language, reading, and writing difficulties, both in terms of prevention and in terms of remedial measures.