Literacy for Language Teachers

Course Description

When Language teachers discuss literacy, traditionally reading, writing, listening, and speaking are seen as the core aspects of becoming literate in a language. However, those pieces are only a part of the larger mosaic of language literacy in the modern world. Literacy is now defined as an “increasingly collaborative activity, where negotiation, analysis, and awareness of (the) audience are as critical as understanding or creating a message.” In this course, participants will explore the question of what makes someone literate and how to achieve literacy with students at the secondary level. Teachers will come away with strategies, activities, and assessments that they can use immediately in their classes. 

Course Rationale 

This course would be a great way for both novice and experienced teachers to connect with other teachers, collaborate on activities, and reflect deeply on how and why they teach. There will be many opportunities for creating lessons and brainstorming activities. The lessons, assignments, discussion topics, and writing prompts of this course can easily be modified to fit any language class at the middle, secondary, or university level.  The course will rely heavily on the performance descriptors, sample performance indicators and sample progress indicators included in the revised he ACTFL Standards for Intercultural Competence.

What participants are saying about this course

"Very good choices of interesting articles that made me look at the text in new ways. There was also a lot to learn from colleagues--I wish we had had more in the class for a longer period of time!"

Required Texts 

Van Patten, Bill. While We’re On The Topic. The American Council of Foreign Language Teachers 978-1-942544-58-6

Hawkins, Maris and Florencia Henshaw. Common Ground. Hackett Publishing.

Menke, Mandy and Kate Paesani. Literacies in Language Education. Georgetown University Press. ISBN: 9781647123321

Course Delivery 

Online weekly learning modules, collaborative discussion boards and instructor feedback. This course is not self-paced. 

Students who matriculate into an Instructor-Facilitated course should adhere to the dates listed on the website. Final coursework should be submitted within one week after the course end date. Course extensions beyond one week are subject to a $50 fee.

About the Instructor

Maureen Lamb, Instructor. Read more about Maureen here.

Click here to request a syllabus.