4326 Children's Literature

University of Puerto Rico in Ponce
Dean of Academic Affairs

English Department PO Box 7186

Ponce, PR. 00732

SYLLABUS

I. Course Title: Children’s Literature

II. Code Number: ENGL 4326

III. Semester: August-December 2007

IV. Credits: Three

V. Contact Hours: Three class hours per week ( 45 hrs. per semester)

VI. Prerequisite: Two years or twelve credits completed in English courses

VII. Description: Literature course for teachers. It consists of a selection of English folklore, contemporary American literature, and translated international classics within children’s literature. It includes a study of literacy criticism and values focusing on how to teach these.

VIII. Objectives:
A. General

English 4326 is a course intended to help teachers or soon to be teachers in order to:

1. analyze masterpieces of children’s literature so as to consider them not simply as reading material for young people, but as compelling works of the imagination of interest to any sensitive reader.
2. develop children’s awareness of the existing enchantment in books.
3. transmit to their students the literary heritage contained in nursery rhymes, traditional tales, and great novels.
4. evaluate and select books for children based on determining their quality and adequacy.


**By following the concept of inclusion expressed in Law 51, the students with special needs and disabilities will have a least restrictive environment to work in.

Tel: (787)844-8181 Ext. 23242325 “Patrono con igualdad en el empleo

M/M/V/D.” Fax: (787)813-0306
“Equal Employment Opportunity Employer M/W/V/D.”




Syllabus ENGL 4326 Page 2
Children’s Literature

B. Specific

Throughout the presentation of the discussion of the various issues and the different material to be used in teaching literature to children, the teachers enrolled in this course will be able to develop the following skills and activities with at least 70% of proficiency.

1.1 define children’s literature
1.2 value literature intended for children
1.3 create awareness of the importance of selecting literature for children according to their age level, preference and interests
1.4 point out what teachers must be concerned within teaching literature
1.5 list the advantages of a student in learning to love literature
1.6 classify the elements of fictions in terms of characterization, plot, setting, theme, point of view, style, tone and symbol
1.7 define several sub genres of fantasy
1.8 clarify historical notions and concepts of the history of children’s literature
1.9 analyze the role of literature upon children in their psychological development using:
a. Piaget’s Cognitive Development theory
b. Erickson’s Psychosocial Development theory
c. Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Reasoning
d. Bandura’s Vicarious Learning
e. Other psychological development theories
1.10 recognize the basic changing needs of children as they grow through the trend of children’s literature and relate these to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
1.11 determine the appropriate criterion to evaluate various types of children’s literature such as folktales, fables, myths, epics, modern fantasy, modern fiction, poetry, historical fiction, biography and informational books.
1.12 investigate the historical background of Mother Goose stories and Nursery Rhymes
1.13 evaluate different types of poetry for children
1.14 select suitable poetry for children
1.15 interpret selected poems for children
1.16 develop well informed criterion in the selection of stories
1.17 compare and contrast forms of literature such as biographies, historical fiction, fantasy , modern fantasy, etc.
1.18 apply teaching methods to the art of introducing literature to children
1.19 provide teaching suggestions and resources
1.20 integrate the teaching of literature throughout the curriculum
1.21 create awareness of students with disabilities academic needs
1.22 plan and design didactic material for disabled students
1.23 value students with learning disabilities and physical impediments

IX. Textbook

Barbara, K. , Hepler, S., & Hickman, J. ( 2007). Charlotte Huck’s children’s literature. (9th ed. ) McGraw Hill

X. References

Cullinan, B.E., & Galda, L., (2006). Literature and the child. ( 6th ed.)Thomson Learning


Cullinan, B.E., & Galda, L., (2002). Literature and the child. ( 5th ed.)Thomson Learning


Glazer, J.I., (1997). Introduction to children’s literature. ( 2nd ed.) Prentice-Hall, Inc.


Lukens, R.J., (1999). A critical handbook of children’s literature. ( 6th ed.) Addison – Wesley Longman, Inc.


Mikkelesen, N., ( 2000). Words and Pictures: Lessons in children’s literature and literacies. McGraw Hill.


Sutherland, Z. (1994). Children and books.(9th ed.) Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers Inc.
XI. Technological Resources
A. Computer
1. Microsoft Office
a. Word
b. PowerPoint

2. Internet MSN Web Links
Folktales, Poems and Stories
a. http://www.pittedu/7Edash/folktexts.html
b. http://www.pantheon.org/areas/folklore/folktales/
c. http://www.longlongtimeago.com/llta_folktales.html
d. http://www.hanschristianandersen/~dash/folktexts.html or Folklore and MythologyElectronic Texts
e. http://www.cis.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1993/2/93.02.12.x.html
or Puerto Rican Folktales by Doris M. Vazquez
f. http://www.hevanet.com/grand/pages/Books_Juan%20Bobo.html
g. http://www.ccc.uprh.edu/download/modules/INGL_TTHAG.pdf or University of Puerto Rico at Humacao Center of Communication
h. http://www.online-literature.com/hans_christian_andersen/
i. http://www.who2.com/thebrothersgrimm.html
j. http://grimm.thefreelibrary.com/
k. http://www.rooneydesign.com/gallery.html Mother Goose Rhymes ( the meaning behind each rhyme)
l. http://aarong.sasktelwebsite.net/page16.html Mother Goose Rhymes ( the meaning behind each rhyme)


XII. Student Evaluation

100 Special Projects: Children’s literature for students with disabilities
(Access Assistive Technology blog)
http://lourdes-tecnologiaasistiva.blogspot.com/


100 Group Oral Presentation on Genres of literature

100 ea. 2 partial tests


100 Mini Lesson