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Faculty of Education Simon Fraser University Calendar | Fall 2013

Literacy Instruction

Certificate

This program offers basic accreditation in adult and community literacy education to prepare students to teach literacy skills to adult learners. It is for those who seek a practical credential as part of their undergraduate degree, to enhance adult education and community development skills within the chosen program of study, and/or support entry into the field of adult literacy education. The program offers guided practice and supervision in a literacy education setting. There is an option to undertake the practicum in a French language literacy setting, subject to instructor availability.

General certificate regulations apply (see http://students.sfu.ca/calendar/for_students/credential_definitions.html). Completion of the certificate is normally within five years of admission to the program.

The certificate program cannot be used in place of the Faculty of Education’s professional development program or equivalent as a means to obtain a British Columbia teaching certificate.

Admission Requirements

Admission to Simon Fraser University is required, together with formal program application to the Faculty of Education (undergraduate programs) . Students should meet with a Faculty of Education advisor to complete the application process.

Before applying for program admission, applicants normally will have achieved successful completion, with a minimum C+ grade, of the following.

  • EDUC 342-3 Contemporary Approaches to Literacy Instruction

Program Requirements

Units applied to this certificate may not be applied to any other Simon Fraser University certificate or diploma, but they may be applied toward major or minor program requirements or toward a bachelor’s degree under regulations governing those programs.

At least 10 of the 20 required units must be completed at Simon Fraser University.

Students are required to achieve a minimum 2.0 grade point average (GPA), calculated on all Simon Fraser University courses applied to the program, with the exception that duplicate courses are counted only once.

Students complete a minimum total of 20 units, including one of

EDUC 311 - Foundations in Aboriginal Education, Language, and Culture (3)

An introduction to Aboriginal education in Canada and BC. There will be a critical examination of historical and contemporary issues in education and an exploration of culturally based Aboriginal education grounded in Aboriginal philosophies. Prerequisite: 60 units. Breadth-Humanities.

FNST 101 - The Cultures, Languages and Origins of Canada's First Peoples (3)

An introduction to the nature and goals of First Nations studies as an academic discipline; survey of prehistory, traditional cultures and aboriginal languages of Canada's First Nations. Breadth-Humanities/Social Sciences. Breadth-Humanities/Social Science.

and all of

EDUC 341 - Literacy, Education and Culture (3)

Literacy has a far-reaching impact on the creation of knowledge, the organization of society, and the formation of institutions. This course explores leading policies, practices and ideologies guiding literacy education for adults, youth, and children in formal and informal education settings, in which traditional print literacy and digital literacy cultures intersect. This course is required for the certificate in literacy instruction. Prerequisite: 60 units including three in EDUC courses. Breadth-Humanities.

EDUC 342 - Contemporary Approaches to Literacy Instruction (3)

This course focuses on innovative approaches to literacy instruction in adult learning and out-of-school settings. Topics to be explored include voice and agency, engagement, assessment and meeting the needs of diverse learners through storytelling, writing, dance, drama, music, visual and digital arts. This course is appropriate for people with an interest in literacy education who may or may not have experience facilitating literacy learning. This is a required course for the certificate in literacy instruction. Prerequisite: 60 units including three in EDUC courses.

EDUC 343 - Literacy Practicum (5)

The literacy practicum is the vehicle through which students in the Certificate in Literacy Instruction implement and evaluate the model of adult literacy instruction developed in EDUC 342. Implementation may occur in a variety of contexts and institutions with adults; the literacy practicum will be supervised and may involve supervised teaching, curriculum developments, or research field work. Prerequisite: EDUC 342.

and a minimum of six units, selected with approval from the Faculty of Education advisor, from the following list of multidisciplinary courses, or from approved 400 division EDUC special topics courses related to literacy in education.

CMNS 226 - Digital Media Communication Techniques (3)

This course introduces students to a variety of digital media communication technologies and techniques, including image and sound capturing and manipulation, Internet-based publishing and research, digitizing, editing and archiving. Design and management tasks involved in communicating using digital media are also introduced, including audio and video editing and processing, data integrity management, file structuring and packaging, and work presentation. Prerequisite: CMNS 110 and 130. CMNS 220 recommended. Students with credit for CMNS 286 may not complete this course for further credit.

EDUC 240 - Social Issues in Education (3)

Social functions of the school; education and socialization; social, political, economic and cultural influences on the institutions and practices of education. May be applied towards the certificate in liberal arts.

EDUC 252 - Introduction to Reflective Practice (4)

Provides opportunities for prospective educators to begin their development as reflective practitioners. Through readings, classroom activities and discussions, and interactions with students and practicing teachers, students will be exposed to various educational issues and questions. They will be given time to explore their own values and beliefs about education and teaching. Time may be spent observing in a selection of educational settings, and there may be opportunities to work with learners individually, and in small and large groups. Students enrolled in or with credit for EDUC 401, 402, 403 or holding a teaching certificate may not take this course for credit.

EDUC 325 - Assessment for Classroom Teaching (3)

A survey of assessment methods that contribute to improving teaching and learning, and for making judgments and decisions about qualities of teaching, the classroom environment, and student achievement and growth. Topics include: goal and task analysis, validity and reliability, observing and assessing classroom processes and environments, self-report methods, assessing student achievement, published tests of achievement and aptitude, marking and reporting. Prerequisite: EDUC 220.

EDUC 351 - Teaching the Older Adult (3)

This is a basic course in adult education for students from all disciplines, of particular interest to those working (or preparing to work) with older adults. The goal is to assist students to develop more effective strategies for meeting the needs of an aging population through education. Prerequisite: 60 units.

EDUC 382 - Diversity in Education: Theories, Policies, Practices (4)

An examination of the impact of social diversity on schooling in Canada exploring contemporary issues and perspectives on diversity education as they relate to cultural, ethnic, racial, linguistic, religious, economic, and gender differences. Prerequisite: 60 units. Students who have received credit for EDUC 441, EDUC 382-4 Special Topics from Fall 2003-3 on, may not take this course for further credit.

or EDUC 441 - Multicultural and Anti-racist Education (4)

Focuses on developing approaches for multicultural and anti-racist teaching. Topics include: diversity of race, language and culture among learners; identifying the operation of racism, prejudice and discrimination in classrooms and schools; becoming familiar with a variety of approaches such as: co-operative learning, culturally appropriate assessment, and community involvement to counteract and prevent negative classroom and school dynamics; identifying bias in curriculum resources; and locating entry points in selected curriculum areas (e.g. language arts, social studies, art, music, etc.) for integrating approaches which employ a range of multicultural/anti-racist curriculum resources. Prerequisite: EDUC 401/402 or corequisite EDUC 403. Students with credit for EDUC 382: Diversity in Education: Theories, Policies, Practices may not take this course for further credit.

EDUC 422 - Learning Disabilities (4)

A study of conceptual and historic foundations of learning disabilities and an introduction to the methodologies of diagnosis and of learning disabilities. Prerequisite: PSYC 250 or corequisite of EDUC 315 or 473. Students must successfully complete a Criminal Record Check.

EDUC 467 - Curriculum and Instruction in Teaching English as an Additional Language (4)

Designed for prospective and beginning teachers to learn more about theory, research, and practice in teaching English as an additional language (EAL) in today's multilingual classrooms. Exploring an integrated approach working with learners to develop language skills through designing and delivering curriculum, instruction and assessment. Prerequisite: 60 units plus one of the following: six units of lower division EDUC course work; or completion of EDUC 401/402; or admission to the Certificate in Teaching ESL program.

EDUC 468 - Sociocultural Perspectives on Language, Cognitive Development and EAL Instruction (4)

Designed for prospective and beginning teachers to learn more about theory and research in language acquisition, sociocultural understandings of language development and thought, bilingualism and cognition, linguistic multicompetence. Exploring the implications of research and theory for the teaching and learning of EAL in classroom contexts. Prerequisite: 60 units including 6 units in Education courses.

ENGL 105W - Introduction to Issues in Literature and Culture (3)

An introduction to the study of literature within the wider cultural field, with a focus on contemporary issues across genres and media. Writing/Breadth-Humanities. Prerequisite: . Equivalent Courses: ENGL105. Writing/Breadth-Humanities.

ENGL 199W - Introduction to University Writing (3)

An introduction to reading and writing in the academic disciplines. Prerequisite: 12 units. Students with credit for ENGL 199 may not take this course for further credit. Writing.

ENGL 371 - Writing: Theory and Practice (4)

Students will engage in theoretically informed practice of writing in various non-academic genres. Emphasis will be placed on the kinds of writing that students are likely to use after graduation. Prerequisite: Two 100 division English courses and two 200 division English courses. Recommended: one of English 199/199W, 210/210W, or 214.

GERO 302 - Health Promotion and Aging (3)

This course includes an examination of the development of contemporary understanding and practice of health promotion. Students will be given the opportunity to explore theories and models designed to explain health related behaviors and the determinants of health. Strategies for behavioral change and development of socio-environmental approaches will be discussed in the context of an aging Canadian population. Prerequisite: 60 units. Recommended: GERO 300.

HUM 320 - The Humanities and Philosophy (4)

An exploration of the characteristic ways in which the humanities, with its emphasis on expression, belief and tradition, presents the important philosophical concepts of western civilization. Based upon an interdisciplinary selection of texts drawn from history, philosophy, literature and the arts. Prerequisite: 45 units. Breadth-Humanities.

HUM 321 - The Humanities and Critical Thinking (4)

A study of the counter-traditions within western civilization. Compares and contrasts diverse traditions within western culture that critique its central value systems. It will focus on the attempts of great artists and thinkers to break with tradition, and the subsequent creation of new ideas and forms of experience and expression. Prerequisite: 45 units. Breadth-Humanities.

LING 160 - Language, Culture and Society (3)

An introduction to language in its social and cultural dimensions. Students who have taken LING 260 prior to Fall 2008 may not take LING 160 for further credit. Breadth-Social Sciences.

PHIL XX1 - Critical Thinking (3)

An introduction to the evaluation of arguments as they are encountered in everyday life. The central aim will be to sharpen skills of reasoning and argumentation by understanding how arguments work and learning to distinguish those which actually prove what they set out to show from those which do not. Open to all students. Quantitative.

PSYC 106 - Psychological Issues in Contemporary Society (3)

Relates contemporary knowledge from psychology to current social problems. Provides relevant information from studies pertaining to problems such as attitude development, prejudice, race relations, addiction, behavior technology, and family pathology. Breadth-Social Sciences. Breadth-Social Sciences.

SA 304 - Social Control (S) (4)

This course examines how the organization of control (formal and informal) affects both individuals and society. It will investigate how control takes form, how it functions, the ideologies supporting it, and the resistance it produces. We will ask the following questions: who are the agents of social control; who or what do they control; and how do they control? Prerequisite: SA 101 or 150 or 201W.

SCD 201-3 Introduction to Sustainable Community Development

GSWS 309 - Gender and International Development (4)

Examines from interdisciplinary and international perspectives how development is gendered and creates differential impacts, meanings and processes for women and men around the world. Prerequisite: 15 units. Students with credit for GSWS 310 (or WS 310) Special Topic: Women and Development or GSWS 301 (or WS 301) Special Topic: Gender and Development or GSWS 309 (or WS 309) under the title Gender and Development may not take this course for further credit.

Residency Requirements and Transfer Credit

The University’s residency requirement stipulates that, in most cases, total transfer and course challenge credit may not exceed 60 units, and may not include more than 15 as upper division work.

Transfer credit for courses completed at other institutions, before or after certificate program admission, may be approved as credit used toward program fulfillment provided that at least half of the certificate program's total unit requirements are completed at Simon Fraser University. Relevant course work must be approved by the undergraduate advisor.

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