Teaching Written Language and Literature in Early Childhood Education
Code: 103680 ECTS Credits: 7| Degree | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Early Childhood Education | OB | 3 |
Contact
- Name:
- Nayme Daniela Salas
- Email:
- nayme.salas@uab.cat
Teachers
- Martina Fittipaldi
- Mireia Duran Pasola
- Maria Neus Real Mercadal
Teaching groups languages
You can view this information at the end of this document.
Prerequisites
Students are advised to have taken and passed the course entitled Teaching Oral Language in Early Childhood Education, offered during the second year of this study program, before enrolling in this course.
Objectives and Contextualisation
The course focuses mainly on the following areas,
a) the features of written language discourse and the nature of reading and writing;
b) children's learning processes concerned with the development of reading and writing skills;
c) teaching and learning how to write and how to organize written tasks in the classroom;
d) the different purposes of literary education at early ages, especially in the context of language immersion schools;
e) the characteristics of children books and literature: types and formats of printed and digital books.
f) the value of children books as educational tools to promote adult-children interaction: selection criteria to meet diverse educational goals.
g) the importance of knowing and applying evidence-based practices for the teaching of written language and literature.
At the end of the course, students must,
- Possess (linguistic, psycholinguistic, sociolinguistic and didactic) knowledge related to the processes of acquiring, teaching, and learning how to read and write.
- Know how children acquire written language and how teachers should support early readers/writers.
- Recognize effective methods for early literacy instruction and distinguish them from pedagogical approaches with low efficacy.
- Understand the purposes of early literary education and be familiar with the various characteristics of children's books.
- Have made a proposal on the kind of criteria they would use to select books for a classroom library.
- Have sketched a literary educational plan on how they would mobilise a classroom library. Some of the proposals in the plan should be implemented.
- Appreciate the value of and be skilled in searching, critically reading, and applying evidence-based practices for teaching written language and literature in the early-years classroom.
Competences
- Acquire literary education and especially get to know children's literature.
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the aims, curricular contents and criteria of evaluation of Infant Education
- Demonstrate knowledge of the evolution of the educational implications of the information and communications technology and in particular of television in early childhood.
- Express other languages and use them for educational purposes: corporal, musical, audiovisual.
- Know and master oral and written expression techniques.
- Know and properly use resources to encourage reading and writing and develop strategies for use of the school library.
- Know the language, reading and writing curriculum at this stage as well as theories on the acquisition and development of relevant learning.
- Maintain a respectful attitude for the environment (natural, social and cultural) to promote values, behaviours and practices that address gender equality, equity and respect for human rights.
- Manage information related to the professional environment for decision-making and reporting.
- Promote speaking and writing skills.
- Properly express oneself orally and in writing and master the use of different expression techniques.
- Recognize and evaluate the social reality and the interrelation between factors involved as necessary anticipation of action.
- Take sex- or gender-based inequalities into consideration when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
- Understand oral tradition and folklore.
- Understand the learning process of reading and writing and how to teach it. Address language learning situations in multilingual contexts. Recognize and value the appropriate use of verbal and non-verbal language.
- Understand the shift from orality to writing and understand the different registers and uses of language.
Learning Outcomes
- Acquire a thorough knowledge of the social and cognitive dimensions of written language and the various dynamics of orality.
- Acquire knowledge of the written language curriculum at this stage as well as theories on the acquisition and development of learning related to it.
- Acquire literary education and especially to be familiar with children's literature.
- Adapt the use of language to social contexts and communicative situations in the professional field.
- Analyse situations for learning written language. Analyse and defend the proper use or not of written, oral verbal and nonverbal language.
- Analyse the sex- or gender-based inequalities and the gender biases present in one's own area of knowledge.
- Apply the knowledge gained to the selection, reading and interpretation of literary texts.
- Communicate using language that is not sexist or discriminatory.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the evolution of the educational implications of the information and communications technology and in particular of television in early childhood.
- Express oneself and know how to use different languages ??for educational purposes: corporal, musical, audiovisual.
- Having the knowledge and knowing how to use the methodological strategies that aid and stimulate the development of children's capacities for acquiring written language.
- Integrate a respectful attitude to the environment (natural, social and cultural) to promote values, behaviours and practices that address gender equality, equity and respect for human rights.
- Know about books for young readers and have adequate criteria for school selection on the basis of formal and literary characteristics.
- Know about resources to encourage reading and writing and appreciate their contribution to literary education.
- Know and appreciate appropriate educational software and web sites for the teaching and learning of infant literature.
- Know and appreciate the characteristics of audiovisual and digital literary products for early readers.
- Know and use information and communications technology (ICT) and technologies for learning and knowledge relating to the use of oral language at school.
- Know and use the main resources and tools of inquiry for one's language.
- Knowing how to analyse and manage information relating to the professional sphere in order to make decisions.
- Knowing how to use the different registers and uses of oral Catalan language.
- Knowing how to use the oral tradition and also folklore in the process of acquiring written language.
- Learning how to use children's literature in relation to oral language learning, first learning of written language and literary education with didactic devices appropriate to their objectives.
- Master the formal and colloquial registers for professional use in oral and written Catalan and Spanish.
- Master the use of different expression techniques and express oneself adequately both orally and in writing in situations in the professional field.
- Orally and in writing explain the objectives, curriculum content and evaluation criteria of spoken language in infant education.
- Recognising and evaluating the social reality and the interrelationship of the factors involved, as a necessary prelude to action.
- Recognising and, knowing how to analyse and produce the discursive genres pertaining to the academic and professional sphere with enough theoretical and argumentative foundation.
- Recognising the literary techniques pertaining to narration and poetry.
- Understand oral tradition and folklore and evaluate them with literary and educational criteria.
- Understand the different registers and uses of written language and recognize, in children's written productions, the shift from orality to writing
- Using verbal interaction in the classroom to promote an exchange of ideas about literary texts that teach children to talk about books and to interpret them.
Content
SECTION 1: WRITTEN LANGUAGE
Sessions magistrals. The object of knowledge: written language
1.1. The concept of “best practices” for the teaching of written language.
1.2. Value and social functions of written language.
1.3. What is writing? The writing process.
1.4. What is reading? The process of reading.
Seminars. Learning and teaching written language in the early-years
1.5. Early written productions and non-conventional readings.
1.6 Evidence-based literacy instruction in the early years.
SECTION 2: LITERATURE
2.1 Books and literature for children
- Type in the production of books and literature for children and non-readers to readers first. Books and printed literature, audiovisual and digital.
- The assessment of the quality of texts in different codes and elements. Children's literature as a reflection of the world value proposition educational situation in the artistic trends of the time and situation in Catalan cultural tradition, including the gender perspective.
2.2. The planning of school literature at the early-years stage
- The functions of the literary education: language development, cognitive,emotional and artistic, cultural socialization, access to the collective imagination and social cohesion.
- Educational planning literary library and classroom space, orality, exploration and reading independently, guided and shared reading.
- The selection criteria of literary texts by quality, educational objectives and recipients.
- The interaction between books, adult and children. Teach you to talk about books and interpret them. Learning reading and writing literary texts.
- The relationship between the school and family literary activities.
All these contents are worked on in the gender perspective.
Activities and Methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Face-to-face seminar sessions | 35 | 1.4 | 4, 1, 5, 7, 30, 18, 17, 15, 16, 29, 13, 14, 9, 23, 24, 25, 10, 2, 3, 12, 26, 28, 27, 19, 21, 20, 22, 11, 31 |
| Theory | 18 | 0.72 | 4, 1, 5, 7, 30, 18, 17, 15, 16, 29, 13, 14, 9, 23, 24, 25, 10, 2, 3, 12, 26, 28, 27, 19, 21, 20, 22, 11, 31 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Preparation and elaboration of evaluation activities and assignments | 35 | 1.4 | 4, 1, 5, 7, 30, 18, 17, 15, 16, 29, 13, 14, 9, 23, 24, 25, 10, 2, 3, 12, 26, 28, 27, 19, 21, 20, 22, 11, 31 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Study hours, searching for materials, readings, preparation of activities and elaboration of the various assignments | 87 | 3.48 | 4, 1, 5, 7, 30, 18, 17, 15, 16, 29, 13, 14, 9, 23, 24, 25, 10, 2, 3, 12, 26, 28, 27, 19, 21, 20, 22, 11, 31 |
The methodology of the course is planned on the premise that the student is the protagonist of the teaching-learning process, as shown in the following table:
|
Activity |
Hours |
Methodology |
Learning Results |
|
Theory |
18 |
Lectures on the contents and key issues in the course followed by disussions in which students are expected to participate actively. |
TF.8, EI.13, DDIL.1.1, DDIL.2.1, DDIL.3.1, DDIL.3..2, DDIL.3.3, DDIL.4, DDIL.5, DDIL.7, DDIL.8, DDIL.8.1, DDIL.8.2,EI.11.3, EI.11.4, |
|
Half-group seminars |
35 |
Seminar sessions in split groups to discuss the practical application of theoretical content. |
TF.8, DDIL.3.1, DDIL.3.2, DDIL.3.3, DDIL.4, DDIL 4.1, DDIL.6, EI.1.1, EI. 9.1, EI.10.1, EI.11.1, EI. 11.2, EI.11.3, TF.1.1 |
Either independently and/or through supervised tuition, students must spend a significant number of study hours to the preparation for the class activities to be presented in class, reading literature on the issues discussed, and elaborating the various assignments (see the section on assessment).
Towards the end of the semester, each seminar group will devote 15 minutes of the class to complete students' satisfaction questionnaires of the subject and of the teaching staff.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Assessment
Continous Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Section 1. Seminar activities on literacy instruction (individual/in groups) | 20% | 0 | 0 | 4, 1, 5, 8, 30, 18, 17, 15, 24, 25, 2, 26, 27, 19, 11 |
| Section 1. Written exam (individual) | 30% | 0 | 0 | 4, 1, 6, 5, 8, 30, 23, 24, 2, 26, 27, 19, 20, 11 |
| Section 2. Exam (individual) | 20% | 0 | 0 | 4, 6, 7, 8, 18, 17, 16, 29, 13, 14, 9, 23, 24, 3, 12, 26, 28, 27, 19, 21, 20, 22, 31 |
| Section 2. Literary analysis (individual) | 15% | 0 | 0 | 4, 6, 7, 8, 18, 16, 29, 13, 14, 23, 24, 3, 12, 26, 28, 27, 19, 21, 20, 22, 31 |
| Section 2. Written assignment and oral presentation (in groups) | 15% | 0 | 0 | 4, 6, 7, 8, 18, 15, 16, 29, 13, 23, 24, 10, 3, 12, 26, 28, 27, 19, 21, 20, 22, 31 |
PREREQUISITES
Achieving Level 2 of Catalan Language for Early Childhood and Primary Education Teachers is a mandatory requirement to pass the course. To demonstrate that they have this level, the student must pass the Level 2 test that is held at the end of the semester for students enrolled in the course (or have passed it in one of the sessions held during the month of June).
Students who hold a Level C2 Certificate in Catalan, awarded by Direcció General de Política Lingüística or Servei de Llengües de la UAB, will be exempt from taking the test, as their proficiency level will be accredited upon presentation of this certificate.
If a student has not achieved Level 2 of Catalan Language for Early Childhood and Primary Education Teachers, the grade that will be transferred to their academic record will be a 3.
If the student passes the rest of the course but has this Level 2 pending, in the following academic r they will have to demonstrate that they have achieved it. Regarding the course itself, they will be required to take the written exam corresponding to the section language teaching section, and the final exam of the Literature teaching section.
ASSESSMENT (ONLY ONCE PREREQUISITES ARE MET)
The continuous assessment will take place throughout the first semester through a series of learning evidences, which are detailed in the table below.
The final grade for the course will be the simple average of each of its constituent sections: written language and literature. However, a minimum grade of 5 is required in each section; if this condition is not met, the final grade for the course will be the grade from the failed section. Details on how each section will be assessed are provided below.
|
|
Description of the assessment
|
%of grade |
Assessment date and retake (if applicable) |
|
Written Language section |
Seminar activities on the teaching of reading and writing (individual and in groups) |
20% |
October, November, and December seminars (according to schedule). This activity may not be retaken. |
|
Written test (individual) |
30% |
15 December (assessment) 19 January (retake) |
|
|
Literature section |
Reading aloud and literary analysis activity (individual) |
15% |
October and November seminars (according to schedule): reading aloud This activity may not be retaken. |
|
Exam (individual) |
20% |
15 December (assessment) 19 January (retake) |
|
|
Written assignment and oral presentation (in groups) |
15% |
1 December This activity may not be retaken. |
Section 1. Written Language. To pass this part of the course, each of the activities must have received a minimum grade of 5 (out of a maximum of 10); that is, the exam and the average of all seminar activities. The exam can be retaken, but the seminar activities cannot. The final grade for this section will be the weighted average of the two assessments (exam and overall seminar grade), provided that each is passed separately. If this condition is not met (e.g., the exam and/or the retake is not passed, but the seminars are), the final grade for the section will be equal to that of the failed activity.
Seminars will always include some activity that will be assessed. Only students present for the entire seminar may receive a grade for the activity; otherwise (in case of absence), they will receive a grade of 0 for that seminar. It is important to note that, whether justified or not, an absence will prevent the student from obtaining a grade for that seminar, as the activities are designed to be carried out and assessed in class. To pass this activity (seminars), attending the majority of the classes is highly recommended.
Section 2: Literature. To pass this part of the course, a minimum of 5 points (out of a maximum of 10) must be obtained in each of the section's assessment activities. If this condition is not met, the grade for the section will be equal to the grade of the failed evidence. The final exam can be retaken if a grade below 5 is initially obtained. The group project in literature and the individual read aloud and literary analysis assignment cannot be retaken because they are the result of long processes, supervised by the teaching staff, and with ample time to correct problems and make necessary improvements.
OTHER GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
(1) A student will be considered "Not Assessable" if they have submitted learning evidences with a combined weight equal to or less than 30% of the course. This percentage applies to both sections jointly. That is, a student who has submitted activities with a weight greater than 30% and has not attended the remaining activities will have failed the subject.
(2) Students can expect to receive some form of feedback, comments, and/or a grade for their assessment activities within a maximum period of 20 working days from the date the activity took place, according to the academic calendar.
(3) In accordance with UAB regulations, plagiarism or copying detected in any of the learning evidences submitted by students will result in automatic failure of the entire course, with no possibility of retaking or compensating.
(4) A good command of oral and written Catalan will be essential to pass the course. The teaching staff may consider adjusting a student's grade if their oral or written expression is inadequate (e.g., multiple spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, among others).
(5) In this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted as an integral part of the work's development, provided that the final result reflects a significant contribution from the student in terms of analysis and personal reflection. The student must clearly identify which parts were generated with this technology, specify the tools used, and include a critical reflection on how these have influenced the process and the final outcome of the activity. Lack of transparency regarding the use of AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity and may lead to a penalty in the activity's grade, or more severe sanctions in serious cases.
(6) Students must demonstrate an attitude compatible with the teaching profession as a requirement to pass the course, which includes active listening, respect, participation, cooperation, empathy, kindness, punctuality, and the appropriate and responsible use of electronic devices.
This course does not offer a single assessment option.
Repeating Students. No summary test is planned for repeating students. If you are repeating the course, please contact the course coordinator once you have completed your enrollment for the 2025-2026 academic year.
*This information applies only to students of the Degree in Early Childhood Education. Students of the Double Degree in Early Childhood and Primary Education must take the Catalan proficiency exam linked to the Primary Education Languages and Learning course.
Bibliography
Bibliography and other sources of information (elaborated taking into account the gender perspective, with predominance of female authors)
SECTION 1: WRITTEN LANGUAGE
DDAA (2006). “El primer aprenentatge de la lectura i l’escriptura” (monogràfic). Articles de Didàctica de la Llengua i la Literatura 40.
Bigas, M. & Correig, M. (eds.) (2000). Didáctica del lenguaje en la Educación Infantil. Madrid: Síntesis.
Carlino & Santana, D. (coord.) (1999). Leer y escribir con sentido: una experiencia constructivista en educación infantil y primaria. Madrid: Visor.
Diez, C. (2004). La Escritura colaborativa en educación infantil: estrategias para el trabajo en el aula. Barcelona: ICE/Horsori.
Fons, M. (1999). Llegir i escriure per viure. Barcelona: La Galera.
Graham, S., MacArthur, C. A., & Fitzgerald, J. (Eds.). (2013). Best practices in writing instruction. 2nd edition. Guilford Press.
Graham, S., MacArthur, C. A., & Hebert, M. (Eds.). (2018). Best practices in writing instruction. 3rd edition. Guilford Press.
Julia, T. (1995). Encetar l’escriure. Per un aprenentatge lúdic i funcional de la llengua escrita. Barcelona: Rosa Sensat.
Nemirovsky, M. (2009). Experiencias escolares con la lectura y la escritura. Barcelona: Graó.
Nemirovsky, M. (1999). Sobre la enseñanza del lenguaje escrito y temas aledaños. Barcelona: Paidós.
Ribera, P. (2008). El repte d’ensenyar a escriure. Perifèric Edicions SL.
Snowling, M. J., & Hulme, C. E. (2005). The science of reading:Ahandbook. Blackwell Publishing.
Teberosky, A. (1992). Aprendiendo a escribir. Barcelona: ICE/Horsori.
Tolchinsky, L. (1993). Aprendizaje del lenguaje escrito. Procesos evolutivos e implicaciones didácticas. Barcelona: Anthropos.
Tolchinsky, L.; Simó, R. (2001). Escribir y leer a través del currículum. Barcelona: ICE-Horsori.
Tolchinsky, L. (2003). The cradle of culture and what children know about writing and numbers before being taught. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
SECTION 2: LITERATURE
Mandatory readings
Correro, C. & Real, N. (coord.) (2017). La literatura a l'educació infantil. Barcelona: Associació de Mestres Rosa Sensat.
Colomer, T. (dir.) (2002). Siete llaves para valorar las historias infantiles. Madrid: Fundación Germán Sánchez Ruipérez.
General
Bosch, E. (2020). Sense paraules. Sis tallers de lectura d’àlbums sense mots per a totes les edats. Barcelona: Rosa Sensat.
Chambers, A. (2007). El ambiente de la lectura. México: FCE.
Chambers, A. (2009). Dime. Los niños, la lectura y la conversación. México: FCE.
Colomer, T. (2005). Andar entre libros. La lectura literaria en la escuela. México: FCE.
Colomer, T. (2010). Introducción a la literatura infantil y juvenil actual. Madrid: Síntesis.
Correro, C., Gil, M. R., Juan, A., & Real, N. (2016). “Joc, llengua i literatura: de l’oralitat a la multimodalitat”. Dins Edo, M.; Blanch, S.; Anton, M. (eds.). El joc a la primera infància (pp. 109-124). Barcelona: Octaedro.
Correro, C. & Real, N. (2014). Literatura infantil digital 0-6. Present i futur. Faristol 79. En línia: http://www.clijcat.cat/faristol/paginas/detall_articles.php?recordID=294.
Molist, P. (2008). Dins del mirall. La literatura infantil explicada als adults. Barcelona: Graó.
Munita, F. & Real, N. (2019). Simple o ximple? Una reflexió sobre la poesia infantil. Faristol 89. En línia: https://www.clijcat.cat/faristol/descargas/89/6_89.pdf.
Petit, M. (2024). Los libros y la belleza: Somos animales poéticos. Kalandraka.
Teixidor, E. (2007). La lectura i la vida. Barcelona: Columna.
Vilà Miquel, N. & Correro, C. (2023). La poesia a les primeres edats. Inici d'un itinerari. Barcelona: Associació de Mestres Rosa Sensat.
Oral tradition literature
Bullich, E. & Maure, M. (1996). Manual del rondallaire. Barcelona: La Magrana.
Lluch, G. (ed.) (2000). De la narrativa oral a la literatura per a infants. Invenció d'una tradició literària. Alzira: Bromera.
Pelegrín, A. (2004). La aventura de oír. Cuentos tradicionales y literatura infantil. Madrid: Anaya.
Books for very young learners
Bonnafé, M. (2008). Los libros, eso es bueno para los bebés. México: Océano.
Duran, T. (2002). Leer antes de leer. Madrid: Anaya.
Teberosky, A. (2001). Proposta constructivista per aprendre a llegir i a escriure. Barcelona: Vicens Vives.
History of Children's Literature
Duran,T. & Luna, M. (2002). Un i un i un… fan cent! Barcelona: La Galera.
Valriu, C. (2010). Història de la literatura infantil i juvenil catalana. Barcelona: La Galera.
Webs of resources and documentation centres:
- Biblioteca Xavier Benguerel. Centre de Documentació del Llibre infantil: http://www.bcn.cat/bibxavierbenguerel
- ClijCAT (Consell Català del Llibre Infantil i Juvenil): http://www.clijcat.cat/
- Fundación Germán Sánchez Ruipérez. Centro de Documentación e Investigación: http://www.fundaciongsr.es
- GRETEL: Pàgina de Literatura infantil de la UAB: http://www.gretel.cat/
- JOCS DE FALDA (blog):https://jocsdefaldablog.wordpress.com/
- Revista Faristol, publicació de referència en l’àmbit dela LIJ a Catalunya: http://www.clijcat.cat/faristol/paginas/
- Per a educació infantil (amb poemes recitats, escrits i il·lustrats per temes i d’autors molt diversos): http://www.edu365.cat/infantil/poesia/portada.htm
- Musiquetes.cat: recull de cançons infantils tradicionals per escoltar en xarxa, forma part d’un dels projectes de la Bressola de la Catalunya Nord: http://www.musiquetes.cat/canco/num/16
- Seminari de bibliografia infantil i juvenil de Rosa Sensat (llibres recomanats): http://www2.rosasensat.org/pagina/el-garbell
- Canal Lector (FGSR): http://canallector.com/
- Una màde contes: contes per veure i escoltar, que es poden triar a partir del tema, l’autor, l’il·lustrador, l’origen geogràfic...: http://www.unamadecontes.cat/
- ANIN: Associació denarradores i narradors: http://www.anincat.org/narradores-i-narradors/
- XTEC, web del Departament d’Educació: http://www.xtec.cat/ 8en podem destacar l’apartat “Escola oberta”, que inclou materials de tot tipus per a totes les assignatures i tots els nivells educatius: http://www.xtec.cat/escola/index.htm; a l’apartat de llengua catalana: “Una mà de contes”, “Racó de contes”, “El pou de la goja. Revista interactiva de literatura oral”, “Els contes d’en Tom i la Laia”, etc.)
Software
Not applicable
Groups and Languages
Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.
| Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (SEM) Seminars | 611 | Catalan | first semester | morning-mixed |
| (SEM) Seminars | 612 | Catalan | first semester | morning-mixed |
| (SEM) Seminars | 621 | Catalan | first semester | afternoon |
| (SEM) Seminars | 622 | Catalan | first semester | afternoon |
| (TE) Theory | 61 | Catalan | first semester | morning-mixed |
| (TE) Theory | 62 | Catalan | first semester | afternoon |