505-3-.03: Foundations of Reading, Literacy, and Language (3)(b)1*

*The Georgia Professional Standards Commission adopted the Foundations of Reading, Literacy, and Language Rule effective July 1, 2024. The sections highlighted in blue are linked to several Language as a Missing Link elements covered in this course. 

505-3-.03: Foundations of Reading, Literacy, and Language (3)(b)1*

3 (b)

1. Knowledge: Language and Literacy Acquisition.

(i) Candidates demonstrate knowledge that the development of language is the foundation for literacy development.

(ii) Candidates demonstrate knowledge that language is developed within the context of relationships.

(iii) Candidates demonstrate knowledge that social engagement is the means by which we proactively gauge language development.

(iv) Candidates demonstrate knowledge that engagement through frequent, social interactions with adults and peers as evidenced by investment, independence, and initiation is the fuel for language.

(v) Candidates demonstrate knowledge that when children are engaged their use of language is frequent, functional, socially oriented, and fluid across settings.

(vi) Candidates will know and be able to explain indicators and phases of typical language development including expressive, receptive, and pragmatic language across the birth to kindergarten continuum.

(vii) Candidates demonstrate knowledge that language development is essential for individuals to communicate needs, formulate ideas, develop and maintain relationships, and solidify understanding of concepts.

(viii) Candidates are able to cite evidence and give practical examples showing how phonological awareness skills affect attainment of future literacy skills.

 (ix) Candidates will be able to identify and explain how language development influences cognitive and emotional development, which contributes to literacy and writing development. Candidates will be able to cite examples in practice and explain how to continuously notice, support, and nurture language development across the developmental continuum.

(x) Candidates understand and explain research describing the effects of communication styles and dialects on foundational early language and literacy learning.

 (xi) Candidates will know and be able to explain that language development is vital to the use of one’s “inner dialogue” required for self-regulation.

(xii) Candidates understand the various ways in which infants and young children communicate their needs, wants, feelings through the use of language (e.g., gestures, body language, facial expressions, vocalizations, or words).

 (xiii) Candidates understand the ways in which infants and young children experiment with expressive language to enhance their communication (e.g., spontaneous vocal play, crying).

(xiv) Candidates demonstrate knowledge of the ways in which all domains of development impact language development (e.g., fine motor, gross motor, cognitive, and emotional development).

 2. Application: Methods and Assessment.

(i)   Curriculum and Instruction.

(I)                  Candidates will implement developmentally responsive practices that meet the instructional needs of students who are at different points of language and literacy development.

(II)                Candidates select high-quality literary, multimedia, and informational texts; and provide a coherent, integrated, and motivating literacy program for all learners.

(III)              Candidates design, adapt, implement, and evaluate instructional approaches and materials that are evidence-based, developmentally responsive, and integrated across language and literacy domains with an emphasis on individual, small, and large group conversations, play, storytelling, rhyming, singing, and writing activities. Candidates plan, modify, and implement developmentally responsive explicit, systematic, cumulative, and teacher-directed and child-directed instruction in the foundational skills of language and literacy, including phonological awareness, alphabetic principle, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary development, listening and reading comprehension, print awareness, and written expression.

(VII) Candidates plan, modify, and implement evidence-based and integrated instruction and materials to support and nurture expressive, receptive, and pragmatic language development. They use a range of instructional approaches, including multi-modal and multi-sensory strategies and context-based instruction. Key terms or concepts related to this area include:

I.                    Expressive, receptive, and pragmatic language development

A.            Adult and peer interaction

B.            Uses developmentally responsive strategies to support progression of language development

C.           Role or creation of a stimulating environment including multi-modal materials to enhance engagement — as indicated by learners’ investment, independence, and initiation — in supporting/nurturing language development

(2)           

(VIII) Candidates plan, modify, and implement evidence-based and integrated instruction and materials to develop vocabulary knowledge for all learners. They use a range of instructional approaches, including direct instruction, context-based instruction, and word-learning strategies. Key terms or concepts related to this area include:

I.                    Vocabulary development

A.            Adult and peer interaction

B.            Uses strategies to support progression of vocabulary development

C.           Role of expressive language including non-verbal (gestures, eye contact) and verbal (vocalizations, babbling) in vocabulary development

D.           Role or creation of a stimulating environment including multi-modal materials to enhance engagement as indicated by learners’ investment, independence, and initiation

E.            Role of vocabulary development and vocabulary knowledge in oral and written language comprehension

F.             Sources of wide differences in students’ vocabularies

G.           Indirect (contextual) methods of vocabulary instruction and their role and characteristics

H.           Direct, explicit methods of vocabulary instruction and their role and characteristics

(IX) Candidates apply knowledge of learner development and learning differences to create a positive, language and literacy-rich learning environment anchored in materials that promote play, conversation, and exploration (e.g., dramatic play materials, books, blocks) that support and nurture engagement between children and peers, and children and adults.

(ii)                 Assessment and Evaluation.

(I)                  Candidates use observational methods for universally noticing and monitoring, screening if necessary, enhancing opportunities to scaffold students’ language and literacy development.

(II)                 Candidates understand the purposes, strengths, limitations, reliability/validity, and appropriateness of various types of informal and formal assessments for language and literacy development, including universal monitoring, screening, progress monitoring, diagnostic, and outcome assessments.

(III)               Candidates utilize results of all data collection methods related to language and literacy development to inform and enhance developmentally responsive practices to support learning in universal settings including everyday routines, rituals, and activities.

(IV)              Candidates integrate, summarize, and communicate (orally and in writing) the meaning of educational assessment data for sharing with caregivers, including parents, other educators, and healthcare providers.

3.             Language and Literacy Professional Dispositions and Practices.

(i)                   Candidates promote language and literacy development for all students by using developmentally responsive practices and engaging in ethical and effective practices that honor all students’ linguistic backgrounds.

(ii)                 Candidates continuously reflect on their practices, engage in ongoing appreciative inquiry and peer mentorship through collaboration with other educators and advocate for students and their families to support and nurture language and literacy development.

505-3-.03 Foundations of Reading, Literacy, and Language