This course provides a foundation of understanding for language and literacy instruction, translating current theory and research into evidence-based practice. The course considers reading and writing acquisition in terms of the component processes involved at various stages of literacy development. The goal of the course is to engender thoughtful, critical, informed decisions about the teaching and assessment of language and literacy in the schools. Teachers successfully completing the course will be prepared to develop and implement theoretically-sound, practical and motivating classroom literacy programs for the primary and junior grades.