Children's Development of Language and Concepts

The course thematizes learners' early development of language and concepts. It also focuses on the role of dialogue in the primary years.

Knowledge

The student has

• knowledge of children's language development
• knowledge of children's multilingual development
• knowledge of vocabulary development and concept understanding in monolingual and multilingual students
• knowledge of conversation and the significance of conversation for learning and meaning-making in beginner education

Skills

The student can

• analyse children's monolingual and multilingual morphological and syntactic language development and assess it in a developmental perspective
• identify children's understanding of concepts and facilitate appropriate language and concept-stimulating activities
• analyse conversations and identify participation and learning-promoting patterns
• facilitate exploratory, creative and playful activities in beginner education
• facilitate the use of ICT in concept-stimulating activities

General competence

The student can

• analyse children's oral and written language use and use this as a starting point for planning teaching
• use knowledge about conversations and children's language and concept development in work that promotes professional and didactic thinking
• apply and evaluate critical research-based knowledge about language and concept development and conversation

Different teaching methods will be used, such as discussions, lectures, group work, student presentations both oral and written.

Mandatory attendance.