The course aims to provide knowledge of the theoretical and methodological foundations of children's literature and the pedagogy of reading.

In particular, this course will provide knowledge and understanding of the following topics:

- psycho-pedagogical approaches to children's literature

- international surveys on assessment of reading skills

- the process of literacy development and relevant factors influencing reading comprehension and learning

- literacy education, including emotional, behavioural, cognitive and social aspects

- study and analysis of selected genres of children's literature

- pedagogical reinterpretation of some classics of children's literature (Italian and international)

- analysis of the impact of some children's authors known for promoting reading for pleasure.

The course aims to help the student become aware of the importance of educating children to read, and the pleasure of reading, through a coherent and reasonable choice of texts appropriate to various ages and the different tastes of young audiences.

This course explores the benefits of reading for children, introduces the theoretical and methodological foundations of the pedagogy of reading, and provides an overview of genres and literature for children. The evolution of children's literature will be analysed, referring also to new media and multimodal texts and to the contemporary debate on reading-on-paper versus reading-on-screens.

Appropriate methods for evaluating readers' progress will be provided, in order to increase and support children's reading skills and abilities. Other topics covered include reading-writing relationships, use of metacognitive strategies to improve reading comprehension and criteria for evaluating and selecting children's books. A list of recommended books for children, which includes novels and illustrated books, will be evaluated.

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Knowledge and understanding

By the end of the course, students will have acquired:

-basic knowledge related to the relevant current epistemological framework of children's literature, with particular regard to its articulation in different narrative genres, and to the pedagogical and educational aspects of reading and writing;

Applying knowledge and understanding

By the end of the course the student will have shown

-mastery in the application of a functional methodology in teaching reading-writing techniques;

-understanding of the main critical trends in children's literature 

-knowledge of the pedagogy of children's literature providing a general orientation on fundamental aspects of education

Develop an appropriate degree of autonomy of judgement

At the end of the course, the student should demonstrate an ability to:

-know about topics and problems related to the educational teaching of children's literature in schools;

-critically evaluate the adequacy of educational approaches concerning the transmission of contents related to the discipline;

-identify the most suitable educational methods for creating specific learning environments;

-encourage reading for pleasure to foster emotional growth as a more effective approach to literature and narrative in general 

Communication skills;

At the end of the course, the student should have acquired:

-the ability to clearly express the course content and explaining its meaning and intention;

-the ability to communicate through the use of specific disciplinary language with teachers and school staff;

-the ability to express arguments on topics characteristic of the discipline.

Learning ability

At the end of the course the student will have the ability to use knowledge and concepts to enable reasoning based on the content of the discipline.

Students will be able to:

-use knowledge and concepts for curricular design activities;

-identify design methodologies appropriate to the context;

-simulate the design of a segment of curriculum;

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Course materials and other specific communications from the lecturer can be found, along with other supporting activities, on the Moodle platform (http://blended.uniurb.it).
Specifically, it will be possible to consult
- A bibliography of texts related to the course.
- Lecture slides on some of the topics of literacy education presented and discussed during the course. 

Teaching

Face to face teaching and group work activities. 

Attendance

Non-mandatory attendance

Course books

T. Mascia. I percorsi del lettore. Teoria e buone pratiche per la formazione, Edizioni Sinestesie, Avellino, 2020. Disponibile su: https://www.edizionisinestesie.it/libri/i-percorsi-del-lettore-teoria-e-buone-pratiche-per-la-formazione/ (Par. 1.1 e 1.9; Capitolo 2; Capitolo 3).

A. Nobile. Letteratura giovanile, La Scuola, Brescia, 2015.

Hamelin (a cura di). I libri per ragazzi che hanno fatto l’Italia, Hamelin Associazione Culturale, Bologna, 2011. Disponibile su: https://reader.antartici.it/r/sYkU0TSw15JGKFkAaMfNj1qh

Two picture books and two novels to be selected from a bibliography of children's works and read for content analysis and discussion.

The bibliography of novels and picture books to choose from is available and shared with students on Blended Moodle.

Assessment

Learning objectives and expected student learning outcomes are assessed through a written exam containing open questions designed to assess students' knowledge and skills.

Answers to the questions will be evaluated 0–5 marks  for each of the following criteria:

- level of knowledge demonstrated; 
- efficiency, coherence, relevance of the answers in relation to the course program; 
-appropriate use of the disciplinary language used.

The final evaluation is expressed  in thirtieths

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Students who do not attend the course are required to gather information on the topics discussed during lectures and to study the recommended textbooks. Students will be able to access and consult the teaching material uploaded on Moodle and, after consulting the lecturer, also participate in working groups developed during the course.

Attendance

Non-mandatory attendance

Course books

T. Mascia. I percorsi del lettore. Teoria e buone pratiche per la formazione, Edizioni Sinestesie, Avellino, 2020. Disponibile su: https://www.edizionisinestesie.it/libri/i-percorsi-del-lettore-teoria-e-buone-pratiche-per-la-formazione/ (Par. 1.1 e 1.9; Capitolo 2; Capitolo 3).

A. Nobile. Letteratura giovanile, La Scuola, Brescia, 2015.

Hamelin (a cura di). I libri per ragazzi che hanno fatto l’Italia, Hamelin Associazione Culturale, Bologna, 2011. Disponibile su: https://reader.antartici.it/r/sYkU0TSw15JGKFkAaMfNj1qh

Two picture books and two novels to be selected from a bibliography of children's works and read for content analysis and discussion.

The bibliography of novels and picture books to choose from is available and shared with students on Blended Moodle.

Assessment

Learning objectives and expected student learning outcomes are assessed through a written exam containing open questions designed to assess students' knowledge and skills.

Answers to the questions will be evaluated 0–5 marks  for each of the following criteria:

- level of knowledge demonstrated; 
- efficiency, coherence, relevance of the answers in relation to the course program; 
-appropriate use of the disciplinary language used.

The final evaluation is expressed  in thirtieths

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.