Ambedkar University-Delhi (AUD) currently offers courses related to early language and literacy at both the undergraduate and the post-graduate levels. The courses are briefly described here.

Early Language and Literacy Courses at Ambedkar University- M.A. Education Programme

Language Development and Early Literacy (Compulsory Course– 4 credits)

This course examines language and literacy development in young children, especially with respect to biological, cognitive, social and emotional development. It will focus on the fundamental aspects in acquisition and development of language skills. The theories, principles, goals, and methods of integrating the language arts throughout the school curriculum will also be examined. Development of language and early learning capacities of children are inextricably linked. The relationship between language, thought, culture and identity are closely intertwined. In this regard, students will be introduced to current debates and dilemmas related to children's home language and the language of instruction in classroom, especially in the multilingual context of India. 

Course Objectives

1. Describe the various socio-cultural factors that influence language development and literacy, especially in India.
2. Develop a sensitivity and appreciation for the variations in language development especially associated with children from low-income families and traditionally marginalized communities.
3. Describe the process of language acquisition in young children including the growth in vocabulary, structures (phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics), functions (pragmatics and discourse rhetorics), and acts (receptive, expressive, metalinguistic) in diverse learners (including first and second language learners, dialect diversity, and typical and atypical development patterns).
4. Understand how literacy processes need to be relevant for learners and lead to comprehension and critical thinking skills.
5. Understand and analyze processes of letter identification, phonological awareness, word recognition (phonics and decoding), reading fluency, reading comprehension, spelling (orthography and developmental), and writing mechanics, composition and completion of writing task.
6. Understand the role of children's literature in language and literacy development processes. 

Literature and Young Children (Elective Course – 4 credits)

This course will focus on the social construction of childhood and situate childhood and children's literature in the social, political and historical context. The readings will focus on creating a space for the aesthetic appreciation of children's literature as well as for questioning of the modalities as represented in the children's literature—with an analysis of the construction of gender, race, ethnicity, and social class. Further, the course will focus on an investigation of the themes and concepts that connect literature to the lives of young children, Literature written for the early childhood years by some well known children's authors will be identified based on interest, age, reading level, and appropriateness of the material.

Course Objectives

1. Develop an understanding of theoretical and practical perspectives in children's literature teaching and learning.
2. Demonstrate a critical approach to reading and talking about and evaluating children's literature.
3. Develop an understanding of the genres of children's literature including their characteristics.
4. Develop an understanding of important works and authors/publishers of note in India and internationally and become (more) familiar with a range of quality and culturally diverse literature selections.
5. Develop an understanding of various themes, skills, and strategies that can be addressed using children's literature.

Writing in the Early Years (Proposed Elective Course - 4 credits) – To be Developed.

Teaching of Early Language and Literacy Courses at the Undergraduate Level at Ambedkar University

In the past six months, the Center for Early Childhood Education and Development (CECED)-AUD, has collaborated with the School of Vocational Studies to develop the curriculum for a B. Voc programme in “Early Childhood Centre Management and Entrepreneurship” (ECCME). The curriculum was developed with Dr. Sheetal Nagpal from the School of Education Studies, AUD. The B.Voc has been conceptualized keeping the need to locate the preparation of day care professionals in the university system as a degree programme. We have proposed a workshop course on “Storytelling and Shared Reading” in the second semester and a course on “Developing Early Language, Literacy and Numeracy” in the third semester.