Literacy (MSEd and Advanced Certificate) - Online

EDR 501 Reading and Writing in the Content Areas 3 Credits

Strategies for teaching and developing children's skills in effectively applying literacy skills as tools for learning in content areas will be examined. Candidates will develop materials and procedures that enhance comprehension, vocabulary acquisition, and study skills of diverse populations of learners. Various measures for assessing literacy performance in subject areas will be studied. Literature that supplements textbooks across the content areas will be examined.

Offered: once a year.

EDR 502 Foundations of Literacy 3 Credits

Research-based foundational principles for effective instruction in each of the language areas will be explored. Candidates will study the historical trajectory of literacy research and instruction, learn strategies for literacy instruction with diverse populations of learners, create lesson plans that apply instructional techniques, select materials based on children's literacy level and interests, and examine various assessment measures. Multiple genres of children's literature along with applications in literacy instruction will be explored.

Offered: once a year.

EDR 503 Reading in the Secondary School 3 Credits

The effective application of literacy skills as tools for teaching secondary level content areas to diverse populations will be examined. Candidates will develop materials and procedures that enhance comprehension. Integration of content and skills across subjects will be emphasized as well as methods to meet specific needs of students, including the use of multiple measures of assessment, diverse genres of literature, and various interventions in literacy instruction.

Offered: once a year.

EDR 505 Reading to Grow: Children's Literature & Social Justice 3 Credits

Students in this course will learn how to select, read, evaluate, and analyze children’s literature with the goal of supporting readers and teaching critical thinking. Through various genres of children’s literature, candidates will develop an informed awareness of the ways in which children’s literature can be used to support multilingual learners, nurture struggling readers, and promote social justice in the classroom. Candidates will learn to use children’s literature to foster student awareness of and appreciation for diverse and complex cultures, perspectives, and experiences. Candidates will also examine various pedagogical practices and theoretical stances related to equity, linguistic diversity, social justice, and societal transformation.

Offered: occasionally.

EDR 507 Reading to Grow: K-12 Literature & Social Justice 3 Credits

Students in this course will learn how to select, read, evaluate, and analyze children’s and adolescent literature with the goal of supporting readers and teaching critical thinking. Through various genres of literature, candidates will develop an informed awareness of the ways in which literature can be used to support multilingual learners, nurture struggling readers, and promote social justice in the classroom. Candidates will learn to use literature to foster student awareness of and appreciation for diverse and complex cultures, perspectives, and experiences. Candidates will also examine various pedagogical practices and theoretical stances related to equity, linguistic diversity, social justice, and societal transformation.

Offered: once a year.

EDR 508 Emergent Literacy 3 Credits

Research on the emergence of children's literacy knowledge and structures that enhance this development will be studied. Implementation of the science of reading through lessons and programs for a diverse population of children will be a focus. Multiple measures of assessment, effective early intervention models, and multiple genres of literature with applications in literacy instruction will be explored.

Offered: once a year.

EDR 509 Teaching Literacy with Diverse Population 3 Credits

Strategies for effective literacy instruction with diverse populations will be examined. These include research-based approaches for special education students, ESL/LEP students and gifted and talented students. Candidates will examine how to match instruction to students' needs and how to incorporate differentiated instruction in a classroom. Multicultural literature and literature that deals with specific disabilities will be examined. Candidates create a comprehensive curricular unit that is ready to be implemented in a classroom of diversity.

Offered: once a year.

EDR 510 Creating a Literate Environment 3 Credits

Instructional techniques for concurrently developing skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing as well as specific models for instruction that meet diverse needs and interests at all levels will be examined. Organizational components of an effective reading and writing classroom will be explored along with methods for providing a print-rich environment that spans a broad spectrum of reading levels, genres and interests.

Offered: every summer.

EDR 600 Literacy Curriculum and the Role of the Reading Specialist 3 Credits

Procedures for planning, evaluating and implementing curriculum at the school district level that address state and local mandates will be explored. Multiple resources that can be used in the implementation of curriculum will be examined. The role that the literacy specialist plays in coordinating this process, guiding the selection of instructional materials, and determining appropriate in-service will be examined.

Offered: once a year.

EDR 601 PreK-4: Diagnosis and Diagnostic Teaching Clinical Practicum 3 Credits

Candidates will explore theories and conduct in-depth literacy assessments, using both formal and informal age-appropriate measures. Candidates will examine administrative procedures and the interpretation of results for multiple assessment instruments, including diagnostic and achievement tests, reading inventories, observations, and anecdotal records. The diagnostic teaching model will be introduced and traditional remediation and intervention theories will be explored as candidates work with struggling readers during their initial clinical practicum. Course includes 25 hours of field work for a combined 50 hours of fieldwork with EDR 604: Advanced Practicum (Grades 5-12).

Offered: every fall.

EDR 603 Advanced Practicum: Birth-Grade 6 3 Credits

Candidates observe and fully participate as an intern in reading clinics, schools, or public and voluntary agencies serving children who are experiencing literacy problems. Candidates will refine proficiencies in instruction and assessment, organization, and enhancement of a literacy curriculum as they work with a professional team at the site. Candidates will serve as a resource for literacy instruction; they will also prepare staff development for professionals at the site based on a survey of teachers' interests/needs.

Prerequisite: EDR 601.

Offered: occasionally.

EDR 604 Advanced Practicum: Grades 5-12 3 Credits

Candidates observe and fully participate as an intern in reading clinics, schools, or public and voluntary agencies serving children who are experiencing literacy problems. Candidates will refine proficiencies in instruction and assessment, organization, and enhancement of a literacy curriculum as they work with a professional team at the site. Candidates will serve as a resource for literacy instruction; they will also prepare staff development for professionals at the site based on a survey of teachers' interests/needs. Course includes 25 hours of field work for a combined 50 hours of fieldwork with EDR 601: Birth-Grade 4:Diagnosis and Diagnostic Teaching Clinical Practicum.

Prerequisite: EDR 601.

Offered: every spring.