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3 semester credits

In this course, educators integrate technology into research-based instructional models and strategies to develop higher levels of literacy and facilitate more effective content area learning. Educators develop and assess activities designed to expand the learning community across boundaries through the application of information literacy skills, such as Internet searching and critically evaluating online resources. They also collaborate with other educators to develop an Internet workshop to engage students in using information literacy skills. Educators have the opportunity to reflect on theories, concepts, and strategies presented in the course to determine how they can most effectively use this knowledge to benefit their students and further their professional development.

3 semester credits

Educators learn and use strategies to help improve middle level and secondary students' reading, writing, test-taking, and study skills as a way to increase their learning and achievement in the content areas.

3 semester credits

Adolescents today construct their identity by creating and engaging with multiple texts and media for a variety of purposes. Education professionals in this course explore how literacy inside and outside of school can be used to support adolescent learning and prepare students in grades 6–12 for college and career. By considering the research behind literacy policies and practices, education professionals evaluate the role of literacy in content-area classrooms including assessment opportunities and disciplinary approaches. Through coursework, education professionals have an opportunity to examine what it means to be literate and why literacy is important in all disciplines, including English language arts, mathematics, science, and literature.

3 semester credits

To learn and achieve in the content areas, students must comprehend and engage with grade-appropriate and disciplinary-specific texts. In this course, education professionals examine how text changes across disciplines (including social studies, literature study, mathematics, sciences, and other technical subjects) and explore instructional practices to support close reading of complex text as required by the Common Core State Standards and other state standards. Education professionals apply evidence-based instructional and assessment practices to support all students' achievement in literacy and learning. Through coursework, education professionals have opportunities to apply concepts and strategies within specific disciplines to provide a relevant learning experience.

3 semester credits

Writing is a multifaceted process and a powerful tool to support student learning. Through writing, adolescents may demonstrate learning, analyze ideas, or develop arguments based on information from a text. Education professionals in this course explore the importance of writing for college and career readiness and examine the nuances of written communication relative to specific disciplines, including mathematics, physical education, literature, and other disciplines. Through coursework, education professionals have opportunities to engage in discourse modes, including informational, literary, and persuasive writing, and to use short writing (such as journals) and longer composition processes to enhance disciplinary learning. Education professionals consider the types and purposes of writing, explore writing in digital environments, analyze the relationships between reading and writing, and apply instructional practices to support writing to learn in the content areas for all students.

3 semester credits

Adolescents today must engage with increasingly complex texts in the content areas. Education professionals need the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to help all students meet these literacy demands, especially those who struggle with reading and literacy tasks. In this course, education professionals learn formal and informal ways to assess students' literacy development and learning achievement and use that assessment data to inform instruction. Through coursework, education professionals have opportunities to examine progress monitoring practices and Response to Intervention (RTI) implementation. Education professionals explore the role of motivation in literacy and learning and consider the importance of academic language for learning, college, and career.

3 semester credits

Just as adolescents must adapt to ever-changing digital literacy environments, so, too, must their teachers. In this course, education professionals explore digital tools and texts to support literacy teaching and learning in a digital environment. Through inquiry and research online, education professionals analyze digital environments, evaluate the role of information literacy, and design appropriate and engaging instructional activities using digital and other texts for learning. Course discussions focus on current trends and issues that inform literacy and learning today including attention to visual and social media, and technology as a mediating influence between and within cultures, families, and communities.

3 semester credits

Today's classrooms require teachers to become competent and confident in supporting both students who struggle with reading and writing and those who excel. Education professionals in this course focus on accelerating the literacy development of students with reading difficulties, including students who have specific learning disabilities, and on addressing the needs of gifted students. Through coursework, education professionals have opportunities to examine informal and formal assessments, the use of data to inform instruction, and practical guidelines for implementing the Response to Intervention (RTI) model. Education professionals explore concepts and strategies, including collaboration with support resources, methods to differentiate and scaffold instruction, progress monitoring, leveling books, intervention strategies, and the use of motivating texts and technology tools to support student learning.

3 semester credits

To support the reading and literacy development of all students, education professionals need to understand the factors that may influence literacy learning including language development, educational research and policies, and instructional practices to promote the development of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. In this course, education professionals explore theoretical and historical perspectives on literacy education and consider the influence of cognitive, linguistic, sociocultural, and psychological development on the literacy learning of PreK-6 students. Education professionals have the opportunity to examine current educational policies and initiatives including the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and other state standards. Education professionals consider the role of research in informing literacy instruction and apply effective instructional practices including practical approaches for implementing the Response to Intervention (RTI) model and incorporating new literacies and technology tools to support literacy instruction.

3 semester credits

Building a strong foundation of literacy skills and experiences in young children is critical to their success in school and life. In this course, educators take a developmental approach to reading and literacy instruction and are provided practical research-based approaches to help P-3 students achieve the literacy goals of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and other state standards. The characteristics of emergent and beginning readers are explored, focusing on phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Education professionals evaluate the role of motivation in learning to read and analyze the use of progress monitoring and Response to Intervention (RTI) to support all learners. Through their coursework, educators are provided with opportunities to explore writing, close reading, print concepts, and multiple text genres. Education professionals plan and implement developmentally appropriate assessment and instruction, including technology tools, to support the literacy development of all learners in preschool through third grade.

3 semester credits

The intermediate grades present unique challenges to literacy learning including complexity of text, students' use of technology, student motivation to learn, and explicit and implicit gender issues exhibited in the classroom. Education professionals are provided with opportunities to evaluate research-based instructional and assessment practices to help students in grades 4–6 to actively engage in literacy learning and achieve the literacy goals of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and other state standards. Education professionals examine the role of literacy in content area learning, explore ways to teach close reading of complex texts, and consider how to incorporate different levels, types, and genres of text to support all students' learning and literacy development. The focus of the coursework is on effective strategies to support writing about text, content-area specialization vocabulary, listening and speaking, and the effective use of technology tools to support content area reading.

3 semester credits

Today's classrooms reflect the rich cultural and linguistic diversity of the world outside of school. Educators explore how to establish a responsive classroom where literacy development flourishes for all students, including second language learners and speakers of nonstandard dialects. Education professionals analyze the reading and literacy challenges experienced by culturally and linguistically diverse learners including text complexity, academic vocabulary, and appropriateness of texts and materials. The focus of the coursework is on ways to scaffold and support all literacy learners, including English Language Learners.

3 semester credits

Today's classrooms require competent and confident teachers to support both students who struggle with reading and those who excel. Education professionals in this course focus on accelerating the literacy development of students with reading difficulties, including students who have specific learning disabilities, and addressing the needs of high-achieving students. Through coursework, education professionals have opportunities to examine informal and formal assessments, the use of data to inform instruction, and practical guidelines for implementing the Response to Intervention (RTI) model. Education professionals explore concepts and strategies, including collaboration with support resources, methods to differentiate and scaffold instruction, progress monitoring, leveling books, intervention strategies, and the use of motivating texts and technology tools to support student learning.

3 semester credits

Today's classrooms reflect the rich cultural and linguistic diversity of the world outside of school. Educators explore how to establish a responsive classroom where literacy development flourishes for all students, including second language learners and speakers of nonstandard dialects. Education professionals analyze the reading and literacy challenges experienced by culturally and linguistically diverse learners including text complexity, academic vocabulary, and appropriateness of texts and materials. The focus of the coursework is on ways to scaffold and support all literacy learners, including English Language Learners.

3 semester credits

The intermediate grades present unique challenges to literacy learning including complexity of text, students' use of technology, student motivation to learn, and explicit and implicit gender issues exhibited in the classroom. Education professionals are provided with opportunities to evaluate research-based instructional and assessment practices to help students in grades 4–6 to actively engage in literacy learning and achieve the literacy goals of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and other state standards. Education professionals examine the role of literacy in content area learning, explore ways to teach close reading of complex texts, and consider how to incorporate different levels, types, and genres of text to support all students' learning and literacy development. The focus of the coursework is on effective strategies to support writing about text, content-area specialization vocabulary, listening and speaking, and the effective use of technology tools to support content area reading.

5 credits

To support the reading and literacy development of all students, education professionals need to understand the factors that may influence literacy learning including language development, educational research and policies, and instructional practices to promote the development of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. In this course, education professionals explore theoretical and historical perspectives on literacy education and consider the influence of cognitive, linguistic, socio-cultural, and psychological development on the literacy learning of PreK-6 students. This course provides opportunities to examine current educational policies and initiatives including the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and other state standards. Education professionals consider the role of research in informing literacy instruction and apply effective instructional practices including practical approaches for implementing the Response to Intervention (RTI) model and incorporating new literacies and technology tools to support literacy instruction.

5 credits

Building a strong foundation of literacy skills and experiences in young children is critical to their success in school and life. This course takes a developmental approach to reading and literacy instruction and provides practical research-based approaches to help PreK-3 students achieve the literacy goals of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and other state standards. The characteristics of emergent and beginning readers are explored, focusing on phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Education professionals evaluate the role of motivation in learning to read and analyze the use of progress monitoring and Response to Intervention (RTI) to support all learners. Coursework provides opportunities to explore writing, close reading, print concepts, and multiple text genres. Education professionals plan and implement developmentally appropriate assessment and instruction, including technology tools, to support the literacy development of all learners in preschool through third grade.

5 credits

The intermediate grades present unique challenges to literacy learning including complexity of text, students¿ use of technology, student motivation to learn, and explicit and implicit gender issues exhibited in the classroom. This course provides opportunities to evaluate research-based instructional and assessment practices to help grade 4-6 students actively engage in literacy learning and achieve the literacy goals of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and other state standards. Education professionals examine the role of literacy in content area learning, explore ways to teach close reading of complex texts, and consider how to incorporate different levels, types, and genres of text to support all students¿ learning and literacy development. Coursework focuses on effective strategies to support writing about text, content-area specialization vocabulary, listening and speaking, and the effective use of technology tools to support content area reading.

5 credits

Today's classrooms reflect the rich cultural and linguistic diversity of the world outside of school. This course explores how to establish a responsive classroom where literacy development flourishes for all students, including second language learners and speakers of non-standard dialects. Education professionals analyze the reading and literacy challenges experienced by culturally and linguistically diverse learners including text complexity, academic vocabulary, and appropriateness of texts and materials. Coursework focuses on ways to scaffold and support all literacy learners, including English Language Learners.

5 credits

Today’s classrooms require competent and confident teachers to support both students who struggle with reading and those who excel. Education professionals in this course focus on accelerating the literacy development of students with reading difficulties, including students who have specific learning disabilities, and addressing the needs of high-achieving students. Through coursework, education professionals have opportunities to examine informal and formal assessments, the use of data to inform instruction, and practical guidelines for implementing the Response to Intervention (RTI) model. Education professionals explore concepts and strategies, including collaboration with support resources, methods to differentiate and scaffold instruction, progress monitoring, leveling books, intervention strategies, and the use of motivating texts and technology tools to support student learning.