EDUC-1 Courses:

EDUC 6407 - Foundations of Teaching Literacy

(5 credits)

This course covers knowledge and skills critical to effectively teaching literacy across various domains: reading, writing, speaking, listening, media literacy, and literature. Central to the course curriculum are the five pillars of literacy: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Candidates learn evidence-based strategies for instruction and assessment in each area, with particular attention given to supporting struggling readers, English language learners and students gifted in reading. Emphasis is placed on cultivating students’ positive dispositions toward reading and teachers’ fundamental belief that all students can become proficient and passionate readers, regardless of cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Moreover, the course delves into fostering independent, critical readers and developing meaningful and effective family partnerships to promote literacy learning. Through a combination of theoretical exploration, practical application, and research-based approaches, candidates have the opportunity to develop knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to promoting successful literacy learning in diverse elementary school classrooms