Each program of professioal preparation is coordinated effectively in accordance with a cohesive design that has a cogent rationale.
The program provides each candidate with current research-based skills and knolwedge about instructional strategies for developing fluent reading in students at all levels, including speakers of English and English language learners. The program provides instruction in: linguistic elements (including phonemic awareness and the phonological and morphological structure of the English language); decoding/word attack strategies (such as systematic instruction in sound-symbol relationships); spelling instruction; the role of extensive practice with appropriate materials (such as decodable texts); and skills and strategies that contribute to independent reading.
The program provides each candidate with current research-based skills and knowledge about reading comprehension, including foundational skills in academic language, background knowledge, concept formation, and vocabulary development. The program provides candidates with skills and knowledge related to the teaching of comprehension strategies such as text analysis (both narrative and expository text structure); thinking and study strategies (such as inferenec, summarization, predicting, questioning and clarifying); and independent reading of high quality books.
The program provides opportunites for each candidate to participate in the ongoing assessment and evaluation of students' reading and writing, including speakers of English and English language learners. Each candidate masters the planning and delivery of appropriate reading and writing instruction, based on formal and informal assessment and evaluation results, to meet the reading and writing needs of all students. Instruction in the program includes extensive candidate experience in the assessment and evaluation of student reading and writing, and emphasizes the relationship between assessment and instruction.
The program provides each candidate with knowledge of and ability to apply instructional models and strategies that align with ongoing assessment results. The program focuses on research-based intervention models that are effective at early and intermediate reading levels.
In the program, each candidate acquires a professional perspective through examination of research and research-based practice pertaining to how students learn to read; the structure of the English language, including phonology, morphology, and orthography; second language acquisition; realtionships among language, spelling, reading and writing; and psychological and sociolinguistic aspects of reading and writing.
Each candidate in the program completes field experiences that relate to the candidate's professional goals; enable the candidate to integrate theory and practice; include work with beginning readers, English language learners, and students with reading difficulties; and provide opportunities to demonstrate and reinforce knowledge and skills that are embedded in the Program Design and Curriculum Standards. In the fieldwork, each candidate practices the assessment of struggling readers at both early and intermediate levels of reading acquisition, and the tutoring or small-group instruction of struggling readers at two or more reading levels, including the non-reader level and one or more higher levels. The program places candidates at field sites where the instructional approaches and methods are consistent with a balanced comprehensive program of reading and language arts instruction. Institutional faculty and field-site facility collaborate in program design and implementation.
Each candidate articulates and applies an understanding of the research basis and theoretical foundations for instruction in reading and language arts, and of relevant research and theories pertaining to language, assessment and evaluation.
Each candidate demonstrates effective instructional practices and intervention models and strategies in reading and language arts instruction for English speakers and English learners. Each candidate demonstrates a thorough understanding of the research basis and theoretical foundations for alternative instructional practices and intervention models and strategies, and of fundemental issues related to these professional practices.
Each candidate demonstrates the ability ro respect, understand and teach students who are different from the candidate, including ethnic, cultural, gender, linguistic, and socio-economic differences.
Each candidate demonstrates the ability to assess and evaluate students' needs, abilities and achievement by using a variety of measures: formal and informal; individual and group. Each candidate demonstrates the ability to apply what is learned through assessment and evaluation to the development and delivery of appropriate instuction in reading and language arts.
The program provides in-depth knowledge, skills and experiences that enable each candidate to develop an advanced professional perspective on reading and language arts curriculum, instruction and assessment. The program provides specialized activites and effective experiences that promote leadership skills and foster the ongoing professional development of all candidates.
The program provides knowledge and skills in research design and methodology that enable each candidate to understand emerging findings in the literature related to literacy education. The program provides focused knowledge and skills in local program evaluation methods that enable the candidate to generate reliable information about local program strengths, weaknesses, and effects.
Through critical examination of sound research and theoretical literature, each candidate in the program acquires an advanced professional perspective about how students learn to read; the structure of the English langage, including phonology, morphology, and orthography; relationships between language, spelling, reading and writing; psychological and sociolinguistic aspects of reading and writing.
The program provides theoretical and research-based skills and knowledge about how children from a variety of socio-cultural and linguistic backgrounds become proficient readers. Within this context, the program includes study and instruction in the specific needs of students who are English language learners, students with reading difficulties, and students who are proficient readers and writers.
Each candidates in the program completes advanced clinical experiences that relate to the candidate's professional goals, enable the candidate to integrate theory and practice, and provide opportunities for the candidateto demonstrate and reinforce knowledge and skills that are embedded in the Program Design and Curriculum Standards. At the Reading and Language Arts Specialist level, clinical activites include intensive work with beginning readers and in-depth experience with students who have severe reading difficulties. The program places candidates where the clinical approaches and methods are consistent with a balanced, comprehensive program of literacy and language education. Institutional faculty and clinical faculty and clinical faculty collaborate in program design and implementation.
Each candidate demonstrates skills and knowledge that are needed to provide effective leadership in making program, curriculum, instructional and intervention decisions, and in providing successful staff development to assure the effective implementation of those decisions.
Each candidate demonstrates the effective use of research as a basis for the analysis of program strengths, weaknesses, and overall success. Each candidate learns to analyze and apply current research in reading and language arts, and to evaluate instructional programs and published materials for decision-making purposes.
Each candidate demonstrates advanced understanding and application of effective reading and language arts instruction, intervention, curriculum and program planning. Each candidate acquires an in-depth knowledge and understanding of specialized areas of study that influence and affect teaching and learning in the field of reading and language arts including, but not limited to, the structure of the English language and the sociolinguistic and psycholinguistic foundations of professional practice.
Each candidate demonstrates research-based knowledge and in-depth understanding of how students from a variety of socio-cultural and linguisic backgrounds learn to read. Within this context, each candidate demonstrates a strong understanding of the specific needs of students who are English language learners, student with reading difficulties, and students who are both proficient readers and writers.