Curriculum

Required Courses (30 semester hours)

EDU 535 - The Teaching of Language Arts

This course uses an interdisciplinary approach to the teaching of language arts. Studies research-based models and methods for interrelating language arts. Project interrelating listening, speaking, reading and writing required.

EDU 567 - Foundations of Reading Instruction

Surveys the knowledge and research-based teaching strategies necessary to understand the nature of reading and the basic principles of reading instruction with a focus on phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension and their integration. Includes use of professional resources to investigate historical and current trends differentiating in reading instruction. Field experience required.

EDU 568 - Reading in the Content Areas

Assists elementary and secondary classroom teachers with research-based reading and study skill strategies as they apply to the subject areas in their curriculum. Projects involve the use of differentiated lessons planning, practice and demonstration activities, and informal screening devices will be designed for specific content areas in the classroom. Field experience required.

EDU 584 - Reading Assessment

Focuses on diagnosing problems in reading. Includes the administration, interpretation, and use of formal and informal tests. Prerequisites: EDU 567, or equivalent and permission of instructor. Practical field experience required.

EDU 590 - Reading Intervention Practicum

Deals with the selection and preparation of research-based classroom instructional methods, materials and strategies for use in correcting reading difficulties with students in the K-12 classroom. Prerequisite: EDU 584 or equivalent, or permission of instructor. Practical field experience required.

EDU 607 - Beginning Reading for the Primary Years (or EDU 718 Developmental Reading)

Includes theoretical foundations of emergent literacy, reading curriculum for primary children and research- based techniques for teaching primary reading. Prerequisite: EDU 567, or equivalent and permission of advisor. Practical field experience required.

EDU 613 - Roles of the Reading Specialist

Focuses on research-based methods for implementing the duties and responsibilities of a reading resource teacher at a school site. Includes consultative skills for assisting classroom and content area teachers. The focus includes human relations and leadership skills. Prerequisite: EDU 567 or equivalent and an additional graduate reading course to be determined by the advisor. Practical field experience required.

EDU 716 - Reading Diagnosis and Remediation

Examines the administration of standardized assessments and interpretation of data and results for diagnosing disabilities which impact learning to read and success with the reading process. The focus is development and implementation of research-based, instructional, differentiated remedial lessons. Field experience required.
Prerequisite: EDU 567, 584 and 590 or equivalent and permission of advisor.

EDU 717 - Practicum in Reading

Provides a supervised capstone practicum course in an instructional reading/literacy situation. Focus is on the reading teacher using research-based techniques for working with students, administrators, other teachers, and the community in a supervised setting. Prerequisite: Completion of all required MS coursework. Prerequisite: Admission to the MS or EdS program in Reading.

EDU 718 - Developmental Reading (or EDU 607 Beginning Reading for the Primary Years)

Explores the objectives, techniques, and procedures for research-based programs of developmental reading in primary, elementary, middle, and secondary schools. Serves as the foundation of studies to integrate reading within total academic programs. Prerequisites: EDU 567 or equivalent and permission of advisor.

EDR 601 - Methodology of Research

Explores major research designs and methods emphasizing underlying assumptions, inquiry aims, participant selection, data collection and analysis, interpretation of findings, conclusions, and reporting.

Elective Courses

EDU 604 - Teaching Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension

Assists teachers improve teaching vocabulary and comprehension. Research-based vocabulary and comprehension strategies are taught through modeling and differentiated lesson planning. Focus on the impact of vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension. Field experience required. Prerequisites: EDU 567, or equivalent.

EDU 611 - Reading/Literacy and Thinking Skills

This advanced course supports teachers by providing theories, models and techniques necessary to improve literacy/reading and thinking skills in the P-12 classroom. Teachers will learn strategies to help organize students' thinking, with an emphasis on reading/literacy skills.

EDU 612 - Teaching Reading to Secondary, College and Adults Students

Studies the major components involved in the teaching of reading at the secondary, college and adult levels. Includes research-based diagnostic-prescriptive procedures and the organization and implementation of corrective instruction in vocabulary, structural analysis, fluency, comprehension, and study strategies. Field experience required. Prerequisites: EDU 567 or EDU 568, or equivalent and permission of advisor.

EDU 673 - Computer/Technology Applications in the Teaching of Reading

Prepares the Reading teacher to use a variety of technologies in the teaching of reading, and to augment instruction in a classroom.

Course Required for State Certification

EDU 554 - Literature for the Elementary Classroom*

Addresses current trends and issues in children's literature for the elementary student. Focuses on literature genres and how to embed literature into the curriculum to support content areas and students with cultural and linguistic differences. Provides ways to develop positive dispositions towards reading and varied literature. Examines the Florida Sunshine State Standards, Subject Matter Content, an ESOL strategies related to Language Arts and Reading. Field Experiences required.

*You must have completed either an undergraduate or graduate course in children's or adolescent literature and a course in evaluation and measurement in education. If you have not already done so, you must take EDU 554 to fulfill the requirements.