The focus of this course is on the development of language and literacy of young children, and specific techniques appropriate for emergent readers and developing readers in the elementary grades, K-6. The aim of this course will be teaching all children to read independently including struggling readers and ESL students. The course covers issues relating to the socialization patterns and practices of literacy learning in the home and school. It requires the application of knowledge of the Science of Reading components: phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension, with an emphasis on the theories and strategies appropriate for teaching, diagnosis of reading difficulties, and intervention strategies for struggling readers. A variety of approaches to reading and writing instruction, assessment practices, and issues in reading curriculum development will be addressed.

Integrating language arts creates linguistic opportunities where literacy skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking) can be used together for real purposes and real audiences. Students in this course will explore, evaluate, create and apply a variety of integrated literacy strategies and activities, which will enhance their own as well as their future student's cognitive (critical thinking skills) and metacognitive (thinking about thinking) language art skills.

This course prepares teacher candidates to examine, assess and diagnose literacy development for the purpose of instructional planning and interventions. Teacher candidates will determine the nature of a reading problem by assessing the following components of a comprehensive literacy program: Phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Candidates will investigate and practice applying a variety of methods and tools for diagnosing and assessing literacy problems using both formal and informal assessments. Data from the assessments will be used to analyze and evaluate results for instructional planning appropriate for struggling readers and writers with intervention strategies, activities, and technology that will monitor progress and increase literacy skills. A practicum will be required as part of the course of study in which students will assess, diagnose and teach students with reading and writing difficulties.

A study of issues and trends in literature for children/adolescents and its current practices in teaching literacy and other curricular practices.

Analysis of the different perspectives and dichotomies in reading curriculum analysis, evaluation, and implementation. This course will prepare reading specialists to plan, organize, assess, and supervise/coach reading programs in school systems. Candidates will use current research to evaluate issues and trends in curriculum planning, program assessment, and staff development.

This course focuses on literacy, technology, and the reading environment. Understanding the components of technology and its relationship to best practices when teaching and integrating reading instruction is imperative for the master's of reading candidate. This course will use the science of reading as a foundation including: phonics, phonemic awareness, comprehension, writing, fluency, vocabulary, and alphabetic principle. Analysis of new skills gained in this course will be applied to better support teacher and student growth.

This course focuses on the relationship between literacy, language, and culture in multilingual and multicultural settings. This course provides opportunities for students to investigate important theoretical perspectives informing research in literacy, language, and culture. Students examine the relationship between child and young adult multicultural literature, language use, instructional activities, and the development of literacy, language, and culture in multilingual and multicultural settings. In this course students will have the opportunity to examine and develop their personal philosophy of literacy, language, and culture in linguistically and culturally diverse settings. They will also be encouraged to carefully examine their beliefs and attitudes about their own language and about the language of others who live around them. Being aware of their beliefs and attitudes will help them become more tolerant of the variation in language use from one individual to the next and from one group to the next. It will also help you better understand the change the language constantly undergoes in personal and social use.

In this practicum candidates will apply their knowledge of language and literacy theories, research and best practices to an ongoing assessment-instruction process. Candidates work intensively with an individual or a small group of primary, intermediate, or secondary struggling readers at a public, charter, or parochial school daily for 12 weeks. This course is designed to provide both a theoretical base for the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of reading difficulties as well as a practical hands-on opportunity for graduate students to administer a battery of tests to the individual(s), interpret the results, and build a case report that makes corrective recommendations based on the results. Roles of Reading Specialists and Literacy Coaches will be examined.