Department website: https://www.atu.edu/tel

The Middle Childhood/Early Adolescence degree provides quality preservice educational instruction and guidance in preparation for teaching grades 4-8. The program prepares and nurtures interdisciplinary teachers who understand the major concepts, principles, theories, and research on developmentally responsive middle schools, adolescent development, planning and implementing curriculum, assessment strategies, professionalism, and advocacy (AMLE, 2022). The program is designed around a conceptual framework which organizes learning expectations and experiences into manageable discipline-specific strands for the content areas of English Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, or Science.

The first stage of the middle level program is a pre-professional program and admission to this stage does not constitute approval for admission to the professional program in teacher education. Stage II is the professional stage of the preparation program. Teacher candidates must satisfactorily complete the requirements of the first stage, have a cumulative grade point average of 2.70 on all coursework, complete English composition courses, an oral communication course, a college-level mathematics course, and complete MLED 2003 Introduction to Education, or acceptable introduction to education substitution course, with grades of "C" or higher. 

After satisfying all of the requirements of the Stage II coursework and Residency A, the teacher candidate will apply for Residency B. Admission to Residency B requires completion of all professional education courses, senior standing, satisfactory completion of all prerequisites listed in the course descriptions, a minimum grade of “C” in all courses with a cumulative grade point average of 2.70, and the minimum score on the subject area licensure examination as required by the Arkansas Department of Education.

Teacher candidates should complete an application for Residency B for the spring semester by October 15 or for the fall semester by March 15. Teacher candidates must present scores on the appropriate licensure examination as directed by the Arkansas Department of Education.

References
Association for Middle Level Education [AMLE]. (2022). Association for Middle Level Education Teacher Preparation Standards. 

Plan of Study Grid

Freshman
Fall		Hours
BIOL 1114	Principles of Biology	4
EDFD 1001	Orientation to Teaching K-12	1
ENGL 1013	Composition I	3
HIST 1503	World History to 1500	3
MATH 1113	College Algebra	3
PHSC 1053	Astronomy	3
	Hours	17
Spring
ENGL 1023	Composition II	3
HIST 1903	Survey of American History	3
MATH 2033	Mathematical Concepts I	3
MLED 2003	Education as a Profession	3
PHSC 1021	Physical Science Laboratory	1
PHSC 1013	Introduction to Physical Science	3
	Hours	16
Sophomore
Fall
FAH 1XXX	Fine Arts and Humanities Courses 1	3
COMM 2003	Public Speaking	3
CHEM 1113 & CHEM 1111	A Survey of Chemistry and Survey of Chemistry Laboratory	4
BIOL 2004	Basic Human Anatomy and Physiology	4
	Hours	14
Spring
EDMD 2013	Integrating Instructional Technology	3
FAH 1XXX	Fine Arts and Humanities Courses 1	3
PHYS 1114	Applied Physics	4
POLS 2003	American Government	3
STAT 2163	Introduction to Statistical Methods	3
	Hours	16
Junior
Fall
ENGL 4703	Teaching English as a Second Language	3
ENVS 1004	Principles of Environmental Science	4
MLED 3023	Psychological Foundations for the Nature and Needs of Middle Level Students	3
MLED 3033	Literacy Development in the Middle Grades	3
MLED 3063	Tests & Educational Measurements	3
	Hours	16
Spring
BIOL 2054	Microbiology for Health Sciences	4
BIOL 3223	Science Education in the Middle Level	3
GEOL 1004	Essentials of Earth Science	4
MLED 3073	Diversity in the Classroom	3
MLED 3103	Writing in the Content Area	3
	Hours	17
Senior
Fall
HIST 2153	Introduction to Arkansas History	3
MLED 3013	Research Foundations	3
MLED 4003	Middle Level Curriculum and Pedagogy	3
MLED 4023	Residency A Seminar	3
	Hours	12
Spring
MLED 4903	Residency B Seminar	3
MLED 4909	Residency B	9
	Hours	12
	Total Hours	120

¹

See appropriate alternatives or substitutions in "General Education Requirements".

All initial licensure education programs are CAEP accredited and each one works toward meeting the InTASC Teaching Standards (used in Arkansas as the Arkansas Teaching Standards), which are also mapped to Danielson's Framework for Teaching FFT (used in Arkansas Teacher Excellence and Support System) [TESS].

The inTASC Standards include the following four categories of standards:

1. The Learner and Learning (This category includes Standards 1 & 2 - Learner Development and Learning Differences and Standard 3 - Learning Environment.) FFT/TESS Domains 1 & 2.

2. Content Knowledge (This category includes Standards 4 - Content Knowledge and 5 - Application of Content.) FFT/TESS Domains 1 & 3.

3. Instructional Practice (This category includes Standards 6 - Assessment, 7 - Planning for Instruction, and 8 - Instructional Strategies). FFT/TESS Domains 1, 2, & 3.

4. Professional Responsibility (This category includes Standards 9 - Professional Learning and Ethical Practice and 10 - Leadership and Collaboration). FFT/TESS
Domain 4.