Program Curriculum

Five online courses taught by full time literacy faculty at each university:

• Coaching in Diverse Classrooms
  Online course designed for the preparation of literacy specialists focuses on knowledge, skills and dispositions in school-based professional development and coaching to enhance teachers’ implementation of culturally responsive instruction for diverse learners. This population includes special needs, culturally and linguistically diverse students. Emphasis is placed on connections between current theory, research, and instructional practice.

• Coaching for Effective Assessment Practice
  Online course designed for the preparation for literacy specialists focuses on knowledge, skills and dispositions in school-based professional development and coaching to enhance teachers’ understanding of classroom-based reading assessment concepts and skills

• Pedagogy of Effective Literacy Instruction
  Online course designed for the preparation for literacy specialists focuses on knowledge of a wide range of instructional practices, methods, curriculum materials, and technology tools, which support effective reading and writing instruction. Participants integrate their knowledge and dispositions regarding curriculum, instructional practices, curricular materials, assessment and evaluation to create literate environments that foster and support student learning.

• Professional Development in Literacy
  Online course designed for the preparation for literacy specialists focuses on research and knowledge bases related to teacher professional development from a variety of perspectives. Participants examine multiple approaches to supporting teacher professional development, including coaching.

• Advanced Literacy Research
  Online course designed for the preparation for literacy specialists examines literacy research as an integral part of professional development. Builds on candidate understanding of a variety of research paradigms in reading and writing research, supports engagement in inquiry that significantly advances participants’ understanding of pedagogical content knowledge in literacy, and provides opportunities for collaboration with other literacy professionals to advance understanding of evidence-based practice. 
  
  
• Internship with online supervision
  The capstone of the program is an internship designed to further develop participants’ knowledge of effective professional development, coaching skills, and professional dispositions in the following domains: data based decision-making, evidence-based practice, and technology tools and functions.

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