This course provides a foundation for educational partnerships between regular and special educators. It offers new and innovative ways to jointly meet the needs of special students.

The focus of this course will be the development of an understanding of assessment materials that may be used to monitor students' progress in reading skills and concepts. The literacy leader will learn options for assessment that are appropriate for the age, background, and needs of the child. This course will also center around the use of research and best practice as it applies to assessment and instruction.

This course focuses on the knowledge of oral language development and the knowledge of the unique needs and backgrounds of students with language differences and delays. Effective research-based strategies and instructional technology for faciliating the learning of Standard English by all learners, including English Language Learners, will be covered.

This course focuses on the development of effective reading strategies and skills in content areas for K-12 students. Text structure and the dimensions of content area vocabulary and comprehension, including literal, interpretive, critical, and evaluative are studied. A variety of research-based strategies and practices for effective instruction in reading and writing are reviewed and studied.

Students will intern in a field experience at birth through 36 months integrating prior early childhood coursework through the preparation of interdisciplinary units designed and delivered in a birth through 36 months environment. Restricted to students admitted to the early childhood endorsement/licensure program.

Students will intern in a field experience with kindergarten children integrating prior early childhood coursework through the preparation of interdisciplinary units designed and delivered in a kindergarten environment. Field experience reflections addressing the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) standards will be compiled into a field experience portfolio. Restricted to students admitted to the early childhood endorsement/licensure program. May be repeated for credit.

Students will intern in a field experience in grade one, two, or three integrating prior early childhood coursework through the preparation of interdisciplinary units designed and delivered within an environment of children in grade 1-3. Field experience reflections addressing the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) standards will be compiled into a field experience portfolio. Restricted to students admitted to the early childhood endorsement/licensure program. May be repeated for credit.

Students will read, discuss, compare, and evaluate a variety of children's and adolescent's literature from the cannons to the current. Through a sociocultural perspective, students will use a critical lens to evaluate books, materials, and other teaching resources. Specific funds of knowledge that students bring to the classroom and how to effectively design and deliver classroom literacy experiences based on these funds of knowledge will be explored.

Psychology of the Gifted will provide an opportunity to examine the issues that educators need to know about the social and emotional development and needs of gifted children. Giftedness is much more than the ability to excel with grades and tests. Participants will examine varying definitions of giftedness and personal beliefs that support and advocate for gifted children or become barriers to them. This class will examine how gifted students perceive themselves, and how pressures, anxiety or outside influences impact the fulfillment of their potential.

The course is designed to provide teachers the opportunity to gain deeper understanding of the art of teaching writing. Current research and theory will provide a foundation of knowledge to effictively teach writing as a communication tool. Content will include the following: reading-writing-speaking connections; the stages of spelling development; the writing process; qualities of effective writing; writing conferences; and an exploration of different types of writing.