Courses Reading and Literacy

This course provides learners with opportunities to acquire and use graduate-level skills, including the ability to critically examine and apply relevant educational theory to professional practice. Learners develop expertise in scholarly writing as well as explore the importance of multicultural perspectives and diversity in professional contexts. Finally, learners articulate and examine their professional purpose and its alignment with their specialization and career aspirations. Must be taken during the first quarter by learners who have been admitted to the MEd in Teaching and Learning, MS in Education, MS in Education Innovation and Technology, and MS in Higher Education degree programs and the Adult Education and Higher Education Leadership and Administration graduate certificate programs. Cannot be fulfilled by transfer or credit for prior learning.

This course is an overview of graduate research methodology. Learners examine fundamental research methodologies and their respective quantitative and qualitative approaches to rigorous scholarly inquiry.

In this course, learners examine national and state learning standards related to their content area or grade level. Learners utilize research-based curriculum to craft assessments that are aligned to standards, and implement instruction that is meaningful to students and supports their academic achievement. This course requires access to a P–12 classroom and/or educational stakeholders in a P–12 school or district.

In this course, learners examine instruction and learning improvement strategies and collaborate with students’ families, the community, and other professionals for the purpose of improving instruction. Learners also evaluate instruction to determine how well it promotes professional teaching standards and dispositions. This course requires access to a P–12 classroom and/or educational stakeholders in a P–12 school or district.

Learners in this course apply strategies for managing diverse and challenging student behaviors and develop the skills needed to create classroom environments that maximize the opportunity for each student to learn. This course emphasizes the roles, rights, and responsibilities of all stakeholders under The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Section 504 legislation. This course requires access to a P–12 classroom and/or educational stakeholders in a P–12 school or district.

Learners in this course examine the origins and complexities of student achievement gaps within the contexts of gender, race, culture, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and language difference. Learners also explore current student achievement research and best practices and identify instructional strategies most likely to eliminate achievement disparities. This course requires access to a P–12 classroom and/or educational stakeholders in a P–12 school or district.

Learners in this course for P–12 classroom teachers analyze educational principles relevant to the physical, social, emotional, moral, and cognitive development of P–12 students. Learners examine ways to foster development of fluency and prosody skills, including word recognition, vocabulary, and comprehension. This course requires access to a P–12 classroom and/or educational stakeholders in a P–12 school or district. Cannot be fulfilled by transfer or credit for prior learning except by coursework from Minnesota schools with approved licensure programs.

In this course designed for education professionals, learners investigate the content literacy needs of all middle school students. Learners develop knowledge in reading theory, instructional practices, and comprehension strategies needed to develop independent readers and writers. Learners apply practices in differentiated instruction, addressing diversity, and digital technology that will translate into effective literacy instruction. This course requires access to a P–12 classroom and/or educational stakeholders in a P–12 school or district. Prerequisite(s): ED5551. Cannot be fulfilled by transfer or credit for prior learning except by coursework from Minnesota schools with approved licensure programs.

This course for P–12 classroom teachers focuses on the application of individual and group reading assessment strategies. Learners evaluate and determine the ways in which data-driven assessments inform the reading and literacy curriculum. Using quantitative and qualitative assessment data, learners select best practice strategies and instruction methods and materials for students with diverse reading backgrounds and skills. This course requires access to a P–12 classroom and/or educational stakeholders in a P–12 school or district. Prerequisite(s): ED5551. Cannot be fulfilled by transfer or credit for prior learning except by coursework from Minnesota schools with approved licensure programs.

The focus of this course for education professionals is to create a community in which student literacy extends beyond the classroom and includes family and society. Learners develop reading curriculum, strategies, and materials to use in a variety of sociocultural contexts that will enhance secondary students’ comprehension of and appreciation for narrative and informational texts. This course has a required clinical practice experience and learners will need access to secondary classroom grades 9–12. Prerequisite(s): ED5551. Cannot be fulfilled by transfer except by coursework from Minnesota schools with approved licensure programs.

In this course for P–12 classroom teachers, learners develop a case study based on an analysis of how effectively their school or district’s literacy program meets the needs of their diverse population of students. Using reading theory, research, best practices and resources provided by professional organizations, learners make recommendations for ways to teach literacy reading and writing across the curriculum. Learners also develop a yearlong professional development plan as part of their research. Prerequisite(s): ED5551. Cannot be fulfilled by transfer or credit for prior learning except by coursework from Minnesota schools with approved licensure programs.

This course is the required capstone course for learners in the master’s Reading and Literacy specialization and is taken after completing all required coursework. Learners complete an 80-​hour practicum and review the master’s P–12 Educator Preparation Program (EPP) outcomes and state-approved reading standards in preparation for developing a final portfolio that demonstrates proficiency in reading and literacy. For MS Reading and Literacy learners only. Grading for this course is S/NS. This course requires access to a P–12 classroom and/or educational stakeholders in a P–12 school or district. Prerequisite(s): A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better and the completion, submission, and approval of a practicum application. Please refer to practicum and internship Campus resource pages for information regarding application due dates and site and supervisor guidelines. ED5010, ED5501, ED5500, ED5503, ED5504, ED5006, ED5551, ED5552, ED5553, ED5554, ED5555. Cannot be fulfilled by transfer or credit for prior learning.