Graduate Certificate in Elementary Reading and Literacy

To support the reading and literacy development of all students, education professionals need to understand the factors that may influence literacy learning including language development, educational research and policies, and instructional practices to promote the development of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. In this course, education professionals explore theoretical and historical perspectives on literacy education and consider the influence of cognitive, linguistic, sociocultural, and psychological development on the literacy learning of PreK-6 students. Education professionals have the opportunity to examine current educational policies and initiatives including the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and other state standards. Education professionals consider the role of research in informing literacy instruction and apply effective instructional practices including practical approaches for implementing the Response to Intervention (RTI) model and incorporating new literacies and technology tools to support literacy instruction.

Building a strong foundation of literacy skills and experiences in young children is critical to their success in school and life. In this course, educators take a developmental approach to reading and literacy instruction and are provided practical research-based approaches to help P-3 students achieve the literacy goals of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and other state standards. The characteristics of emergent and beginning readers are explored, focusing on phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Education professionals evaluate the role of motivation in learning to read and analyze the use of progress monitoring and Response to Intervention (RTI) to support all learners. Through their coursework, educators are provided with opportunities to explore writing, close reading, print concepts, and multiple text genres. Education professionals plan and implement developmentally appropriate assessment and instruction, including technology tools, to support the literacy development of all learners in preschool through third grade.

The intermediate grades present unique challenges to literacy learning including complexity of text, students' use of technology, student motivation to learn, and explicit and implicit gender issues exhibited in the classroom. Education professionals are provided with opportunities to evaluate research-based instructional and assessment practices to help students in grades 4–6 to actively engage in literacy learning and achieve the literacy goals of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and other state standards. Education professionals examine the role of literacy in content area learning, explore ways to teach close reading of complex texts, and consider how to incorporate different levels, types, and genres of text to support all students' learning and literacy development. The focus of the coursework is on effective strategies to support writing about text, content-area specialization vocabulary, listening and speaking, and the effective use of technology tools to support content area reading.

Today's classrooms reflect the rich cultural and linguistic diversity of the world outside of school. Educators explore how to establish a responsive classroom where literacy development flourishes for all students, including second language learners and speakers of nonstandard dialects. Education professionals analyze the reading and literacy challenges experienced by culturally and linguistically diverse learners including text complexity, academic vocabulary, and appropriateness of texts and materials. The focus of the coursework is on ways to scaffold and support all literacy learners, including English Language Learners.

Today's classrooms require competent and confident teachers to support both students who struggle with reading and those who excel. Education professionals in this course focus on accelerating the literacy development of students with reading difficulties, including students who have specific learning disabilities, and addressing the needs of high-achieving students. Through coursework, education professionals have opportunities to examine informal and formal assessments, the use of data to inform instruction, and practical guidelines for implementing the Response to Intervention (RTI) model. Education professionals explore concepts and strategies, including collaboration with support resources, methods to differentiate and scaffold instruction, progress monitoring, leveling books, intervention strategies, and the use of motivating texts and technology tools to support student learning.