EDRD 5439 Language and Literacy Across the Disciplines Credits: 3

Principles and application of disciplinary literacy in the middle and secondary classroom. Class will be primarily composed of discussion and lecture. As a part of the course, teacher candidates will inquire into and analyze disciplinary practices in 5-12 schools.

Prerequisites: Admission to the school of education.

EDRD 5501 Teaching Of Reading Credits: 3

This graduate language and literacy course explores foundational theories and research that have influenced literacy instruction and assessment in the United States. In particular, this course examines critical sociocultural theories and high leverage literacy practices for diverse learners.

EDRD 5502 Early Literacy and Language Development Credits: 3

This graduate language and literacy course emphasizes learning theories related to language acquisition, continuums of emergent literacy development, and corresponding teaching methods for literacy instruction and assessment of diverse learners. This course also prepares teachers and reading professionals to implement continuous professional learning related to language acquisition and emergent literacy with other teaching professionals.

EDRD 5510 Adolescent Practicum in Literacy Assessment and Intervention Credits: 3

This course ensures learners understand the purposes, strengths, and limitations of different literacy assessments in order to assess adolescent students’ proficiencies. The course will focus on identifying cognitive, motivational, and sociocultural factors that contribute to literacy success for the adolescent student in order to design and teach literacy intervention lessons with a struggling adolescent reader. As part of the practicum experience, learners are trained on communicating assessment results and implications to a variety of audiences.

EDRD 5511 Advanced Literacy Assessment and Evaluation Credits: 3

This graduate language & literacy course engages teachers and literacy specialists in building foundational knowledge, analyzing, and administering intelligence and achievement tests focusing on a range of skills and abilities. The course foregrounds research-based, developmentally-appropriate theoretical frameworks and measures of cognitive functioning and academic achievement, as well as formative and summative literacy assessment practices through a variety of advanced level methods.

EDRD 5515 Seminar In Reading Credits: 3

In this seminar, candidates will be introduced to the discourse of literacy research, understand commonly used practitioner research designs, become critical consumers of literacy research, and expand their knowledge of the extant body of literature on literacy and literacy for diverse learners.

Prerequisites: EDRD 5510.

EDRD 5520 Elementary Practicum in Literacy Assessment and Intervention Credits: 3

This culminating elementary practicum is designed for graduate students in Language & Literacy. This course prepares teachers to demonstrate proficiency in meeting the literacy needs of struggling readers and diverse learners in an elementary school setting and engaging in peer coaching and active self-peer analysis in order to improve their own instructional practices. Note: As this is the culminating course in the degree program, students are encouraged to implement learning concepts, practices, and assessments from previous coursework as appropriate during this practicum course.

Prerequisites: EDRD 5502

EDRD 5530 Reading Instruction for K-12 English Language Learners Credits: 3

This course investigates ways to differentiate reading instruction to meet needs of English Language Learners with different levels of language proficiency and at different developmental and academic levels. The course focuses on research findings related to literacy development of diverse learners and ways to strengthen diverse classroom communities. This is an elective course in Language & Literacy and does not have prerequisites.

EDRD 5540 African American English in Society and Schools Credits: 3

This course deals with the distinctive varieties of English used by and among African Americans, particularly in big-city settings, and their parallels elsewhere in Africa and the New World, especially in the Caribbean. The subject is approached from four perspectives that will be covered in the course: (1) Present-Day Features of African American Vernacular English (AAVE), its phonology, syntax, lexicon; (2) History and origins of AAVE; (3) Speech Events and Expressive Language Use (SEELU) Structure and function of such expressive African American Speech Events ; (4) Educational Issues connected with the use of AAVE.

Prerequisites: Open to graduate students enrolled in Language and Literacy Program. Open to graduate students enrolled in other programs or undergraduate students with permission of professor.

EDRD 5541 Teaching Reading Improvement: Secondary, College, and Adult Levels Credits: 3

Classroom and laboratory techniques for upper level reading instruction; including study skills; reading speed and flexibility, and vocabulary improvement.

EDRD 5601 Organizing And Guiding The Reading Program Credits: 3

This course examines, analyzes, and develops effective K-12 schoolwide literacy programs that include intervention support systems for responding to the needs of all students in diverse contexts. In addition, the course will focus on program goals, the roles and responsibilities of personnel, materials, fostering collaborative leadership, and creating a school culture that focuses on literacy.

EDRD 5650 Dyslexia and Related Learning Differences Credits: 3

This advanced level graduate language and literacy course analyzes theories of atypical literacy development, with a specific focus on identification and awareness of the ways that language processing affects speech, reading and spelling. Students will explore the coexistence of dyslexia with related learning differences and will plan instructional interventions for students with literacy special needs.