Master of Education English (5-8) and Specialist Teacher in Reading (All Levels) Leading to Initial Teacher License

This joint program offers students the option to earn their classroom teaching license and their reading specialist license through one streamlined program. Students complete the middle school portion of the program and earn their initial license in Middle School English, and begin teaching with that license while continuing to work towards their reading licensure. Students apply their coursework to a practicum experience and gain a wealth of specialized knowledge applicable to a range of settings, student populations, and consultant roles.

Prerequisite: Must have completed a college or university's requirements for a major in the discipline or have passed the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL) test in the English (5-8) content area.

*Must be completed prior to the practicum
**Must be completed prior to the practicum and include field-based assignments

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

EEDUC 5146 Issues in American Schooling: Contemporary Challenges and Historical Contexts
The course examines diverse contemporary issues in American education through a combination of field-based experiences and investigation of the social and historical forces that shape the character of schooling in a democratic society. The course opens the dialogue about the nature of teaching and learning, and the design of educational programs in the context of societal, political, and economic structures as well as within the diverse cultural values of a pluralistic society.

EEDUC 6100 Adolescent Development in the Context of Families, Communities, and Schools
Students will investigate the historical, contemporary, cultural, physical, and psychological aspects of this important stage of human development. While learning about the characteristics of adolescents, learners will reflect on their own experiences and come to know themselves more fully. A goal of this course is to apply theory to authentic experience so that pre- and in-service teachers develop an appreciation and understanding of how the institutions of society, and specifically schools, can best serve this age group.

EEDUC 6101 Content Area Reading/Writing/Study Skills (4–12)
Reading curriculum is studied with emphasis on comprehension, content area reading, study skills, and readers with diverse needs in upper elementary, middle, and high school.

EEDUC 5108 The Middle School: Philosophy, Curriculum, and Instruction
This course addresses the unique psychological, social, and intellectual needs of middle school children and the school organizational structures, curriculum, and teaching styles that meet these needs. These include, but are not limited to, effective models for teaming, interdisciplinary teaching, advisor-advisee, flexible programming, community-based projects, inquiry-based approach to academics, the inclusion of the unified arts, cooperative learning, multiple learning styles, and strategies for effective parental involvement.

EEDUC 6103 Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment in English
This course provides historical and structural foundations of the language for teachers of English in middle schools. Components of the course include the history of the English language; an examination of rules, conventions, and purposes of written and spoken English; a survey of selections of American, English, and world literature for middle school students; and methods of assessing students’ needs as well as meeting the needs of diverse learners.

EEDUC 6137 Creating a Community of Learners: Management through High Engagement
Participants will acquire strategies and skills to create a true community of learners where there is a caring, supportive, safe middle school classroom and team in which students participate fully in solving problems, including problems with disruptive behavior. A high level of active engagement in interdisciplinary, thematic, project-situated, and community-based inquiry will model for participants how to use intellectual engagement to motivate students’ appropriate behavioral management and commitment to learning.

ESPED 5037 Strategies for Inclusive Schooling
This course provides an overview of instructional and curricular strategies for students with disabilities in inclusive schools. Theory and effective practices are presented in relation to the educational, social, and academic components of classrooms. The course reviews the historical and legal perspectives of special education, the Individualized Education Plan, effective collaboration, and models of inclusion.

ESPED 5100 Special Needs: An Inclusive Perspective
This course presents an overview of characteristics and instructional implications of various disabling conditions. From an inclusive perspective, the class examines information about disabilities as well as the effects of societal attitudes, the range of service delivery for individuals with disabilities, the historical context of special education, state and federal laws and regulations, the impact of labeling, myths and stereotypes, advocacy, and the role of parents.

EEDUC 7730 Practicum and Seminar in English (5–8)
Full-semester, full-time practicum in English (5–8) under the supervision of a supervising practitioner and University program supervisor. Practicum is accompanied by a seminar addressing issues in the field. Prerequisites: Completion of a 75-hour early field experience, required pre-practicum courses, and MTEL requirements. Permission required.

EEDUC 5104 Literature for Children and Young Adults
This survey of children’s books from preschool through the adolescent years identifies the characteristics of the various literary genres, develops criteria for evaluating children’s books, fosters an awareness and nurtures a consideration of how the developmental and diverse cultural needs of children affect their responses to literature, and shares strategies for integrating literature across the curriculum for enjoyment, learning, and classroom reading instruction.

EEDUC 5121 Literacy: The Integration of the Language Arts
This course presents fundamental principles of elementary reading and language arts. Focus is on students understanding the interrelationship of reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Students will also become knowledgeable about current materials, instructional strategies, and classroom-based assessment for emergent reading, beginning reading, and fluent reading.

EEDUC 6001 The Teaching of Writing (K–12)
This course promotes the thoughtful examination of writers and writing instruction. Throughout the course, students are introduced to strategies and skills they can use to enhance their own writing and the writing of K–12 students. Using a process approach, students learn how to communicate ideas effectively in a variety of genres and for a multitude of purposes. Based on the most current understandings in the field, this course explores such topics as writer’s workshop, conferencing, struggling writers, assessment, reading/writing connections, writing in the disciplines, revision and editing, the use of technology to support writers, and the management of writing instruction.

EEDUC 6136 Struggling Readers and Writers
This course explores the nature of the challenges facing those students at all grade levels who struggle (for diverse reasons) to achieve expected progress in reading and writing development. Participants will describe and analyze the nature of difficulties encountered by struggling readers and writers; they will identify appropriate classroom approaches to address these difficulties and will survey the many well-established programs for learners who are struggling. Issues related to serving diverse populations are raised throughout. Prerequisites: For matriculating students in the Reading and Special Education programs only. For Reading students–EEDUC 5121, EEDUC 6001, and EEDUC 6101; For Special Education students–ESPED 5100, ESPED 5114, and ESPED 6122.

EEDUC 6135 Assessment: A Literacy Perspective
This course examines principles of assessment and evaluation in the language arts, with emphasis on reading and writing, for the literacy educator. The central concern is the role of assessment in instruction for both individual students and whole classrooms. Topics of study include the nature of data collection, analysis and interpretation in various assessment approaches, and issues related to serving diverse student populations. Prerequisites: EEDUC 5121, EEDUC 6001, and EEDUC 6101.

EEDUC 6102 Language and Literacy: Development and Diversity
This course examines diverse aspects of language acquisition and literacy development with emphasis on educational implications. The major theories and current research in first and second language acquisition are reviewed. Educational topics in language and literacy are addressed, including concerns for reading, writing, oral language, phonics, spelling, academic English, grammar, language assessments, and language-based disabilities. Linguistic and cultural diversity, bilingualism, and second language acquisition are considered throughout.

[back to top]

EEDUC 7103 Roles of the Language Arts Professional: Consultation and Collaboration
Emphasizing consultative and collaborative approaches, students explore the varied roles of a consultant teacher of reading involving areas such as professional development; materials and curriculum development; materials, curriculum, and program evaluation; and the coordination and implementation of legislation and funded programs.

EEDUC 7105 Practicum: Interactive Assessment and Instruction for Literacy
Instruction and supervised practicum experience in the use of formal and informal methods of literacy assessment from emergent to mature levels of ability. From the ongoing analysis of assessment results, each tutor develops a specific instructional program for a tutee. Emphasis is on the interaction of assessment and instruction, and the revision of instructional goals based on the analysis of daily performance. Prerequisites: EEDUC 5104, EEDUC 5121, EEDUC 5122, EEDUC 6001, EEDUC 6101, EEDUC 6102, EEDUC 6135, and EEDUC 6136 (or equivalents).

Lesley University reserves the right to unilaterally add, withdraw, or revise any course offering in the above-mentioned program of study, including policies, provisions, requirements, and fees.

Lesley University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity institution, and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, handicap, or disability in its education programs, employment, or in admissions to, access to, or treatment in its programs or activities.