Licensure Only: Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities (PreK-8)

This program has been approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for Initial Teaching Licensure in Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities (PreK-8) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

This licensure-only program is for educators seeking an Initial license in Moderate Disabilities who already hold an Initial license in Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle School, or High School. All Special Education programs at Lesley prepare teachers to work with culturally and linguistically diverse students with disabilities in the least restrictive environments in public and private schools, clinical settings, and collaborative programs.

Courses may be waived based on previous coursework. Courses waived may reduce the total number of program credits.

Prerequisite: Initial Massachusetts license in Elementary, Early Childhood, or Middle School education.

Note:  This program is subject to the U.S. government's Gainful Employment Program regulations, which provide students with information about total program costs, loan repayment rates, and career outlooks. For more information, please visit Lesley's Gainful Employment page.

*Must be completed prior to the practicum, and many courses include field-based assignments.
**For current information on state testing requirements for initial licensure programs, Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL) test administration dates, and the Lesley MTEL policy, see Lesley's Certification Office web page at www.lesley.edu/certification.html.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

ESPED 5100 Contemporary Perspectives in Special Education
This course provides an introduction to the profession of Special Education. From an inclusive perspective, the course examines the characteristics of disabling conditions, as well as the effects of societal attitudes, the historical context of special education, and state and federal law. The range of service delivery provided by schools and agencies will be addressed.

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ESPED 6014  Reading and Writing for Diverse Learners
This course examines content and teaching approaches focusing on reading and writing for PreK-12 students with a range of learning and other disabilities. Topics include approaches for promoting growth in word analysis, comprehension, vocabulary, and composition.  Class participants work with educational standards and have the opportunity to address all content areas in developing a variety of specific modifications and interventions based upon individual needs and designed to address and remediate learning problems as specified by the IEP.

ESPED 6121 Classroom Management and Behavior Support
This courses addresses the social and behavioral aspects of the classroom. Course participants analyze a range of classroom management approaches, with particular focus on preventing and proactively addressing student behavior problems in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms.  Participants examine strategies for developing and maintaining appropriate standards of behavior and enhancing the emotional development of children. Central themes of the course include analyzing behavior, developing individualized strategies for addressing challenging behaviors, and creating opportunities for learning effective social skills.  A range of environmental, social, behavioral, psycho-educational and cognitive theories and interventions are reviewed and critiqued.  Effective strategies for collaborative problem-solving, conflict resolution, and family involvement are also addressed.

ESPED 6128 Instructional Accommodations in Math and Science (PreK–8)
Based on an understanding of the many ways of knowing and learning, this course will focus on the learning strengths and needs of students with disabilities in grades PreK–8. National, state, and local frameworks and standards will be used in unit and lesson planning. Class participants will learn to analyze math and science tasks, to design and modify classroom experiences using technology and other tools, and to support learning and address individual needs as specified in the IEP.

ESPED 6124 Assessment in Special Education
Assessment is a legal and professional responsibility of all special educators. This course will focus on eligibility determination from assessment to program planning, including re-evaluation for the purpose of continued eligibility. The process of interpretation of test results to meaningful curricular decision making and professional communication of this information to team members will be a primary outcome of the course.   Students will focus on assessment methods and procedures used in eligibility determination and program planning for students with disabilities as well as students who are culturally and linguistically diverse.

ESPED 6122 Instructional Accommodations in English Language Arts and Social Studies (PreK–8)
This course emphasizes literacy, English language arts, history, and social science for learners in grades PreK–8. Students will work with Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks to identify and develop a variety of teaching strategies and curricular adaptations to meet the needs of diverse learners with a range of disabilities as specified in the IEP.

ESPED 6134 Designing Effective Individualized Educational Programs
This course will focus on the Individualized Educational Program (IEP) process from referral to eligibility determination and placement, including legal rights and responsibilities. Based upon interpretation of case study assessment results, students will develop legally and educationally appropriate IEPs to meet identified needs and recommend appropriate accommodations, modifications, and specialized instruction. The roles and responsibilities of various education professionals and family members with regard to implementation, collaboration, documentation, and progress reporting will be explored. Specialized programs for students with disabilities will be investigated.

ESPED 6132 Collaboration with Professionals, Families, and Community
This course focuses on models and strategies for collaboration among general and special educators, families, outside evaluators, and the community to support students with and without disabilities and to help create positive educational change. Development of effective interpersonal communication skills in working with teachers, outside agencies, and families of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds will be emphasized.  The teacher’s roles and responsibilities as a professional and as a collaborative consultant will be explored.  Use of outside agencies, services and community resources will be addressed.

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ESPED 7707 Half Practicum and Seminar In Moderate Disabilities (PreK–8)
This seven-week practicum in the role of teacher of students with moderate disabilities is accompanied by a seminar on issues in the field of special education. For enrollment guidelines and permission to register, contact the Field Placement Office.

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.