Master of Science in Literacy

An introduction to the rationale and procedures of educational research, placing primary emphasis on literacy research. The intent of the course is to help the student become an intelligent consumer of research, and to develop an appreciation for the importance and utility of research. Students will develop critical skills needed as consumers and producers of research. Topics include: the nature and purposes of research, critiquing and evaluation of research, reviewing research literature, valid measurement issues, the use of statistics in research, and types of research. Content from this course will lay the foundation for all courses throughout the program.

The focus of this course is to lay the groundwork for making evidence-based instructional literacy decisions, and to begin the process of appreciating the need to communicate complex ideas to multiple stakeholders in literacy education. To accomplish these goals, students will: understand current theoretical perspectives in literacy education and literacy acquisition (such as the Piagetian and Vygotskian theories); understand the impact of research and diversity on literacy education; explore the impact literacy and lack of literacy have on individuals; and explore the social-cultural implications surrounding the competing theories of literacy education. To accomplish these goals, the course examines: the evolution of theories of learning that apply to literacy; research that has contributed to evolving models and definitions of reading; and the contributions of theories of literacy (reading and writing) as language-based processes. The course examines this information in the context of social, cultural, and political milieu of education in the United States. An important factor in understanding and using theories is the ability to recognize one's own history, biases and beliefs, and how these impact one's own interpretation and implementation of knowledge. This course begins with students engaging in a self-reflective review of their own literacy learning and beliefs, and how that history and those beliefs affect their literacy education beliefs.

This course is designed to provide students with knowledge of genres and uses of children's literature, materials, and technology as an instructional tool for literacy learning in grades B-6. This course will include assessing student interest, evaluating the developmental levels, qualities, and efficacy of the literature, materials and technology, developing aesthetic and critical responses to literature, and consideration of instructional frameworks for technology-enhanced literacy instruction.

An important component of leadership in literacy education is the ability to evaluate, plan, and conduct research. This course will begin to provide students with skills to be effective leaders for literacy education. These skills include: (1) identification of current concerns or issues in literacy; (2) evaluation of research surrounding the issue or concern; (3) planning the implementation of an action to address the issue or concern; and (4) communicating the research-based plan to others. As a culminating activity in this course, each student will prepare a draft capstone proposal (as defined by the Graduate Handbook), and present that proposal to peers and other stakeholders of the program. A second component of literacy leadership is the ability to advocate for effective literacy education. Therefore, an additional goal of this course is to provide students with the opportunity to develop their leadership and advocacy skills.

In this course students learn about the development of writing, theories about writing, and effective instructional practices to use with children, birth through grade six. Throughout the course, the focus in on communicative intent, with an awareness of the conventions (spelling, grammar, punctuation, handwriting, etc.) that children must learn and use in order to carry out that intent. Emergent writing skills and the spring ties of writing to oral language development are examined. Participants learn how to implement a process approach to writing, scaffolding the process and expectations of the learner to changing developmental levels of students as they mature. Participants also learn to construct learning environments that support and facilitate the development of writing strategies and skills, using peer as well as teacher assistance. Process in this course is approaches as a recursive, individual approach to writing, rather than a linear, formulaic sequence of activities. Varied purposes for writing are explored along with the craft skills that writers use to enhance their writing. Application of writing across the subject areas is also stressed.

This course is designed to facilitate the research of graduate students in the MS in Education Literacy B-6 and 5-12 as they write their capstone papers. In this course the students will prepare Parts 1 and 2 of their capstone projects as well as complete the IRB proposal. This is a pass/fail course.

This course is designed to facilitate graduate students in the completion of their capstone projects. In this course, the students will completed parts 3, 4, and 5 of their capstone projects. This is a pass-fail course.

This is a course designed to facilitate the professional completion of graduate student's capstone projects. In this course, students will complete the final editing, by peer and external reader, of the project, preparation for publication in the Division's capstone compilation. This includes the preparation of an abstract, professional editing, the creation of a professional presentation as well as the attendant materials. This is a pass/fail course.

This course provides an in-depth exploration of teaching methods and materials relevant to literacy instruction for the emergent and developing readers in today's diverse classrooms. This course will examine both the nature and function of formal and informal assessment processes in literacy instruction and best instructional practice that emanates from this assessment. In order to both design literacy instructional programs and to assess student learning, it is vital to be able to place students along a developmental continuum and identify students' proficiencies and areas needing strengthening. Awareness of the influence of culture, class, gender, and context on literacy acquisition informs the teacher's knowledge base when considering this developmental continuum. Language development and its relationship to literacy acquisition will also be examined. Teachers will learn a wide range of instructional practices, strategies, and methods to support reading and writing instruction. Teachers will also demonstrate competency in using a wide range of formal and informal assessment tools and practices that provide data used to craft appropriate teaching strategies for addressing student strengths and needs. Teachers will develop the skills necessary to ensure that students experience developmentally appropriate growth in literacy skills. In addition, teachers develop skills to identify students who are not making developmentally appropriate growth, and also learn the appropriate strategies to recover those skills.

This supervised field experience in a 3-6 setting provides practice, demonstration, self-evaluation and validation of competencies gained in the literacy program. Students under the supervision of a college faculty member will be expected to plan for and practice the course objectives listed in EDU 534 Instruction and Assessment II. Students will be in the practicum for a minimum of 30 hours.

This course extends the goals identified for Assessment-based Literacy Instruction I (B-2) to the students in elementary grades three through six. The goals include: (1) understanding literacy development and learning, with special application to students at these grade levels; (2) determining individual needs for instruction in literacy skills and strategies with a variety of assessment tools, both formal and informal; and (3) using assessment data and knowledge of development to select and implement instructional strategies and curriculum materials that will facilitate progress in literacy for all students. The intent of these goals is to provide teachers with the skills necessary to facilitate appropriate, timely literacy development in students, as well as to identify and resolve issues that impede progress in literacy. Participants in this course learn to implement a balanced literacy program based on best practices while addressing the needs of older, struggling readers and writers. The course continues awareness of the influence of culture, class, race, ethnicity, gender, and historical and geographical contexts on literacy acquisition.

This supervised field experience in a 3-6 setting provides practice, demonstration, self-evaluation and validation of competencies gained in the literacy program. Students under the supervision of a college faculty member will be expected to plan for and practice the course objectives listed in EDU 534 Instruction and Assessment II. Students will be in the practicum for a minimum of 30 hours.

This course provides an in-depth exploration of teaching methods and materials relevant to literacy instruction for the readers in today's diverse 5-12 classrooms. This course will examine both the nature and function of formal and informal assessment processes in literacy instruction and best instructional practice that emanates from this assessment. In order to both design literacy instructional programs and to assess student learning, it is vital to be able to identify students' proficiencies and areas needing strengthening. Awareness of the influence of culture, class, gender, and context on literacy acquisition informs the teacher's knowledge base when addressing these needs. Teachers will learn a wide range of instructional practices, strategies, and methods to support reading and writing instruction. Teachers will also demonstrate competency in using a wide range of both formal and informal assessment tools and practices that provide data used to craft appropriate teaching strategies for addressing student strengths and needs in the 5-12 classroom. In addition, teachers develop skills to identify students who are not making appropriate growth, and also learn the appropriate strategies to recover those skills.

This supervised 50-hour practicum in grades 5-12 settings provides practice, demonstration, self-reflection and validation of competencies gained in the literacy program. This course involves a reflective tutoring experience with students in grades 5-12 in both individual and group settings. As this course is taken concurrently with or following EDU 541, students will be applying and practicing the goals and objectives stated in EDU 541. Students will be in the practicum for a minimum of 50 hours. Practicing educators must do the practicum outside of their regular classroom.

This course is designed to highlight the role of literacy acquisition and application within the content areas. Literacy and writing strategies will be presented in conjunction with New York State Learning Standards. An additional focus of the course will be to help literacy and subject area teachers address the needs of diverse learners through culturally relevant pedagogy and curriculum, the use of multicultural materials, and alternative and adaptive methods, and the use of technology.