Return to Elementary, Literacy, and Special Education | Courses Index
[1] Courses in Elementary, Literacy, and Special Education (ELSE)
2300 FOUNDATIONS FOR ELEMENTARY AND SPECIAL EDUCATORS This course is designed to help candidates explore their motivation for teaching and gain a sense of the changing nature of schooling. It introduces candidates to the various roles assumed by teachers, including the role as reflective practitioner, childhood historian, student and family advocate, and designer of high quality learning environments. Lectures, discussions, demonstrations and field experiences are central to course development. This course is required for admission into the Teacher Education program. Course restricted to Elementary Education K-6 and Special Education K-12 majors only.
2303 SPECIAL TOPICS Focus is on special topics related to current trends and issues in Elementary and Special Education. Topics are determined by the individual needs of the student in consultation with the department chair.
3301 DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING THEORIES This course introduces the candidate to the physical, cognitive, language/communication, social, and emotional development of individuals from infancy through adulthood. This course surveys six developmental stages: prenatal development, infancy and toddlerhood, early childhood, middle childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood, and the physical, cognitive and emotional changes that occur during these periods. Lectures, discussions, visual presentations, demonstrations, and field experiences are central to this course.
3304 INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES FOR K-6 SOCIAL STUDIES This course focuses on the development and implementation of social studies strategies and materials using developmentally appropriate techniques that are professionally compatible with current research and practice. The diverse needs of the child and the integration of the curriculum are stressed in the implementation of teaching materials and strategies. Prerequisite: Course restricted to pre-kindergarten and elementary majors only.
3305 INTEGRATED APPROACHES TO CHILD AND YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE This course reviews the major theories and concepts related to cognition, metacognition, and motivation for reading for students in the K-12 settings, including students with special needs. The course teaches candidates how to analyze and integrate developmentally appropriate literature across a standards-based curriculum — digitally and through traditional print. This is one course in a series of literacy courses for teacher candidates. Course restricted to Elementary Education K-6 and Special Education K-12 majors.
3308 FOUNDATIONS OF DIVERSE LEARNERS This course examines historical and current delivery of special education services and program practices. Legal foundation and issues, special education terminology, and professional roles are addressed. Course restricted to Elementary Education K-6 and Special Education K-12 majors only.
3390 INTEGRATED CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT PLANNING This course is designed to provide the teacher candidate with the knowledge and skills to develop integrated curriculum that is aligned to instructional and assessment strategies, methods and approaches; plan curriculum for all learners, and grow a body of knowledge in curriculum development for 21st century learning. Candidates will grow their professional language and understanding about curriculum development and data literacy. Prerequisites: ELSE 3301 and ELSE 3308.
4301 MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE FOR DIVERSE LEARNERS This course develops a knowledge base related to mathematical and science strategies and the specific competencies necessary for successful math and science instruction within a variety of instructional arrangements with diverse populations of exceptional learners. Course restricted to Special Education K-12 majors. Prerequisites: Completion of all program courses prior to Special Education Internship I.
4302 BEHAVIOR GUIDANCE FOR THE DIVERSE CLASSROOM This course examines the theory, research, and practice of providing positive behavior supports to students with challenging behaviors. The course emphasizes synthesizing theoretical and functional principles of behavior management used and observed in the classroom. Teacher candidates will be introduced to strategies, skills, and models for guiding and managing all students. Lectures, discussions, demonstrations, and field experiences are central to the course. Course restricted to Special Education K-12 majors. Prerequisites: Completion of all program courses prior to Special Education Internship I.
4303 CURRENT ISSUES AND TRENDS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION This course requires students to learn and practice collaboration theories, techniques, and practices. The course will also teach students skills in collaborating and writing Individualized Education Plans, collaborative lesson planning, and skills in collaboration and legal issues pertaining to student transitions and working with diverse families. Course restricted to Special Education K-12 majors. Prerequisites: Completion of all program courses prior to Special Education Junior Block.
4305 LITERACY ASSESSMENT AND INTERVENTION This course will examine reading assessment theory, materials, and procedure, as well as disciplinary literacy concepts. This course will also engage students in instructional strategies to compare and contrast multiple literacy text across genres, cultures and centuries. Students will learn to use a variety of reading assessments in a valid and reliable manner to make on-going instructional changes. Additionally, students will use this assessment information to plan and implement instruction in their field placements. Candidates will be trained to diagnose reading difficulties and implement interventions. This course is part of the Internship I cohort. Course restricted to Elementary Education K-6 and Special Education K-12 majors only. Prerequisite: All Junior Block classes and requirements must be successfully completed.
4306 EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR MIDDLE AND SECONDARY LEARNERS WITH MILD DISABILITIES This course incorporates assessment for educational planning, instructional methods, materials, strategies, and intervention models for teaching students grades 4-12 with diverse learning needs. Course restricted to Special Education K-12 majors. Prerequisites: Completion of all program courses prior to Special Education Junior Block.
4307 INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR DIVERSE LEARNERS This course prepares candidates to develop the skills to assist diverse learners in functioning more effectively in a general education setting. Through acquiring the necessary foundation of skills, the candidate will be more effective in assessing students (both with and without exceptionalities), designing and delivering response to intervention, universally designed learning, and appropriate modifications and accommodations for diverse learners. This course is part of the Junior Block Cohort. Course restricted to Elementary Education K-6 and Special Education K-12 majors only. Prerequisites: Admission into teacher education; completion of all program courses previous to Junior Block. [UD UCA Core: D, R]
4308 EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR STUDENTS WITH SIGNIFICANT DISABILITIES This course incorporates assessment for educational planning, instructional methods, materials, strategies, and intervention models for teaching K–12 students with significant (moderate to profound) disabilities. Course restricted to Special Education K-12 majors. Prerequisites: Completion of all program courses prior to Special Education Internship I.
4309 POSITIVE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT This course prepares teacher education candidates in classroom management, behavior guidance, and social and emotional learning for the classroom. The course introduces candidates to strategies, skills, procedures, and models for managing the classroom with a focus on universal strategies to establish and maintain a positive classroom environment. Candidates will practice positive guidance, developmentally appropriate curricula development, room arrangement, and relationship development strategies through a strong field component. This course is part of the Junior Block Cohort. Course restricted to Elementary Education K-6 and Special Education K-12 majors. Prerequisites: Admission into teacher education; completion of all program courses previous to Junior Block.
4310 JUNIOR BLOCK PRACTICUM This course is part of the Junior Block for candidates in the B.S.E. in Elementary Education and the B.S.E. in Special Education. The course utilizes field projects, field seminars, and supervised teaching where candidates gain experience in organizing instruction, in creating a productive learning environment, and in achieving professional behaviors. Prerequisites: All classes prior to Junior Block and requirements must be successfully completed.
4311 FOUNDATIONS OF READING This course prepares teacher education candidates to teach reading/writing in the K-12 classroom. The course develops a knowledge base related to emerging literacy and the specific competencies necessary for successful reading/writing instruction within a variety of classroom situations and with diverse populations. This course is part of the Junior Block Cohort. Course restricted to Elementary Education K-6 and Special Education K-12 majors. Prerequisites: Admission into teacher education; completion of all program courses previous to Junior Block.
4315 WORKSHOP APPROACH TO TEACHING WRITING IN THE K-12 CLASSROOM This course focuses on writing development and implementation of writing strategies and materials using developmentally appropriate techniques that are professionally compatible with current research and practice. The diverse needs of the student and the integration of the curriculum are stressed throughout this course. This course also fosters a theoretical understanding of the writing process in part by writing in varied genres and forms, and emphasizes writing as an integral component of the entire curriculum. This course aligns with the ELA Common Core Standards. This course is part of the Junior Block Cohort. Course restricted to Elementary Education K-6 and Special Education K-12 majors. Prerequisites: Admission into teacher education; completion of all program courses previous to Junior Block. [ UD UCA Core: C ]
4316 INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES FOR MATH AND SCIENCE K-6 This course focuses on the development and implementation of strategies and materials using developmentally appropriate techniques that are professionally compatible with current research and practice in the field of elementary education, learning and application of mathematics and science for the 21st century. The diverse needs of the elementary students and the integration of the curriculum are stressed in the implementation of teaching materials and strategies. This course is part of the Internship I cohort. Course restricted to Elementary Education K-6 majors. Prerequisite: All Junior Block classes and requirements must be successfully completed.
4318 K-6 INTERNSHIP I This course is part of the Internship I semester for candidates in elementary K-6 education. The course utilizes field projects, field seminars, and supervised teaching where candidates gain experience in organizing instruction, in creating a productive learning environment, and in achieving professional behaviors. Course restricted to Elementary Education K-6 majors. Prerequisite: All Junior Block classes and requirements must be successfully completed.
4319 GUIDANCE AND MANAGEMENT OF CHILDREN This course builds upon universal strategies for building a positive classroom environment to include application of more individual guidance and social and emotional learning methods for students in the elementary classroom. Candidates align guidance strategies with individual student needs and develop an overall instructional guidance model that focuses on social and emotional learning. The course’s strong field component offers authentic opportunities to implement strategies of direct social and emotional skill development, service learning, and integration of the affective curriculum with academic curriculum. Lectures, discussions, demonstrations, and field experiences are central to the course, which will be conducted on the university and public school campuses. This course is part of the Internship I cohort. Course restricted to Elementary Education K-6 majors. Prerequisites: All Junior Block classes and requirements must be successfully completed.
4320 ELEMENTARY READING METHODS This course prepares K-6 teacher candidates to integrate reading/literacy strategies into disciplinary reading in various content areas. Emphasis is placed on assisting diverse learners to comprehend fiction and non-fiction texts, teaching domain specific vocabulary, acquiring key disciplinary concepts through reading and writing activities, utilizing informational text to build and increase knowledge, and developing creative and critical thinking skills. This course is part of the Internship I cohort. Course restricted to Elementary Education K-6 majors. Prerequisite: All Junior Block classes and requirements must be successfully completed.
4322 PROMOTING CONTENT AREA LITERACY FOR ADOLESCENTS WITH DISABILITIES This course is intended to equip special education teacher candidates with evidence-based strategies/practices associated with content-area literacy in different subject area classrooms (e.g., social studies, science, language arts, mathematics, etc.). Knowledge, skills, and dispositions related to integrating foundational, intermediate, and disciplinary literacy needed to collaboratively plan, promote, teach, and assess content-area literacy across the disciplines within a response-to-instruction (RTI) framework in academically diverse classrooms will be acquired. Candidates will participate individually and as team members to design instruction appropriate for a variety of inclusive teaching arrangements to address course, unit, and lesson planning to support the success of students with special needs in a least restrictive environment. This course will include lecture, discussion, group work, and field experiences. Classes may be offered via virtual sections. Prerequisites: Admission into teacher education and completion of all program courses through Junior Block. [UD UCA Core: C]
4324 SPECIAL EDUCATION PRACTICUM: ELEMENTARY The purpose of this course is to expose the teacher candidate to a variety of best practices in elementary special education through interaction with selected special educators in the field. Candidates also will be given opportunities to authentically apply and evaluate current knowledge-based methods and strategies unique to the developmental needs of diverse learners. This course will include field placement and related field assignments. Course restricted to Special Education K-12 majors. Prerequisites: Completion of all program courses prior to Special Education Internship I.
4325 SPECIAL EDUCATION PRACTICUM: SECONDARY The purpose of this course is to expose the teacher candidate to a variety of best practices in secondary special education through interaction with selected special educators in the field. Candidates also will be given opportunities to authentically apply and evaluate current knowledge-based methods and strategies unique to the developmental needs of diverse learners. This course will include field placement and related field assignments in a secondary special education setting. Course restricted to Special Education K-12 majors. Prerequisites: Completion of all program courses prior to Special Education Junior Block.
4331 DATA-DRIVEN INSTRUCTIONAL PLANNING Data-driven instructional planning addresses how teacher candidates use assessment to motivate students, plan curriculum, deliver instruction, and support teacher effectiveness in a K-12 school environment. This course will build candidates’ data literacy and expand their professional knowledge, skills and abilities regarding basic assessment and data- driven decision making. This course is part of the Internship I cohort. Course restricted to Elementary Education K-6 and Special Education K-12 majors. Prerequisite: All Junior Block classes and requirements must be successfully completed. [UD UCA Core: I]
4T90 INTERNSHIP II Internship II is the final semester of the elementary or special education undergraduate teacher education programs. Candidates complete the internship in public schools where the clinical experiences are appropriate for their pursued licensure area. The candidate completes a 15-week internship working in classrooms where they receive mentorship and supervision from both public school mentors and university professionals. The course is restricted to Elementary Education K-6 and Special Education K-12 majors. Prerequisites: Students must successfully complete all program courses (i.e., General Education, Professional Education, Academic Content, Internship I courses and requirements, and related courses) and earn score(s) on relevant Praxis subject-area assessment(s) to meet or exceed the state’s minimum requirements to be eligible for a license upon graduation before enrolling in Internship II. [UD UCA Core: Z]