K-6 and Special Education, Dual Licensure (SPEL)

Return to Elementary, Literacy, and Special Education | Course Index

[1] K-6 & Special Education, Dual Licensure (SPEL)

3304 INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES FOR SOCIAL STUDIES This course serves as a study of methods used in the teaching of social studies in the elementary classroom. It addresses basic models, strategies, and skills necessary for teaching social studies in an integrated curriculum. The course will use a variety of instructional strategies to model best practices for teaching social studies content to K-6 students. This course is restricted to dual license online K-6/Special Education majors only.

3308 FOUNDATIONS AND HISTORICAL CONTEXTS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION 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. This course is restricted to dual license online K-6/Special Education majors only.

3322 INCLUSIVE PRACTICES FOR DIVERSITY, BELONGING, AND INCLUSION This course examines the theory, research, and practice of working with diverse populations in an educational setting. Course content will focus on knowledge and strategies affecting instructional effectiveness with diverse learners such as exploring learner make-up, culturally responsive pedagogy, and legal aspects of civil rights. Diversity in schools and current educational trends will also be addressed. Candidates will have the opportunity to learn how to employ effective practices including Universal Design for Learning and differentiated instruction. Although a lecture format will primarily be used, candidates are expected to participate in small and large group discussions. This course is restricted to dual license online K-6/Special education majors only.

3390 INTEGRATED CURRICULUM AND LESSON PLANNING This course is designed to provide K-6 Elementary Education and Special Education teacher candidates 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 digital age learning. Candidates will expand their professional language and understanding about curriculum development and data literacy. This course is restricted to dual license online K-6/Special Education majors only.

4303 CURRENT ISSUES AND TRENDS: COLLABORATION AND TRANSITION 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. This course is restricted to dual license online K-6/Special Education majors only.

4305 LITERACY ASSESSMENT AND INTERVENTION I This course will examine reading assessment theory, materials, and procedures, as well as disciplinary literacy concepts. This course will also engage students in instructional strategies to compare and contrast multiple literacy texts across genres, cultures, and centuries. Students will learn to use a variety of reading assessments in a valid and reliable manner to make ongoing 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 restricted to dual license online K-6/Special Education majors only.

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. This course is restricted to dual license online K-6/Special Education majors only.

4307 INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES This course prepares candidates to develop the skills to assist learners with disabilities in functioning more effectively in a general education setting. Through acquiring the necessary foundations of skill, the candidate is expected to be more effective in assessing students (both with and without exceptionalities), designing and delivering response to intervention, universally designed learning, and appropriate accommodations for learners with disabilities. This course is restricted to dual license online K-6/Special Education majors only.

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. This course is restricted to dual license online K-6/Special Education majors only.

4309 POSITIVE CLASSROOM AND BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT This course prepares teacher education candidates in classroom management, behavior guidance, and social and emotional learning for the K-6 and Special Education K-12 classrooms. 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 curriculum development, room arrangement, and relationship development strategies through a strong field component. Candidates align guidance strategies with individual student needs and develop an overall instructional guidance model that focuses on social and emotional learning. The course emphasizes synthesizing theoretical and functional principles of behavior management used and observed in the classroom. This course is restricted to dual license online K-6/Special Education majors only.

4310 INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY INTO TEACHING AND LEARNING This course is designed to integrate technology into classrooms specifically to enhance the instruction and learning for elementary classrooms (P-6), particularly with a special education focus. Teacher candidates will demonstrate the use of technology to plan, assess, and conduct classroom activities, and to make connections between technology and specific grade levels and disciplines. In this program of study, the course will focus on the use of assistive technology and principles of universal design for learning (UDL). This course is restricted to dual license online K-6/Special Education majors only.

4311 FOUNDATIONS OF READING AND LANGUAGE This course prepares teacher education candidates to teach reading and understand the link between language and literacy in the K-12 classroom. The course develops a knowledge base related to language development, emerging literacy and the specific competencies necessary for successful reading instruction within a variety of classroom situations and with diverse populations. This course is restricted to dual license online K-6/Special Education majors only.

4315 LITERACY ASSESSMENT AND INTERVENTION II This course integrates assessment with educational planning, instructional methods, learning environments, instructional arrangements, management techniques, materials, strategies, and intervention models for teaching students with reading issues. This course will be offered in an asynchronous online setting which will include compressed video, access to online videos and training, and Blackboard. This course is restricted to dual license online K-6/Special Education majors only.

4316 INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES FOR MATHEMATICS 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 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.

4317 INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE SCIENCE CLASSROOM 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 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.

4318 INTERNSHIP I This course incorporates field projects, field seminars, and supervised teaching whereby candidates gain experience in organizing instruction, in creating a productive learning environment, and in achieving professional behaviors within a professional learning community. This course is restricted to dual license online K-6/Special Education majors only.

4320 ELEMENTARY LITERACY METHODS This course prepares dual license K-6/Special Education teacher candidates to integrate literacy strategies into disciplinary reading in various content areas. Emphasis is placed on assisting diverse learners to comprehend fiction and non-fiction texts, domain specific vocabulary, acquiring key disciplinary concepts through reading and writing activities, and using informational text to build and increase knowledge, increase fluency, and develop creative and critical thinking skills. This course will also explore how multisensory and explicit teaching of skills is best practice with all students, including those with dyslexia. This course is restricted to dual license online K-6/Special Education majors only.

4331 DATA-DRIVEN INSTRUCTIONAL PLANNING This course 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 restricted to dual license online K-6/Special Education majors only.

4605 INTERNSHIP II This course incorporates field projects, field seminars, and supervised teaching whereby candidates gain experience in organizing instruction, creating a productive learning environment, and achieving professional behaviors in a professional learning community. Internship II comprises the final semester of work in the teacher education dual licensure program and is conducted in public schools and grade levels appropriate to the desired licensure level under the supervision of public school and university professionals. This course is restricted to dual license online K-6/Special Education majors only.