Program Mission and Philosophy
Goal for Reading
Goals for Storytelling
Performance Based Standards
Program Components

Program Mission and Philosophy

Within the conceptual framework of the College of Education and the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, both the Reading Education (Reading) and Reading Story and Story Arts (Storytelling) programs reflect the importance of the process and products of education and the need for graduates to be flexible thinkers as they deal with an increasingly diverse and changing society. Both programs exhibit collaboration with schools and other agencies. The two programs differ from each other in the specific elements the comprise goals. The specific goals of each option are designed to produce competent professionals with expertise in each major field of study.

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Goals for Reading

Reading students will be competent, caring, reflective teachers who will be dedicated to helping children and/or adults acquire improved literacy skills. The candidates will be competent to fill a variety of public and/or private school jobs that require expertise in reading education. Reading students will learn those elements of technology that will enable them to teach from commercially prepared programs that is technology dependent and to use technology to create student and teacher developed materials. Reading students also learn about licensure standards for special teachers of reading.

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Goals for Storytelling

Storytelling students will develop skills for effective oral narrative presentations in a variety of performance or educational environments. Storytelling students will be trained to incorporate story content into education curriculum or organizational settings. Storytelling students learn technologies that are important to contemporary storytelling delivery. Storytelling students learn about historical, psychological, linguistic, critical and business aspects of storytelling as a performing and applied art & profession.

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Performance-based Standards

In order to enhance the philosophy, purposes and assumptions within the M.A./M.Ed. Reading/ Storytelling Program curriculum the candidates, as accomplished practitioners, will know and be able to:

• commit to students and their learning by (1) recognizing differences among students and adjusting their practice accordingly; (2) taking into account how children develop when planning learning activities; and (3) fostering students' self-esteem, civic responsibility, and respect for one another.
• understand how knowledge in their subjects is created, organized, linked to other disciplines, and used in the real world by (1) using a repertoire of effective teaching methods to convey a subject to students; and (2) helping students learn by having them solve problems and make their own discoveries.
• manage and monitor student learning by (1) modifying their teaching methods and classroom environment to meet students' needs, and try new approaches when others fail; (2) knowing how and when to get students, colleagues, and classroom volunteers to assist them; (3) using varied assessment methods to evaluate individual students as well as the entire class; and (4) clearly explaining performance to parents.
• think systematically about their practice and learn from experience by (1) becoming lifelong learners who regularly seek advice from colleagues and others to strengthen their practice; (2) drawing upon education research - as well as their own classroom experience - to improve teaching; and (3) being enthusiastic for and committed to continued learning providing a compelling model for their students.
• reach beyond the classroom to work creatively and collaboratively with colleagues, parents, and the community by (1) striving with colleagues to improve schoolwide curriculum and instruction, and bolstering the teaching of the entire faculty; (2) working with parents to promote student growth; and (3) taking advantage in the community of resources to enrich and supplement student learning.

Program Components

M.A. Degree Reading Education Concentration 1,2,3:

EDFN 5010 Interdisciplinary Seminar (1 credit)

READ 5027 Diagnostic & Remedial Procedures (3 credit)

READ 5120 Teaching Reading (3 credit)

READ 5170 Materials for Reading & Language Arts (3 credit)

READ 5190 Linguistics of Reading (3 credit)

READ 5210 Psychology of Reading (3 credit)

READ 5241 Practicum (3 credit) - Prerequisite: 12 graduate credit in reading.

EDFN 5950 Methods of Research (3 credit)

READ 5960 Thesis (3-6 credit) - Prerequisite: Permission of the major advisor.

*Electives (3-6 credit)

*Chosen with prior approval of the student's advisory committee chair.

Total - 31 credit

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M.Ed. Degree Reading; Education Concentration 1,2,3,4

EDFN 5010 Interdisciplinary Seminar (1 credit)

READ 5027 Diagnostic & Remedial Procedures (3 credit)

READ 5120 Teaching Reading (3 credit)

READ 5170 Materials for Reading & Language Arts (3 credit)

READ 5190 Linguistics of Reading (3 credit)

READ 5231 Advanced Diagnostic Procedures (3 credit) - Prerequisite: READ 5027

READ 5241 Practicum (3 credit) - Prerequisite: 12 graduate credit in reading

READ 5961, Non-thesis Capstone Project.

One additional course in reading to be selected with the approval of the student's advisory committee chair (3 credit)

EDFN 5950 Methods of Research (3 credit)

*Electives (3-6 credit)

*Chosen with prior approval of the student's advisory committee chair.

Total - 37 credit

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M.A. Degree Storytelling Concentration:

READ 5147 Basic Storytelling (3 credit)

READ 5190 Linguistics of Reading/Storytelling (3 credit)

READ 5890 Historical & Psychological Foundations of Storytelling (3 credit)

READ 5230 Advanced Storytelling (3 credit)

READ 5241 Practicum (3 credit) - Prerequisite: 12 graduate credits or permission of instructor

EDFN 5950 Methods of Research (3 credit)

READ 5960 Thesis (3-6 credit)

OR

READ 5961 Non-Thesis Capstone Project (3 credit)

*Electives (6-15 credit)

*Chosen with prior approval of the student's advisory committee chair.

Total - 30 credit with Thesis, 36 credit with Capstone Project

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