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ÌýFundamentals of Early Childhood Education

Focuses on learning (including behavioral, cognitive, and information processing approaches), motivation, and social development, while incorporating the role of play in the learning and development of the young child. Examines individual differences and the effects of special needs on learning and development, as well as program implications.

Partnering with Diverse Families and Communities in Early Childhood

This course is designed to help early childhood educators establish effective partnerships and reciprocal relationships with diverse families and communities. At the end of this course, students will have developed an action plan for working with diverse families in early childhood settings including activities for: collecting and providing information, planning for family involvement in the classroom, establishing reciprocal relationships with families, and collaborating with communities.

Art and Music in Early Childhood Education

The main purpose of this course is to encourage early childhood educators to embrace the unique characteristics of young children's artistic and musical expression and appreciation of these experiences. At the end of this course, you will be able to plan effective process-focused art and music lessons, use various materials and medium for artistic and musical expression, maximize the potential of your classroom resources, and use art and music to promote multiculturalism, diversity, and enhance family involvement.

Science Playing and Learning in Early Childhood Classroom

This course is designed to encourage and prepare early childhood educators for planning and implementing engaging and developmentally appropriate science learning experiences (Pre-K-2nd grade). Through interactive activities and discussions including the review of video, science lessons, and research in science education, we will explore key elements and challenges of science teaching and provide a foundation for supporting science learning in the early childhood classroom.

Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum in Early ChildhoodÌý

This course focuses on the development and implementation of curriculum in early education. The Massachusetts Guidelines for Preschool Learning Experiences and the national standards for developmentally appropriate practices will be utilized throughout the semester. This course will highlight each of the curriculum domains (language/literacy, mathematics, science and technology, social studies, health, and the arts) while demonstrating how to build an integrated curriculum in an early childhood classroom. The importance and value of play in the early years will be emphasized, and strategies will be shared to help teacher candidates document student learning.

Supporting Positive Behavior in Schools and Community

Focuses discussion, reading, and research on the diagnosis and functional analysis of social behaviors, places substantial emphasis on the practical application of applied behavior analysis techniques. Also discusses alternative management strategies for use in classrooms.

Human Development and Disabilities

This course addresses the reciprocal relationship between human development and disability. Prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal causes of disability will be presented. Students will learn about theoretical perspectives, research, and current disagreements related to causes, identification, and treatment of disabilities. Prevention and intervention strategies will be presented for each disability. The application of assistive technology will be covered across disabilities.

Educating Autistic Students

In this course students will learn strategies and purported mechanisms behind current intervention models designed for students with ASD. Student will be able to evaluate research evidence and claims of effectiveness of each intervention, and will design and implement appropriate interventions for student with ASD.

Teaching and Learning Strategies: Moderate Special Needs

This course is intended to help prospective and experienced special education teachers and other educators a repertoire of skills for teaching students with mild/moderate (high incidence) educational disabilities. Students will learn how to develop, implement, and monitor individualized education programs, implement research-based effective intervention practices, and collaborate with others to meet the needs of special education students in inclusive and other educational settings. Appropriate for both elementary and secondary level education. Class sessions will routinely include time to practice skills being learned.

ÌýAssessment and Instruction of Students with Reading

Examines the methods and materials related to formal and informal assessment, analysis, and interpretation of the results of assessment and instructional techniques for students with a range of reading difficulties (K-12). Focus is on the needs of students from varied populations.

Mathematics and Technology: Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum in the Elementary SchoolÌý

This course presents methods and materials useful in teaching mathematics to early childhood and elementary school children and the different ways in which technology can be used in the elementary school classroom. The course will consider the teaching of mathematics and the use of technology from both theoretical and practical perspectives.

Educating Learners with Disabilities

This course focuses on the education of students with disabilities and other learners from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The goal of the course is to promote access to the general curriculum for all students through participation in standards-based reform. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) provides the theoretical framework for this course. Through an examination of historical milestones, landmark legislation, systems for classification, approaches to intervention, and the daily life experiences of diverse learners, students acquire knowledge about diversity and the resources, services, and supports available for creating a more just society through education.

Social Contexts of EducationÌý

Examines the role of situational, school, community, peer, and family factors on the education of children. Participants in the course will strive to understand the effects of their own social context on their education, to develop strategies to help students understand their context, and to understand and contribute to what schools can do to improve teaching and learning and school culture for all students regardless of internal and external variables.

Teaching Reading

Offers teacher candidates skills for teaching reading to school age children. Students will gain understanding of reading through a historical, political, theoretical, and practical lens. They will understand the delivery of instruction by learning a balanced approach to teaching reading. They will gain familiarity of how children learn to read by partaking in observations, assessments, and instruction with a school age child. Students will learn a variety of ways to meet the needs of linguistically and culturally diverse learners. They will recognize reading difficulties and learn ways to differentiate instruction for such readers.

Teaching Language Arts*

Examines the development of written and spoken language and methods of instruction for oral and written language from the preschool years through early adolescence. Students learn strategies for identifying children's areas of strength and weakness and to plan instruction. Addresses the needs of children from non-English speaking homes. Expects students to spend at least 16 hours distributed across at least eight sessions in a classroom or other setting where they can work with one or more children.

Educational Assessment of Learning Problems

This course focuses on formal and informal approaches to the nondiscriminatory assessment of students with a wide range of cognitive and academic difficulties. The focus is on identifying students with mild/moderate disabilities. It is designed to prepare specialists for the process of documenting special needs, identifying current levels of performance, addressing critical issues, and designing approaches to monitoring progress.

Introduction to Speech and Language Disability*Ìý

On the basis of the development of normal children, this course will explore dysfunctions of speech and language that interfere with normal communication and learning processes. The evaluation of language performance and the remediation of language deficits will also be stressed.

Teaching Bilingual Students*

Deals with the practical aspects of the instruction of teaching English Language Learners in Sheltered English Immersion, and mainstream classrooms. Reviews and applies literacy and content area instructional approaches. Includes such other topics as history and legislation related to English Language Learners and bilingual education, and the influences of language and culture on students, instruction, curriculum, and assessment. There are two sections of this course: one for elementary and early childhood education majors and one for secondary education majors.

Graduate Inquiry Seminar I

The course will coincide with the pre-practicum experience. It is designed to introduce teacher candidates to inquiry as stance and the skills necessary to conduct classroom-based research that leads to pupil achievement and teaching for social justice. The course is designed to help teacher candidates mediate the relationships of theory and practice, pose questions for inquiry, learn through reflection and discussion, learn from their students and colleagues, construct critical perspectives about teaching, learning, and schooling, and to improve teaching and learning. The second part of this sequence is 432 which is taken in conjunction with full-time student teaching (EDUC7420).

Graduate Pre-Practicum

This is a pre-practicum experience for students in graduate programs leading to certification. Placements are made in selected schools in the greater °¬¿ÉÖ±²¥ area. Apply to the Office of Practicum Experiences and Teacher Induction during the semester preceding the placement by April 15 for fall placements and December 1 for spring placements. Students who are accepted into a program after the deadlines are requested to submit the application upon notification.

Graduate Inquiry Seminar II

The primary goal of this capstone seminar is to initiate teacher candidates into the practice of teacher research or collaborative inquiry for action. Collaborative Inquiry for Action is an ongoing, collaborative process of systematic and self-critical inquiry by educators about their own schools and classrooms in order to increase teachers' knowledge, improve students' learning, and contribute to social justice. This final project will be presented at a roundtable presentation at the end of the semester and also satisfies the M.Ed., MAT, MST Comprehensive Examination in Education.