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  • Program Overview

    M.S. in Reading & Literacy Instruction (36 credits)

    Designed with the reading specialist, coach, or interventionist in mind, each course highlights evidence-based best practices in reading and writing instruction for all grades.

    Rigorous and relevant coursework in reading and writing development is taught by faculty who have been reading coaches and interventionists in public schools and experienced lecturers in graduate education for more than 15 years. All students are taught the most-up-to date and scientific approaches to teaching reading and writing.

    Looking to earn Massachusetts Licensure?

    36-credit, 12-course program designed for working professionals

    This program will also prepare for Massachusetts Licensure as a Reading Specialist for all grades (PreK–12).  

     

     

    Program Features:

    • 36-credit
    •  100% online
    • Expert faculty with real-world experience
    • Personal advising
    • Networking opportunities & job placement support
    • Affordable tuition—total program cost is approximately
    • No GRE required

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    elementary education
  • Curriculum

    Curriculum Requirements - Total Credits Required: 36

    Required Curriculum

    • RDL 500 - Early Literacy Development (Cr: 3)
    • RDL 505 - Adolescent Literacy (Cr: 3)
    • RDL 510 - Children's & Young Adult Literature (Cr: 3)
    • RDL 515 - Writing Instruction (Cr: 3)
    • RDL 520 - Assessment of Reading Skills (Cr: 3)
    • RDL 525 - Reading Difficulties (Cr: 3)
    • RDL 530 - ​Theories of Language and Linguistics (Cr: 3)
    • RDL 585 - Critical Media Literacy (Cr: 3)
    • EDN 575 - Data Literacy (Cr: 3)
    • SPE 670 - Consultation and Co-Teaching (Cr: 3)
    • SPE 680 - Psychoeducational Assessment (Cr: 3)
    • SPE 695 - Disability and Sheltered English Immersion (Cr: 3)

    Learning Outcomes

    Upon completion of the program, students will:

    • Identify and model instructional strategies that foster early literacy.
    • Examine the importance of the five components of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension) to the emergence of literacy.
    • Differentiate between phonemic awareness phonological awareness and decoding; describe their role in literacy acquisition, and take an informed stance about the current research on modeling the relationships between models of reading.
    • Summarize with clarity and depth the research related to literacy development for all populations, including those for whom English is a second language and students with learning disabilities.
    • Compare the differences between emergent and adolescent literacy
    • Plan purposeful instruction to develop reading, writing, and speaking & listening skills, while addressing material specific to a given content area
    • Analyze and apply literacy instructional models that enable students to develop as independent readers and writers
    • Administer and analyze a battery of reading assessments to determine student needs; develop reports based on the results.
    • Design literacy instruction incorporating International Reading Association standards for Reading Professionals and differentiating instruction for at least three levels of student need, while acknowledgement of cultural and linguistic background and other pertinent characteristics of pupils.
    • Model the development of a literate classroom environment--including daily reading and writing lessons that support the development of lifelong readers and writers.

    View academic catalog and learning outcomes