Teaching Language Arts and Literacy

Catalog description

This clinical course explores the development and instruction of language arts and literacy from kindergarten through grade 8. Grounded in the research of the National Reading Panel and the standards of the National Council of Teachers of English, the course addresses phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension alongside writing, speaking, and listening. Students engage in classroom observations, design and implement instructional strategies for diverse learners, and assess student progress in both reading and writing. Clinical work includes family and caregiver engagement, as well as curriculum evaluation. Drawing on the principles of the science of reading and structured literacy, the course prepares candidates to deliver evidence-based instruction that supports the development of proficient readers. Students learn to implement systematic, explicit instruction in phonics and other critical components of reading, consistent with current research and best practices for early literacy intervention. Fifty to eighty supervised clinical hours are required, with opportunities to observe and engage with children in early childhood and special education settings, collaborate with families, and evaluate the effectiveness of instruction. As part of the clinical experience, students will complete a Small Group Decoding Intervention Project, providing hands-on practice in identifying decoding needs, designing targeted phonics instruction, and monitoring student progress. This semester-long project involves working with a small group of K–8 students over 5–6 weeks, conducting assessments, delivering instruction, and reflecting on student growth and instructional effectiveness. It serves as a key opportunity to apply course concepts to authentic classroom practice and is aligned with all course learning outcomes.