Rationale: The Graduate Competencies Guidelines within the College of Education for Literacy & Language include four shared competencies within C&I. Also included are five Content Strands that represent the concrete foundational knowledge Literacy and Language graduate students should have. These content strands complement the rather abstract, content-free Competencies. In addition, Literacy and Language graduate students must attain foundations knowledge in curriculum and instruction and in Literacy and Language education. This knowledge comes from in-depth study within selected specific courses which we feel are foundational in Literacy and Language education.
Literacy and Language Competencies
1. Synthesize knowledge and think critically
2. Create knowledge
3. Communicate knowledge
4. Participate in professional activities and development
1. Synthesize knowledge, think critically and reflectively (Complete all of the following):
Understand the relationship of your discipline to the broader field of education (foundational knowledge in Curriculum & Instruction):
- Successfully complete coursework in human development : EDPS 530, Advanced Educational Psychology or equivalent.
- Successfully complete coursework on teaching and learning and history and philosophy of education : EDCI 580, Foundations of Curriculum or equivalent.
- Successfully complete coursework on diversity: EDCI 585, Multicultural Education or equivalent.
- Successfully complete course work in research methods in education: EDPS 533: Introduction to Educational Research or equivalent.
- Successfully complete coursework or write a comprehensive paper or oral exam in literacy and language, research, teaching and learning: EDCI 500, Foundations of Literacy, or equivalent.
Read educational literature & synthesize a body of literature in your discipline (foundational knowledge in literacy & language)
- Successfully complete coursework or do a comprehensive paper or oral exam in language & literacy theory, research, teaching & learning : EDCI 500, Foundations of Literacy and Language or equivalent.
2. Create knowledge (complete at least two of the following):
Link research, theory & practice in your discipline (literacy & language)
- Write an effective paper or give an effective class or professional presentation linking research, theory & practice in a language and literacy area of interest
Demonstrate effective observational skills related to literacy & language:
- Develop effective learning objectives and teaching plans based on observation of language and literacy behaviors.
Design & deliver effective teaching/learning activities in your discipline, including appropriate assessment & use of technology
- Present and reflect on an effective literacy lesson to a group of children
3. Communicate knowledge (complete at least two of the following):
Communicate effectively with a variety of audiences in a variety of genres, in oral and written modes.
- Write an effective literature review
- Write a critique of a current curriculum practice in relation to its historical and philosophical foundation
- Write an effective observation report on classroom language & literature instruction
- Write an effective language and literacy case study
- Give an effective oral presentation in a class, to school-based colleagues, at a conference or professional meeting
4. Engage in professional development & activities by demonstrating a disposition towards lifelong learning (complete at least one activity from among the following):
* Demonstrate a disposition toward lifelong learning
- Develop a well-grounded philosophical framework for teaching and/or research
Participate in communities of practice within your discipline (language & literacy)
- Develop a well-grounded philosophical framework for teaching and/or research
- Participate in communities of practice within your discipline (literacy and language)
- Maintain membership in professional organizations
- Participate in & report on school professional development activities
- Participate in & report on professional conferences, workshops, institutes
- Participate in & report on professional committees
- Work productively with a teacher in developing & implementing effective language-literacy instruction
- Publish in a practitioner journal
- Present at a professional conference
Evaluation Process:
The following steps summarize the process of demonstrating attainment of the competencies and the committee's progress report for student-designed graduate studies in Literacy and language:
- First semester: The student meets with the faculty advisor to read and discuss the competencies.
- Throughout the program: The student meets with the faculty advisor each year to discuss and document progress toward attainment of the desired degree. A "Student Progress Report" will be filed in the student's file for committee review.
- Final semester: The student's completed portfolio is reviewed and evaluated by the student's committee.
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