Elementary Education and Reading Department

Website: suny.oneonta.edu/elementary-education-and-reading

Program purposes and outcomes: Graduates of these programs have met the educational requirements to receive professional teaching certification in New York State. The Graduate Literacy Education Program builds upon initial skills and knowledge and further develop professional literacy coaches and leaders who are committed to academic and professional excellence, Science of Reading (SoR) aligned teaching practices, and empowerment, respecting diversity and social justice. The faculty are firmly committed to the philosophy that reading is comprehension, and that reading comprehension is a dynamic transactive process of constructing meaning as the reader brings prior knowledge to the text within the context of the reading situation. The programs are aligned to seven ILA (2017) Standards.

Standard 1: Foundational Knowledge

Candidates demonstrate knowledge of major theoretical, conceptual, historical, and evidence-based foundations of literacy and language, the ways in which they interrelate, and the role of the reading/literacy specialist in schools.

Standard 2: Curriculum and Instruction

Candidates use foundational knowledge to design literacy curricula to meet needs of learners, especially those who experience difficulty with literacy; design, implement, and evaluate small-group and individual evidence-based literacy instruction for learners; collaborate with teachers to implement effective literacy practices.

Standard 3: Assessment and Evaluation

Candidates understand, select, and use valid, reliable, fair, and appropriate assessment tools to screen, diagnose, and measure student literacy achievement; inform instruction and evaluate interventions; assist teachers in their understanding and use of assessment results; advocate for appropriate literacy practices to relevant stakeholders.

Standard 4: Diversity and Equity

Candidates demonstrate knowledge of research, relevant theories, pedagogies, and essential concepts of diversity and equity; demonstrate an understanding of themselves and others as cultural beings; create classrooms and schools that are inclusive and affirming; advocate for equity at school, district, and community levels.

Standard 5: Learners and Literacy Environment

Candidates meet the developmental needs of all learners and collaborate with school personnel to use a variety of print and digital materials to engage and motivate all learners; integrate digital technologies in appropriate, safe, and effective ways; foster a positive climate that supports a literacy-rich learning environment.

Standard 6: Professional Learning and Leadership

Candidates demonstrate the ability to be reflective literacy professionals, who apply their knowledge of adult learning to work collaboratively with colleagues; demonstrate their leadership and facilitation skills; advocate on behalf of teachers, students, families, and communities.

Standard 7: Practicum/Clinical Experience

Candidates complete supervised, integrated, extended practical/clinical experiences that include intervention work with students and working with their peers and experienced colleagues; practical include ongoing experiences in school-based setting(s); supervision includes observation and ongoing feedback by qualified supervisors.

To ensure quality, students must be admitted to programs before registering for courses, unless they have permission from the graduate director or department chair.

Dignity for All Students Act

The Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) requires that all public school employees complete 6 hours of training/coursework that addresses harassment, bullying, and discrimination prevention and intervention. Students in this program are responsible for demonstrating that they have satisfied this requirement. For students who have not completed this training during their undergraduate program, SUNY Oneonta provides workshops to satisfy this requirement.

Programs

Master of Science in Education

Literacy Education - All Grades (online), M.S. Ed.