Literacy Education: Birth - Grade 12

Jennifer Kagan, Program Coordinator

207 Wilber Hall

jennifer.kagan@oswego.edu

315-312-2662

Admission Information

Program Information

Curriculum and Instruction Department

Introduction

The Master’s in Literacy Education Birth-Grade 12 is a 30-credit hour program designed for educators seeking productive, inspired careers as literacy teachers and professionals who are committed to meeting the needs of diverse learners. In this program, you will learn how to create meaningful, culturally relevant literacy experiences for all students, and especially those who need explicit teaching and support strategies to become effective literacy learners.

The Master’s in Literacy Birth through Grade 12 program focuses on the roles of leadership and collaboration, both in schools and in surrounding communities. To this end, candidates engage in rich and extensive clinical experiences with children/young adults from all levels of public schooling, with other school professionals, and with parents/caregivers. The MSED Literacy Education Birth-Grade 12 certification level allows for a breadth and depth of knowledge, providing candidates with the necessary knowledge base and skill and an expanded range of professional opportunities.

Curriculum

The MSED Literacy Education Birth-Grade 12 program embraces the fundamental belief that social justice is served only when all children are successful readers and writers, that educators must serve as advocates for ongoing instruction in literacy to help children reach their potential, and that instruction must include use of authentic texts and experiences that help learners make powerful connections between texts and their own lives. The program supports a strategic approach to both reading and writing in which learners become self-aware of these literacy processes and able to claim control of their own reading and writing skills.

The sequence of courses provides candidates with a deep understanding of the content base of literacy, the process of reading, and the appropriate implementation of effective instructional strategies. The program includes 100 hours of clinical teaching experience in urban, suburban, and rural schools, under collaborative supervision of college personnel and classroom-based practitioners, allowing candidates to develop proficiency in planning, assessment, diagnosis and explicit instruction. The program provides an opportunity to work with diverse students and practice the implementation of evidence-based strategies gained in the sequence of courses.

Literacy Education: Birth - Grade 12 (30 cr)

A: Pedagogical Requirements

LIT 500 - Critical Literacy and Pedagogy Credit: 3
LIT 502 - Foundations of Literacy & Literacy Leadership Credit: 3
LIT 503 - Literature, Art & Media: Birth - Grade 12 Credit: 3
LIT 506 - Writing Lives: Autobiography, Teaching & the Construction of Self in the Context of Others Credit: 3
LIT 507 - Literacy and Learning in the Content Areas Credit: 3
- OR - An approved Literacy Elective*
LIT 520 - Literacy Assessment and Intervention Credit: 6
LIT 522 - Literacy Practicum: Birth - Grade 12 Credit: 6
LIT 530 - Literacy Inquiry Seminar Credit: 3
Culminating Assessment (zero credit)

* approved elective for candidates who took a similar course at the undergraduate level.

B: Non-credit Requirements

DASA Training (zero credit)

Degree Candidacy

Students accepted to the MSED-Literacy program must apply for Degree Candidacy after completing 12-18 credit hours of their program; any course work taken in excess of 18 credits is liable to forfeiture. A GPA of 3.0 or better is required to qualify for degree candidacy status. Submit the completed candidacy application to the Graduate Office; the application and a current transcript is forwarded to the advisor. Students will then receive a letter advising them of their status and the remaining requirements in their program.