Literacy Education Catalog
Program Director: Kayla Zimmer, PhD
Introduction
The Canisius University graduate literacy program leads to a Master of Science in Education - Literacy. The program prepares students to meet New York State requirements for the Literacy (All Grades) certification. Coursework for the program includes 33 hours of study and two practicum experiences. Candidates do not need to come to campus to complete their practicums and can usually fulfill these practicum requirements in a school district of their choice.
The University also offers a six-course advanced certification pathway that leads to endorsement for NYS Literacy Certification. This program is intended for those who have already obtained a master's degree.
Admissions Requirements
- Free Online Application - The application includes a 300-word essay.
- Official Bachelor's Degree Transcript. Unofficial or in-progress transcripts are acceptable to begin the admissions review process. Applicants will be expected to have a 3.0 undergraduate GPA. Applicants with less than a 3.0 undergraduate GPA will undergo additional review.
- Two Letters of Recommendation. Letters can be personal, professional or academic references.
- Evidence of teaching certification
Grade Requirements
Graduate students enrolled in initial certification programs must achieve a C or above in all course requirements and a B- or above in all graduate program coursework. Failure to meet these requirements will require repeating the course &/or completing additional coursework.
Field experiences in the Online Programs
Candidates will complete a minimum of 50 hours of clinical practicum. Candidates do not need to come to campus to complete their practicum field experiences.
Licensure Disclosure
Canisius University cannot determine whether completion of this program would be sufficient to meet licensure requirements outside of New York State for the intended occupation. We advise you to contact your state licensing board or appropriate licensing entity to determine whether the program meets requirements for Professional Licensure in the state where you are located or the state in which you intend to pursue licensure. Please contact the associate dean of your school if you have further questions.
Curriculum - MSED in Literacy (All Grades)
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
EDR 501 | Reading and Writing in the Content Areas | 3 |
EDR 502 | Foundations of Literacy | 3 |
EDR 503 | Reading in the Secondary School | 3 |
EDR 507 | Reading to Grow: K-12 Literature & Social Justice | 3 |
EDR 508 | Emergent Literacy | 3 |
EDR 509 | Teaching Literacy with Diverse Population | 3 |
EDR 510 | Creating a Literate Environment | 3 |
EDR 600 | Literacy Curriculum and the Role of the Reading Specialist | 3 |
EDR 601 | PreK-4: Diagnosis and Diagnostic Teaching Clinical Practicum | 3 |
EDR 604 | Advanced Practicum: Grades 5-12 | 3 |
EDU 615 | Research Methods | 3 |
Total Credits | 33 |
Roadmap
First Year | ||
---|---|---|
Fall | Spring | Summer |
EDR 501 | EDR 503 | EDR 508 |
EDR 502 | EDR 509 | EDR 510 |
Second Year | ||
Fall | Spring | Summer |
EDR 600 | EDR 604 | EDR 507 |
EDR 601 | EDU 615 |
Field Experience
Candidates complete two 25-hour practicum field experiences. The first field experience is completed in EDR 601 PreK-Grade 4: Diagnosis and Diagnostic Teaching Clinical Practicum. The second field experience is in EDR 604 Advanced Practicum: Grades 5-12.
Candidates do not need to come to campus to complete their field experiences.
Curriculum- Advanced Certificate (All Grades)
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
EDR 501 | Reading and Writing in the Content Areas | 3 |
EDR 502 | Foundations of Literacy | 3 |
EDR 508 | Emergent Literacy | 3 |
EDR 600 | Literacy Curriculum and the Role of the Reading Specialist | 3 |
EDR 601 | PreK-4: Diagnosis and Diagnostic Teaching Clinical Practicum | 3 |
EDR 604 | Advanced Practicum: Grades 5-12 | 3 |
Roadmap Advanced Certificate (All Grades)
First Year | ||
---|---|---|
Fall | Spring | Summer |
EDR 502 | EDR 600 | EDR 501 |
EDR 601 | EDR 604 | EDR 508 |
Field Experience Advanced Certificate (All Grades)
Candidates in the advanced certificate (all grades) program complete 25 hours of field experience in EDR 601 and 25 hours of field experience in EDR 604. Candidates do not need to come to campus to complete their field experience.
Curriculum - Advanced Certificate (B-6)
Note: Canisius University is not accepting new students into the advanced certificate (B-6) program. New York State is phasing out the B-6 certificate and replacing it with all grades; our preparation program will follow suit.
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
EDR 501 | Reading and Writing in the Content Areas | 3 |
EDR 502 | Foundations of Literacy | 3 |
EDR 505 | Reading to Grow: Children's Literature & Social Justice | 3 |
EDR 508 | Emergent Literacy | 3 |
EDR 509 | Teaching Literacy with Diverse Population | 3 |
EDR 601 | PreK-4: Diagnosis and Diagnostic Teaching Clinical Practicum | 3 |
Total Credits | 18 |
Roadmap Advanced Certificate (B-6)
First Year | ||
---|---|---|
Fall | Spring | Summer |
EDR 501 | EDR 509 | EDR 505 |
EDR 502 | EDR 601 | EDR 508 |
Field Experience Advanced Certificate (B-6)
Candidates in the advanced certificate (B-6) program complete 50 hours of field experience in EDR 601 PreK-Grade 4: Diagnosis and Diagnostic Teaching Clinical Practicum. Candidates do not need to come to campus to complete their field experience.
Courses
Literacy- EDR
EDR 501 Reading and Writing in the Content Areas 3 Credits
Strategies for teaching and developing children's skills in effectively applying literacy skills as tools for learning in content areas will be examined. Candidates will develop materials and procedures that enhance comprehension, vocabulary acquisition, and study skills of diverse populations of learners. Various measures for assessing literacy performance in subject areas will be studied. Literature that supplements textbooks across the content areas will be examined.
Offered: once a year.
EDR 502 Foundations of Literacy 3 Credits
Research-based foundational principles for effective instruction in each of the language areas will be explored. Candidates will study the historical trajectory of literacy research and instruction, learn strategies for literacy instruction with diverse populations of learners, create lesson plans that apply instructional techniques, select materials based on children's literacy level and interests, and examine various assessment measures. Multiple genres of children's literature along with applications in literacy instruction will be explored.
Offered: once a year.
EDR 503 Reading in the Secondary School 3 Credits
The effective application of literacy skills as tools for teaching secondary level content areas to diverse populations will be examined. Candidates will develop materials and procedures that enhance comprehension. Integration of content and skills across subjects will be emphasized as well as methods to meet specific needs of students, including the use of multiple measures of assessment, diverse genres of literature, and various interventions in literacy instruction.
Offered: once a year.
EDR 505 Reading to Grow: Children's Literature & Social Justice 3 Credits
Students in this course will learn how to select, read, evaluate, and analyze children’s literature with the goal of supporting readers and teaching critical thinking. Through various genres of children’s literature, candidates will develop an informed awareness of the ways in which children’s literature can be used to support multilingual learners, nurture struggling readers, and promote social justice in the classroom. Candidates will learn to use children’s literature to foster student awareness of and appreciation for diverse and complex cultures, perspectives, and experiences. Candidates will also examine various pedagogical practices and theoretical stances related to equity, linguistic diversity, social justice, and societal transformation.
Offered: occasionally.
EDR 507 Reading to Grow: K-12 Literature & Social Justice 3 Credits
Students in this course will learn how to select, read, evaluate, and analyze children’s and adolescent literature with the goal of supporting readers and teaching critical thinking. Through various genres of literature, candidates will develop an informed awareness of the ways in which literature can be used to support multilingual learners, nurture struggling readers, and promote social justice in the classroom. Candidates will learn to use literature to foster student awareness of and appreciation for diverse and complex cultures, perspectives, and experiences. Candidates will also examine various pedagogical practices and theoretical stances related to equity, linguistic diversity, social justice, and societal transformation.
Offered: once a year.
EDR 508 Emergent Literacy 3 Credits
Research on the emergence of children's literacy knowledge and structures that enhance this development will be studied. Implementation of the science of reading through lessons and programs for a diverse population of children will be a focus. Multiple measures of assessment, effective early intervention models, and multiple genres of literature with applications in literacy instruction will be explored.
Offered: once a year.
EDR 509 Teaching Literacy with Diverse Population 3 Credits
Strategies for effective literacy instruction with diverse populations will be examined. These include research-based approaches for special education students, ESL/LEP students and gifted and talented students. Candidates will examine how to match instruction to students' needs and how to incorporate differentiated instruction in a classroom. Multicultural literature and literature that deals with specific disabilities will be examined. Candidates create a comprehensive curricular unit that is ready to be implemented in a classroom of diversity.
Offered: once a year.
EDR 510 Creating a Literate Environment 3 Credits
Instructional techniques for concurrently developing skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing as well as specific models for instruction that meet diverse needs and interests at all levels will be examined. Organizational components of an effective reading and writing classroom will be explored along with methods for providing a print-rich environment that spans a broad spectrum of reading levels, genres and interests.
Offered: every summer.
EDR 600 Literacy Curriculum and the Role of the Reading Specialist 3 Credits
Procedures for planning, evaluating and implementing curriculum at the school district level that address state and local mandates will be explored. Multiple resources that can be used in the implementation of curriculum will be examined. The role that the literacy specialist plays in coordinating this process, guiding the selection of instructional materials, and determining appropriate in-service will be examined.
Offered: once a year.
EDR 601 PreK-4: Diagnosis and Diagnostic Teaching Clinical Practicum 3 Credits
Candidates will explore theories and conduct in-depth literacy assessments, using both formal and informal age-appropriate measures. Candidates will examine administrative procedures and the interpretation of results for multiple assessment instruments, including diagnostic and achievement tests, reading inventories, observations, and anecdotal records. The diagnostic teaching model will be introduced and traditional remediation and intervention theories will be explored as candidates work with struggling readers during their initial clinical practicum. Course includes 25 hours of field work for a combined 50 hours of fieldwork with EDR 604: Advanced Practicum (Grades 5-12).
Offered: every fall.
EDR 603 Advanced Practicum: Birth-Grade 6 3 Credits
Candidates observe and fully participate as an intern in reading clinics, schools, or public and voluntary agencies serving children who are experiencing literacy problems. Candidates will refine proficiencies in instruction and assessment, organization, and enhancement of a literacy curriculum as they work with a professional team at the site. Candidates will serve as a resource for literacy instruction; they will also prepare staff development for professionals at the site based on a survey of teachers' interests/needs.
Prerequisite: EDR 601.
Offered: occasionally.
EDR 604 Advanced Practicum: Grades 5-12 3 Credits
Candidates observe and fully participate as an intern in reading clinics, schools, or public and voluntary agencies serving children who are experiencing literacy problems. Candidates will refine proficiencies in instruction and assessment, organization, and enhancement of a literacy curriculum as they work with a professional team at the site. Candidates will serve as a resource for literacy instruction; they will also prepare staff development for professionals at the site based on a survey of teachers' interests/needs. Course includes 25 hours of field work for a combined 50 hours of fieldwork with EDR 601: Birth-Grade 4:Diagnosis and Diagnostic Teaching Clinical Practicum.
Prerequisite: EDR 601.
Offered: every spring.
Teacher Education - EDU
EDU 615 Research Methods 3 Credits
Candidates will develop an understanding of the research process from formulating a research problem through data analysis and interpretation. Candidates will learn how to critically analyze research studies, discuss ethical considerations in conducting research and discuss the importance of scientific research for educational policy and practice. Each candidate will plan a research project consistent with his/her interests and with the course goals.