Purpose
This program is designed for an experienced educator who holds an initial classroom teaching license and who wants to serve schools as a teacher of reading at the early childhood, elementary, middle, secondary or post-secondary levels or who wants to remain a classroom teacher with expertise in reading. Graduates of this program may be endorsed by Salem State for state licensure as a teacher of reading. Early childhood, special education, ESL, and elementary classroom teachers who are pursuing professional licensure in their field may use this program to help them qualify and apply on their own to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MDESE) for the professional license in early childhood, special education, ESL or elementary education.
Courses in the program will help students develop an understanding of reading and writing processes, enhance classroom reading instruction, assess reading difficulties and intervene instructionally, use literature in reading and language arts programs, and carry out teacher leadership roles in reading. One hundred and fifty hours of supervised field work are required of those pursuing the Specialist Teacher of Reading license. The program meets MDESE regulations for initial licensure as a Specialist Teacher of Reading and is fully accredited by NCATE and the International Reading Association. Students may select from three program options: M.Ed. with licensure (36 credit hours); licensure only (21-30 credit hours) and the M.Ed. without licensure (36 credit hours). For more information about these options, please contact the program coordinator.
Prerequisites
Minimum of an initial teaching license in the classroom or secondary area and one year of teaching experience in the field of the license
Grades of merit in the undergraduate program or any previous graduate work
Satisfactory performance in the Graduate Record Examination or the Miller Analogies Test
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