M.A. in Secondary Education and Deaf Education

This course will familiarize students with the nature and importance of curriculum in education for diverse students from K-12. The course also provides an initial experience in integrated curriculum planning that incorporates the use of current technologies with respect for diversity. Current theories of assessment, curriculum, instruction and learning across diverse educational settings and cultures are applied in the classroom laboratory settings. Content assessments and evaluation that reflect individual differences in the candidate areas(s) of study are emphasized.

This course for K-12 teacher candidates provides an integration of literacy theory and research, content- based instructional practices, and assessment and evaluation cycles for diverse learners including ASL- English bilingual learners, English Language Learners (ELL), struggling readers and writers, and students with disabilities using a multicultural perspective. In this course, candidates explore literacy issues, research, and effective practices in reading and writing instruction and assessment; make personal connections in defining literacy, in experiencing first-hand the reading and writing processes, and in reflective and responsive teaching; discuss ways to motivate and engage learners in authentic and meaningful language use through reading and writing.

This course introduces the fundamentals of general, special, and bilingual education and how they are infused into deaf education. It will also acquaint candidates with current trends and issues, and research in the education of Deaf and hard of hearing learners of all ages, including historic and current objectives, techniques, and results. The cultural, historical, philosophical, psychological, linguistic and social aspects of the Deaf community will also be addressed from educational perspective. Candidates are challenged to rethink their conceptualization of ''Deaf education'' as well as ''general education'' based on their perceptions of their own cultural dimensions. The course typically is taken in the first semester of study.

This course is designed to provide the students with the knowledge of the specific linguistic structures and introduce them to basic similarities and differences in the linguistic structures and uses of American Sign Language (ASL) and English. Examining categories from a universal perspective, the linguistic contrastive analysis is accomplished by focusing on: phonological and morphological processes, syntactic properties, discourse types, word classes, and linguistic variation in Deaf and Hearing communities in the United States. Also, the students will examine the basic phonological, morphological, syntactic, and semantic features of ASL and English. Application of the instructional ASL/English linguistics and structures in the classroom and activities will be presented. Students will develop activity plans, and adapt and implement the methodologies and materials used in ASL/English learning to the needs of the individual Deaf/Hard of Hearing child.

This course provides directed observation and participation in various educational programs; directed visits to schools and classes; and seminars focusing on these experiences and on professional, instructional, and child-related topics. Experiences include visits to general education, deaf education, early education, or bilingual programs in the metropolitan area surrounding Gallaudet University.

In this course, candidates examine the purposeful social and cognitive processes of adolescent literacy, address instructional issues related to teaching and learning reading and writing in the middle and secondary grades (6-12), practice effective ways to deliver literacy skills for adolescents across a range of domains, with consideration given to motivation, comprehension, critical thinking, and assessment. This course provides the basis in adolescent literacy teaching and learning for teacher candidates who are about to embark upon the student teaching practicum experience in middle and secondary school settings, and requires related field-work.

This course is designed to familiarize students with the identification of exceptional children in terms of developmental needs, interpretation of assessment data, development and evaluation of appropriate intervention strategies for the regular classroom teacher, and legislation in special education. This course will prepare teacher candidates to work with children and youth with a broad range of disabilities and educational needs. Topics will include understanding disability; understanding principles of legislation and curriculum and instruction; establishing positive learning environments; and working collaboratively.

This course addresses several theories and theorists on language acquisition and cognitive development, with a focus on educational applications with deaf children. The instructor presents information, facilitates cooperative learning activities, and models educational strategies. Class participants fully participate in cooperative learning activities, complete required readings and journal response activities, and complete projects/assignments, individually or in teams.

This course focuses on developing knowledge, skills, and dispositions in creating and maintaining meaningful collaboration among home, school, and the community for diverse learners (from birth to 21 years old) and their families. The course prepares students to achieve collaborative and respectful relationships with student's family and community as valuable contributors to the educational process. The course also includes developing knowledge in multicultural education and culturally pluralistic educational practices for all students. 25 hours of related field experience is required.

This course is the second of three pre-professional field experiences in the Department of Education practicum/seminar series. It is designed to build on the knowledge, skills, and experiences of previous and concurrent coursework and lead to the terminal and capstone student teaching internship. Special emphasis is placed on the candidates' developing skills in reflective observation of best instructional practices, assessment strategies as they align with instruction, multiculturalism, diversity among hearing, deaf, hard of hearing learners in a range of educational settings (general, special, deaf, and bilingual), technology to support learning, behavior management, working with families/caregivers, and working within professional teams.

An in-depth study of children's literature primarily for early childhood and secondary education majors. Focuses on the evaluation, selection, and sharing of children's and young adult books in instructional settings. Participants will read, respond to, and evaluate picture books and chapter books of various genres. Emphasizes the identification and teaching of literary elements in context, strategies for sharing books with children, and the importance of using authentic children's and young's adult literature in schools.

The focus of this course is research as a strategy of inquiry for improving practice and advancing our professions. The general principles of qualitative, quantitative, and action research designs will be considered, along with related problems of measurement, statement and clarification of research problems, and basic statistical methods for describing data. The goal is to produce professionals who are consumers of research in their fields who can apply research for the improvement of their school or work settings.

Theories, research, methods, and perspectives pertaining to the development of auditory/oral skills in deaf and hard of hearing children and youth. Knowledge of the development, improvement, and /or maintenance of auditory/oral skills in an interdisciplinary bilingual educational environment.

This course addresses literacy instruction through a bilingual and ESL instructional methodology in general bilingual education and their application to a diverse group of deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Students will apply the theories and instructional strategies they learn during their practicum experiences, and reflect on these applications through on-line, group activities, and assignments designed to promote the creation of optimal bilingual k-12 classrooms.

This course is designed to familiarize students with legislation in special education (past and present) and the IEP process.

This course is designed to build on the knowledge, skills, and experiences of previous and concurrent coursework and lead to the terminal and capstone student teaching internship. Special emphasis is placed on the candidates' developing skills in reflective observation of best instructional practices, assessment strategies as they align with instruction, multiculturalism, diversity among hearing, deaf, hard of hearing learners in a range of educational settings (general, special, deaf, and bilingual). Emphasis is also placed on the use of instructional technology to support learning, behavior management, working with families/caregivers, and working within professional teams.

In this course, teacher candidates explore and apply research-supported trends and curriculum in secondary English language arts instruction with diverse, English Language Learners (ELL), and special needs middle and high school adolescents. Topics covered in the course include professional standards for learning and teaching the pedagogy of secondary English language arts instruction in a technologically-advanced world, formal and informal assessment and evaluation, personal literacy development, and reflective professional engagement. Candidates read and respond to young adult literature across a range of genres, and create a macro-unit that includes reading and writing micro-lessons. The course should be taken concurrently with fieldwork dedicated to middle or secondary education (Grades 6-12).

This course is a literacy intensive course that concentrates on curriculum trends, teaching techniques, and appropriate media for teaching social studies in middle and secondary schools today. The course stresses the topics include: the social science disciplines in relation to social studies, simulation activities, instructional planning, evaluation, multi-cultural education, inquiry skills, and how to deal with controversial social issues in the classrooms.

In this course, teacher candidates will learn about the current curriculum, contents, materials, and methodologies utilized by educators in the secondary school science class. The teacher candidates will explore methodological principles and apply them by developing lesson plans, science portfolio, activities, and projects. Observation, laboratory activities and participation in a field experience are included in this course. The teacher candidates will learn science by doing science using (FOSS) Full Option Science System.

Students will learn about the current curriculum, content, materials, and methodologies utilized by educators in the secondary school mathematics curriculum. Students will explore methodological principles and apply them by developing lesson plans, a mathematics portfolio, activities, and projects. Observations, hand-on activities and participation in a field experience are included in the course. Students will learn mathematics by doing mathematics using National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Principles and Standards for School Mathematics.

This course is the final professional experience in the secondary programs and is a required field experience in a school classroom for a period of at least ten weeks under the supervision of the classroom teacher (cooperating teacher) and a University Supervisor. During the course, the student will take responsibility for planning, teaching, and evaluating all aspects of the classroom program. A required seminar is held weekly on campus for purposes of common problems and/or concerns, and exchange of useful teaching experiences.

The student teaching seminar is a capstone course in which student teachers in the Undergraduate Education Program meet regularly as a group to discuss, analyze, reflect upon and resolve classroom issues that occur during their full-time internship experiences with hearing students. This course is designed to be taken in tandem with Student Teaching. Students will be participating in student teaching at various clinical sites every weekday for 10 weeks. Educational topics related to assessment, classroom management, certification, portfolio development, and related areas are covered in depth.

This course is the pre-professional capstone experience of the MA Programs in deaf education, and is comprised of full-time supervised student teaching for a minimum forty (50) clock hours per credit, typically completed within a ten (10) week period. During this experience, the student teacher is mentored by an on-site classroom cooperating teacher and supervised by a Department of Education university supervisor.