Department of Elementary Education

ECED 2999. Entry to the Education Profession. 0 Hours.

Graded Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory. A required non-credit course for all teacher education candidates pursuing a VSU recommendation for initial certification; must be success- fully completed prior to admission to teacher education. Candidates are required to establish an electronic portfolio and provide evidence that all teacher education admission requirements have been satisfactorily met. If an un- satisfactory grade is earned, the course must be repeated until a satisfactory grade is received.

ECED 3000. Special Topics in Early Childhood Education. 3 Hours.

Study of current issues and concepts in early childhood education. May be repeated under different topics for a total of 6 credit hours with approval of the student's faculty advisor and major department head.

ECED 3400. Planning for Instruction and Classroom Management. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: ECSE 2999. Fundamentals of teaching across all content area subject matter will be explored including models of teaching, lesson and unit planning, and creating a classroom environment that is conducive to learning.

ECED 4300. Teaching Language Arts in Early Childhood Education. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: ECSE 2999. The application of methods for teaching listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing, and visually representing in early childhood. Emphasis is placed on methods of process writing for the genres of journal, descriptive, letter, biographical, narrative, and poetic writing.

ECSE 3220. Professional Roles and Relationships in Special Education. 3 Hours.

Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course and a minimum GPA of 2.75. Co-requisites: ECSE 3210; a field experience, as prescribed by the instructor. Candidates will learn how to develop the Individualized Education Program (IEP) document and prepare for and conduct the IEP meeting; advocate for and communicate effectively with parents; and use collaborative skills and culturally responsive practices to resolve conflicts and build consensus across professional partnerships.

ECSE 3390. Early Childhood Inclusive Practicum and Seminar: Pre-K-K. 2 Hours.

Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course, maintenance of required GPA. Graded “Satisfactory” or “Unsatisfactory.” Supervised classroom experiences in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classrooms. Candidates work under the supervision of mentor teachers and university supervisors for a minimum of 100 hours. Emphasis will be placed on addressing students with and without disabilities in the classroom environment. Candidates will also participate in debriefing seminars focused on the implementation of developmentally appropriate content areas, strands, and teaching formats.

ECSE 3490. Early Childhood Inclusive Practicum and Seminar: Grades 1-3. 2 Hours.

Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course, maintenance of required GPA, Grade of “S” in ECSE 3390. Graded “Satisfactory” or “Unsatisfactory.” Supervised classroom experiences in inclusive first- through third-grade classrooms. Candidates work under the supervision of mentor teachers and university supervisors for a minimum of 100 hours. Emphasis will be placed on addressing students with and without disabilities in the classroom environment. Candidates will also participate in debriefing seminars focused on implementation of developmentally appropriate content areas, strands, and teaching formats. Candidates will be observed implementing appropriate teaching and management strategies for all students in their first through third grade classroom experience.

ECSE 4210. Advanced Management of Learning Environments. 3 Hours.

Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course; ECSE 3210; ECSE 3220. Review and implementation of fundamentals of creating classroom environments that are conducive to learning. The course will focus on individual and group management strategies that facilitate inclusion of students with disabilities in classrooms. The role of functional behavioral analysis and teachers’ responsibilities in this process will be defined. Teacher candidates will synthesize information enabling them to effectively manage learning environments, collect data, and evaluate their ability to manage student learning and social behaviors in fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms. A field experience, as prescribed by the instructor, is required for this course.

ECSE 4310. Functional Academic and Behavior Assessment. 3 Hours.

Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course, ECSE 3010, ECSE 3020. Corequisite: ECSE 4010. Assessments to address the needs of students who are not progressing academically with current methods and who may be demonstrating behavioral challenges in the classroom. A field experience, as prescribed by the instructor, is required for this course.

ECSE 4390. Early Childhood Inclusive Practicum and Seminar: Grades 4-5. 2 Hours.

Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course, maintenance of required GPA, grade of “S” in ECSE 3390 and 3490. Graded “Satisfactory” or “Unsatisfactory.” Supervised classroom experiences in inclusive fourth- or fifth-grade classrooms. Candidates work under the supervision of mentor teachers and university supervisors for a minimum of 100 hours. Emphasis will be placed on addressing students with and without disabilities in the general education classroom environment. Candidates will also participate in debriefing seminars focused on implementation of developmentally appropriate content areas, strands, and teaching formats. Candidates will be observed implementing appropriate teaching and management strategies for all students in their fourth- through fifth-grade classroom experience.

ECSE 4490. Student Teaching and Reflective Seminar in Early Childhood and Special Education. 9 Hours.

Prerequisite: Completion of all core and previous semester professional courses (professional courses with a “C” or higher), and a GPA of 2.75. Corequisite: ECSE 4420. A full-day, semester-long experience in early childhood inclusive P-5 classrooms under the supervision of a mentor teacher and a university supervisor.

ELED 2999. Entry to Education Profession. 0 Hours.

Graded "Satisfactory" or "Unsatisfactory". A required non-credit course for all teacher education candidates pursuing a VSU recommendation for initial certification; must be successfully complete prior to admission to teacher education. Candidates are required to establish an electronic portfolio and provide evidence that all teacher education admission requirements have been satisfactorily met. If an "unsatisfactory" grade is earned, the course must be repeated until a "Satisfactory" grade is received.

ELED 3190. Elementary Education Practicum and Seminar: PreK-K. 2 Hours.

Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course, and minimum GPA of 2.75. Graded “Satisfactory” or “Unsatisfactory.” Pre-K or K classroom experiences supervised by mentor teachers and university supervisor; debriefing seminars on the implementation of developmentally appropriate content, appropriate classroom management techniques, appropriate teaching formats and strategies, and professional behavior; and observation of teaching and management strategies.

ELED 3300. Mathematics and Technology in Elementary Education. 3 Hours.

Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course, and minimum GPA of 2.75. Co-requisite: ELED 4690, or a practicum approved at the program level. Recent developments in curriculum and methods on instruction of contemporary school mathematics in grades P-5, including the use of manipulative materials, technology, and other resources.

ELED 3690. Elementary Education Practicum and Seminar: Grades 4-5. 2 Hours.

Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course, minimum GPA 2.75, and grade of "S" in ELED 3190. Graded "Satisfactory" or "Unsatisfactory". Grade 4-5 classroom experiences supervised by mentor teachers and university supervisors; debriefing seminars on the implementation of developmentally appropriate content, appropriate classroom management techniques, appropriate teaching formats and strategies, and professional behavior; and observation of teaching strategies.

ELED 4010. Assessment, Planning, and Differentiated Instruction. 3 Hours.

Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course, ELED 3010, ELED 3020, and minimum GPA of 2.75. Co-requisite: ELED 4690, or a practicum approved at the program level. Expansion of candidates’ knowledge and skills regarding appropriate evidence-based practices and theories of learning in grades 1-3 that underlie the teaching and learning processes related to assessment, planning, differentiated instruction, and associated curricular disciplines to meet the needs of diverse learners in general education, inclusive classrooms.

ELED 4400. Social Science Methods in Elementary Education. 3 Hours.

Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course, and minimum GPA of 2.75. Corequisite: ELED 4690, or a practicum approved at the program level. A study of the content, curriculum, methods, and technology to support instruction in the social sciences in grades P-5.

ELED 4420. Student Teaching Reflective Seminar. 3 Hours.

Prerequisites: Completion of all core and previous semester professional courses (professional courses with a “C” or higher) and a minimum GPA of 2.75. Corequisite: ELED 4790. Graded “Satisfactory” or “Unsatisfactory.” Examination of the nature, extent, and significance of involving families in the education of children in grades P-5. Interrelationships of home, school, and community agencies are examined in light of various programs, methods, and techniques of parent education. Leadership skills are emphasized in the areas of training, supporting, and guiding with instructional support team members (i.e., paraprofessionals, academic coaches, etc.) and parent and community volunteers within the context of a developmentally appropriate classroom environment. Components of creating an elementary classroom environment that are conducive to learning will be discussed.

ELED 4500. Science and Technology in Elementary Education. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Appropriate 2999 course, and minimum GPA of 2.75. Corequisite: ELED 3690, or a practicum approved at the program level. Application of developmentally appropriate science programs in the context of standards-based inquiry and focusing on constructivist models of student learning of content, attitudes, and skills. Instructional technology will be integrated with curriculum for grades P-5.

ELED 4690. Elementary Education Practicum and Seminar: Grades 1-3. 2 Hours.

Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course, minimum GPA of 2.75, and grade of “S” in ELED 3190 and in ELED 3690. Graded “Satisfactory” or “Unsatisfactory.” Grades 1-3 classroom experience supervised by mentor teachers and university supervisors; debriefing seminars focused on the implementation of developmentally appropriate content, appropriate classroom management techniques, appropriate teaching formats and strategies, and professional behavior; and observation of appropriate teaching and management strategies.

ELED 4790. Student Teaching in Elementary Education. 9 Hours.

Prerequisites: Completion of all core and previous semester professional courses (professional courses with a "C" or higher) and a minimum GPA of 2.75. Corequisite: ELED 4420. Graded "Satisfactory" or "Unsatisfactory". A full-day, semester-long experience in elementary K-5 classrooms under the supervision of a mentor teacher and a university supervisor.

ELED 4890. Internship in Elementary Education. 6 Hours.

Prerequisites: Completion of requirements to student teach as listed in the University’s Undergraduate Catalog, submission of passing scores on GACE Content assessment, and certification by a school district of the status of the candidate as an employee. Credit: Course completion requires a two-semester internship, taken for a total of 12 hours (6 hours each semester). Guided professional experiences in an elementary classroom (P-5) as a capstone/culminating activity of the Elementary Education Program. Candidates teach and manage a classroom under the guidance of a mentor teacher and university supervisor. Experience includes observations, participation, teaching, classroom management, and collaboration with school personnel.

ELES 3010. Planning, Instruction, and Developmentally Appropriate Practices. 3 Hours.

Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course, and minimum GPA of 2.75. Co-requisite: ELED 3190, or a practicum approved at the program level. Evidence-based practices, theories of learning, and developmentally appropriate strategies that underlie the teaching and learning processes related to planning, instruction, and assessment for Pre-K and K learners in inclusive settings and the associated curricular disciplines.

ELES 3020. Intermediate Assessment, Planning, and Instruction. 3 Hours.

Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course, ELED 3010, and minimum GAP of 2.75. Corequisite: ELED 3690, or practicum approved at the program level. The use of selected evidence-based practices and theories of learning processess related to assessment, planning, and instruction to meet the diverse and individualized needs of students in grades 4-5.

ELES 3210. Introduction to the Management of Learning Environments. 3 Hours.

Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course, and minimum GPA of 2.75. Corequisite: ELED 3690, or a practicum approved at the program level. Fundamentals of creating classroom environments that are conducive to learning. The course will focus on individual and group management strategies that facilitate inclusion of students with disabilities in the classroom and basic behavior management principles for students in grades P-5.

LITR 3110. Emergent Literacy Through Children's Literature and the Arts. 3 Hours.

Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course, and a minimum GPA of 2.75. Co-requisite: ELED 3190, or a practicum approved at the program level. An integrated approach to incorporating emergent literacy skills with aesthetic appreciation and creative expression. Emphasis is on methods for using children’s literature and the fine arts to develop life-long readers.

LITR 3120. Early Literacy. 3 Hours.

Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course, and a minimum GPA of 2.75. Co-requisite: ELED 3190, or a practicum approved at the program level. Introduction to content, theoretical perspectives, and evidence-based strategies for teaching children in the primary grades to read and write. Major topics include the reading process, phonemic awareness, phonics, comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary. Teacher candidates are expected to plan and implement learned skills and knowledge in a PreK-K classroom.

LITR 3130. Developing Literacy. 3 Hours.

Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course; LITR 3110; LITR 3120; and a minimum GPA of 2.75. Co-requisite: ELED 3690, or a practicum approved at the program level. Application of methods for teaching listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing, and visually representing in a P-5 classrooms. Instructional methods of processes for writing and comprehending various forms of texts; motivating students to read and write; developing vocabulary, comprehension strategies, and higher-order thinking; and applying technology are emphasized.

LITR 4120. Literacy Assessment and Applications. 3 Hours.

Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course; LITR 3110; LITR 3120; LITR 3130; and a minimum GPA of 2.75. Emphasizes diagnostic and assessment strategies for corrective instruction for struggling elementary readers and writers. The course includes causes of reading disability, methods of diagnosis, instructional methods for group and individual remedial work, strategies for successful test taking. Teacher candidates will be required to apply their learned skills in tutoring experiences.