Undergraduate Teacher Preparation
I currently teach a sequence of two undergraduate courses in language development and literacy instruction & interventions for teacher candidates in special education. My students are in their third year of our degree program, and here in Illinois, they are seeking LBS1 initial licensure after graduation. Because these two courses are sequential, I usually have many students for two consecutive semesters, which allows me to build lasting mentoring relationships as well as extend candidates' learning.
In both of these courses, I emphasize the application of scientific research findings about learning and reading from cognitive psychology, neurobiology, and education & curriculum study - a.k.a., the science of reading. Teacher candidates learn about the connections between oral language and learning to read print, and they learn a great deal about how American English "works" - including phonics/phonetics, but also about socio-cultural aspects of learning to read and teaching children to read in English-dominant schools and classrooms.
Language & Literacy Development
This first course focuses on the foundations of language and literacy, with an emphasis on oral language development and its impact on learning to read, including its impact on disabilities such as dyslexia and dysgraphia. Candidates also develop their understanding of learning and effective teaching, including cognitive load theory, explicit instruction, and culturally sustaining pedagogy.
Literacy Applications
The second course in the SED literacy sequence focuses on assessment and instruction in literacy. Candidates learn about administering a variety of literacy assessments and using them in appropriate and culturally sustaining ways. Candidates also learn about designing instruction & interventions, intensifying instruction, and setting appropriate short- and long-term learning goals for students with disabilities.
In both of these courses, I emphasize the application of scientific research findings about learning and reading from cognitive psychology, neurobiology, and education & curriculum study - a.k.a., the science of reading. Teacher candidates learn about the connections between oral language and learning to read print, and they learn a great deal about how American English "works" - including phonics/phonetics, but also about socio-cultural aspects of learning to read and teaching children to read in English-dominant schools and classrooms.
Language & Literacy Development
This first course focuses on the foundations of language and literacy, with an emphasis on oral language development and its impact on learning to read, including its impact on disabilities such as dyslexia and dysgraphia. Candidates also develop their understanding of learning and effective teaching, including cognitive load theory, explicit instruction, and culturally sustaining pedagogy.
Literacy Applications
The second course in the SED literacy sequence focuses on assessment and instruction in literacy. Candidates learn about administering a variety of literacy assessments and using them in appropriate and culturally sustaining ways. Candidates also learn about designing instruction & interventions, intensifying instruction, and setting appropriate short- and long-term learning goals for students with disabilities.
Graduate Teaching
At the doctoral level, I also teach a course once a year on the design, implementation, and evaluation of assistive technology in K12 settings. Doctoral (Ed.D.) students in SED are part-time students and full-time special educators, so it is important to make course content and assignments relevant to the needs of their classrooms, schools, and districts.
Assistive Technology
In this course, I apply principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and culturally sustaining pedagogy to guide doctoral students as they develop as teacher-leaders. Students design and produce a "final project" that carefully examines an issue related to assistive technology - accessibility, legal implications, research, program evaluation, or advocacy - in their current professional context.
Assistive Technology
In this course, I apply principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and culturally sustaining pedagogy to guide doctoral students as they develop as teacher-leaders. Students design and produce a "final project" that carefully examines an issue related to assistive technology - accessibility, legal implications, research, program evaluation, or advocacy - in their current professional context.
Mentoring
Each year, I serve as a mentor for a number of individual students (typically masters or doctoral) at various points on their scholarly journeys. For special education masters students, I often supervise their action research capstone projects. This involves guiding them through the research process: over two semesters, students identify a research question, design an action research study, understand & apply the literature, select & understand methodology, collect data, and write a "thesis" paper to report and discuss the study's results. I also work closely with special education doctoral students in a variety of ways. Depending on the student, their focus, and what I am needed for, I have discussed my own research, served on dissertation committees (chaired one), evaluated written and oral comprehensive exams, provided methodological guidance, and connected students with scholars in the field.
