Online Instructional Specialist Elementary Content Degree :: Accredited Universities

The master teacher program is intended for the teaching practitioner in settings from early childhood through adolescence and young adulthood. A candidate for this program is typically an educator that intends to remain in a general education classroom. The candidate will learn to
deal more effectively with diverse student learners and move from theory to best practice in the field. The Elementary Content is designed for educators who wish to improve their teaching, management, and assessment skills.

Each candidate must complete the six starred (*) introductory and research courses within the first 15-21 hours before taking the other required courses in the program. A Core Knowledge Examination over those courses will be given. A Core Knowledge Examination over these courses should be taken during the semester following the completion of the 15 core credits. When the introductory core courses are completed, the Core Knowledge Examination is passed, and admission requirements are fulfilled, the candidate will be removed from probation and allowed to enroll in the remaining coursework.

Entry Requirements

GPA (a minimum of 3.0 on last 60 undergraduate hours).

• Statement of Introduction

• Two references and two Advanced Candidate Assessment of Dispositions completed by supervising administrators

• Signed disclosure form

• Faculty Evaluation and/or Personal Interview (prerogative of admissions committee).

Other Fees

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The Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction: Reading with an Emphasis in Elementary Education is designed for licensed K-8 educators who want to focus on elementary literacy strategies in order to improve the reading abilities of their students. Some individuals who pursue this curriculum and instruction master‛s program are interested in becoming a reading coach or a reading intervention specialist.

Students in this program learn to apply theory and educational best practices to the delivery of curriculum, instruction and assessment in order to improve the reading abilities and reading comprehension of their students. The curriculum and instruction master‛s courses are aligned to the International Reading Association standards.

Students are provided with the foundation needed to diagnose and assess reading deficiencies and corrective reading strategies. Students will also learn how to develop and implement corrective reading plans and analyze the results. Past trends and the evolution of reading instruction are also explored. Other topics of focus include: foundational theory and research, children and young adult literature, developmental learning and assessments, corrective reading assessment, and instructional leadership and literacy coaching. In addition, there is a focus on elementary reading and writing and a study on the use of textbooks, trade books, literature and electronic texts that are relevant in every elementary content area. Students also learn how to use the various genres and delivery methods (paper and digital) to meet literacy goals.

An Elementary Practicum is included in this curriculum and instruction master‛s program, which provides an in-depth study of the International Reading Association (IRA) Standards by examining research-based approaches linking assessment and instruction for elementary teachers. Teachers learn to use a wide range of formal and informal assessment tools and methods to diagnose and assess reading and writing development, instruction and assessment.

Geared toward individuals who are already licensed as teachers, this curriculum and instruction master‛s program does not lead to licensure but may lead to career advancement. Program applicants must submit a copy of a current teaching license or provide evidence of a minimum of one year of teaching experience. In addition, it is essential for students to have access to a K-12 classroom to complete the program assignments.

Entry Requirements

Applicants to university graduate programs may be accepted for admission by meeting one of the criteria specified below:

Degree Bearing Transcripts
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An undergraduate degree from an accredited, GCU-approved college, university or program with a GPA of 2.8 or better on the degree-bearing transcript

OR

A graduate degree from an accredited, GCU-approved college, university or program

Test Scores
----------------

If students cannot meet the GPA requirement, they may still be eligible for admission by meeting certain graduate test scores:
Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT): 500
Graduate Record Examination (GRE): 1,000 combined verbal/quantitative, prior to August 2011; 300 combined verbal/quantitative, after August 2011

Other Fees

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The Instructional Specialist degree is intended for the teaching practitioner in settings from early childhood through adolescence and young adulthood (EC-YA). The candidate will learn to deal more effectively with diverse candidate learners and move from theory to best practice in the
field. The candidate may choose from areas of concentration that include Reading Specialist PK-12, Elementary Content, and Elementary STEM. Licensure is also available in Reading Specialist.

Entry Requirements

• GPA (a minimum of 3.0 on last 60 undergraduate hours).

• Statement of Introduction

• Two references and two Advanced Candidate Assessment of Dispositions completed by supervising administrators

• Signed disclosure form

• Faculty Evaluation and/or Personal Interview (prerogative of admissions committee).

Other Fees

Show Less

The Instructional Specialist degree is intended for the teaching practitioner in settings from early childhood through adolescence and young adulthood (EC-YA). The candidate will learn to deal more effectively with diverse candidate learners and move from theory to best practice in the
field. The candidate may choose from areas of concentration that include Reading Specialist PK-12, Elementary Content, and Elementary STEM. Licensure is also available in Reading Specialist.

The master instructional specialist program, International Reading Association standards, is intended for the teaching practitioner in settings from early childhood through adolescence and young adulthood. The candidate will learn to deal more effectively with diverse candidate
learners and move from theory to best practice in the field. The Reading Specialist PK-12 serves practicing teachers, elementary or secondary, who wish to acquire initial reading specialist licensure with a master’s degree in Kansas.

Entry Requirements

• GPA (a minimum of 3.0 on last 60 undergraduate hours).

• Statement of Introduction

• Two references and two Advanced Candidate Assessment of Dispositions completed by supervising administrators

• Signed disclosure form

• Faculty Evaluation and/or Personal Interview (prerogative of admissions committee).

Other Fees

Show Less

As the paradigm shifts and standards become more rigorous in school districts across the nation, elementary literacy and reading quality falls into the spotlight. Educational success in the classroom reflects on the depth of instruction within the lines of the regulatory framework.

With a focus on literacy coaches and reading specialists who empower classroom teachers as leaders and interventionists, GCU‛s online M.A. in reading for elementary education aligns with the standards of the International Reading Association, a global network committed to literacy.

Graduates of the program may seek a reading endorsement but requirements do vary for each state.

In about 17 months, the 32-credit online advance practice reading program offers licensed teachers and educators a deep focus in elementary literacy strategies that improve reading and comprehension in a K-8 classroom. It captures the highly relational learner's perspective in the 21st century.

Through observational and practice-based experiences, the M.A. in reading provides the application of theory and educational best practices to effectively deliver curriculum, instruction and assessment. With a strong foundation in corrective reading strategies, it explores reading deficiencies and diagnosis.

The program dissects a growing body of knowledge on the application of brain research in classroom practice that impacts curricular, instructional and assessment decisions of teachers each day. From neuroscience to the behavioral and cognitive sciences, it examines the intricacies of the mind as it relates to teaching and learning.

The curriculum develops leadership and coaching within the scope of improved literacy in collaborative settings. It surveys a variety of assessment tools, instructional approaches and effective communication techniques for optimized learning. Candidates engage in advanced studies at the building and district level that inspire the creation of literate environments and support literacy across content areas.

Entry Requirements

Applicants to university graduate programs may be accepted for admission by meeting one of the criteria specified below:

Degree Bearing Transcripts
-------------------------------------

An undergraduate degree from an accredited, GCU-approved college, university or program with a GPA of 2.8 or better on the degree-bearing transcript

OR

A graduate degree from an accredited, GCU-approved college, university or program

Test Scores
----------------

If students cannot meet the GPA requirement, they may still be eligible for admission by meeting certain graduate test scores:
Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT): 500
Graduate Record Examination (GRE): 1,000 combined verbal/quantitative, prior to August 2011; 300 combined verbal/quantitative, after August 2011

Other Fees

Show Less