400

Candidates complete 50 hours of field experience practice in a special education setting.  This field experience will focus on developing candidates’ knowledge and skills related to the assessment of students with disabilities in both academic and functional skill domains.  In addition to their field work, candidates meet on campus with their University supervisor to further their knowledge and development related to the focus of this field experience. The mentor teacher and University supervisor will conduct performance assessments of the candidate during this experience.

This course is intended for those candidates who need extended field experiences with the ongoing supervision by University personnel.  Length of field experiences will be determined by the Department and is subject to Department Chair approval.  Completion of this experience does not guarantee eligibility for clinical practice.

This course examines the theories and the practices appropriate for balanced reading and language arts instruction and assessment in grades 4-12. This emphasis of the course is on functional technique for improving student reading performance in the upper grades and incorporating reading into subject matter instruction. Candidates will also look at critical literacy and how it applies to the classroom for adolescent learners. Effective reading and writing instructional strategies and assessment, including those that address the specific needs of second language learners, are modeled and practiced.

This course is designed for candidates seeking Illinois Learning Behavior Specialist 1 (LBS1) licensure with total involvement in the participating school system. Progress in developing teaching skills is observed carefully and supervised by the mentor teacher and University supervisor. Assignment is made at the elementary level for eight weeks and the middle/secondary level for eight weeks. Associated seminars focus on current issues in special education including vocational/transitional, adaptive equipment and professional and ethical considerations. This course meets the advanced writing requirement. Attendance at clinical experience seminars is required. Clinical Practice may be repeated only once for credit with the consent of the College of Education and the Teacher Education Committee.

Candidates complete 8 weeks in an elementary site and 8 weeks in a secondary special education site.

This course is designed for candidates seeking the elementary education licensure with the special education endorsement with total involvement in the participating schools.  Progress in developing teaching skills is observed carefully and supervised by the mentor teachers and the University supervisor.  Assignment is made at the regular education elementary level for eight weeks and 8 weeks at the special education middle school or secondary level for eight weeks grades 7-12.  This course meets the advanced writing requirement.  Attendance at clinical practice seminars is required.  Evidence of successful completion of the appropriate State of Illinois content area test must be received in the College of Education at least 30 days prior to the beginning of the clinical practice semester.

This course includes a study or project done under the direction of a member of the Department of Special Education.