400

This field experience course is designed for candidates to apply scientific research based theories of effective instruction that demonstrate their abilities to plan, teach and assess lessons that allow full access to academic content to meet the diverse needs of all students in their class: highly proficient students, ESL students and those with special needs.  Technology will be infused to accomplish differentiated instructional objectives. 

This course investigates literature appropriate for early childhood, primary and intermediate students. Candidates will read and use a wide range of texts and genres, from traditional print, digital and online sources.  The course provides a critical approach that considers how issues of perspective and identity are represented in literature and media for children.  Particular attention is paid to culturally relevant literature that provides students with a global perspective and allows children to see themselves and empathize with others in the materials they read.  Candidates will also explore techniques for sharing and responding to literature in the 1-6 classroom and will become familiar with the resources available for educators to evaluate and locate appropriate texts and media. 

This course is designed to prepare teacher candidates to use formal and informal assessment strategies to plan instruction, assess instruction and make next-step instructional decisions that promote continuous the intellectual, social-emotional and physical development of all elementary students. Candidates will learn to use assessment for instructional purposes by developing biased free tests, assignments that produce authentic data that can be used to enhance instruction, learn about communicating informative feedback to students and developing clear and useful rubrics. Candidates will learn to use a variety of formal and informal assessments (e.g., observation, teacher made tests, student self-assessment, peer feedback and standardized tests) as well as how to teach students test taking skills, interpret the results of standardized tests for parents and collaborate with colleagues to accommodate the needs of students with exceptionalities. Statistical concepts related to tests such as measures of central tendency, measures of variability, norm and criterion reference tests, validity, reliability, and correlation coefficients will be covered.

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.

Various topics dealing with issues and skills applicable to education settings.

This course examines instructional approaches for using reading, writing, listening and speaking to learn across the curriculum.  The major emphasis of the class will be the study of methods and strategies for comprehending a wide range of texts and materials.  Approaches for teaching students to comprehend informational text and synthesize information across content areas will be explored and practiced.

The purpose of this clinical practice experience is to assist the candidates in applying their theoretical and methodological knowledge and skills to the diverse and inclusive elementary classroom. During clinical practice, candidates engage in a guided, 16-week full-time experience in elementary classroom (grade 1-6 setting) under the cooperation and supervision of mentor teachers and a University supervisor. Clinical practice consists of the candidate observing the students, the environment and the mentor teacher, as well as being responsible for the developmentally appropriate instruction and assessment of students individually, in small groups and as a whole class. Attendance at Clinical Practice Seminar is required. Evidence of successful completion of the appropriate State of Illinois content area test must be received in the Department of Education by September 1st for spring student teaching and April 1st for fall student teaching.

See course schedule book for associated fees.

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