Information
Program of Study
Overview
The online MA in Reading (K-12) program includes three blocks of sequenced courses that focus on developing practicing teachers’ global understanding of literacy as a tool for communication along with their detailed knowledge of cutting-edge research related to:
- K-12 student and teacher literacies,
- classroom connections and interventions in literacy,
- school, district, and state literacies.
Program Description
Block 1: Student and Teacher Literacies
This series of courses focus on individual student learning and teaching practices. These courses trace the developmental progression of literacy learning from preschool through adolescent and adulthood across the areas of writing, literature, and word study within a context of a multi-mediated, global society.
| Number | Title | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RED 6931 | Introduction to the Master of Arts in Reading (K-12) | 1 |
|
| RED 6449 | Literacy and Technology | 3 |
|
| LAE 6316 | Trends in Literature in a Diverse Society | 3 |
|
| LAE 6315 | Writers and Writing: Trends and Issues | 3 |
|
| RED 6545 | Issues in Vocabulary and Word Study | 3 |
|
Block 2: Classroom Connections and Interventions in Literacy
This second series of courses focus on individual and group literacy practices within classroom spaces. This set of courses develop students’ understanding of “literacy” as a system of cultural competencies that include “traditional” paper and pencil literacies such as reading and writing, research literacies such as synthesis and critical analysis, along with media literacies such as navigating, networking, and appropriating media content. These courses also examine the intervening factors that support and constrain literacy development and teaching.
| Number | Title | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RED 6544 | Cognition, Comprehension, Content Area Reading: Remediation of Reading Problems | 3 |
|
| EDF 6481 | Foundations of Educational Research | 3 |
|
|
RED 6748 or EDG 6935 |
Teacher Research Methods in Reading or Seminar in Curriculum Research |
3 |
|
| RED 6749 | History and Foundations: Prevention and Intervention of Reading Difficulties | 3 |
|
Block 3: School, District, and State Literacies
The third series of courses focus on the system of practices and policies that surround literacy teaching and learning. This sequence of courses develop students’ understanding of literacy assessment within overlapping and intertwined social, cultural, political, and educational systems.
| Number | Title | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RED 6540 | Assessment in Literacy | 3 |
|
| RED 6247 | District and School Level Supervision in Reading | 3 |
|
| RED 6846 | Practicum in Reading | 3 |
|
| TSL 5085 | ESOL 1: Teaching Limited English Proficiency Students (K-12)* | 3 |
|
* May be taken anytime during the program. This course may be waived with documentation of State ESOL Endorsement or State ESOL Certification plus 120 hours of inservice.
Assessment and Program Completion
Within each block, students demonstrate advanced knowledge and successful completion of course goals through a series of embedded tasks. These competencies are identified in each syllabus and the resulting course products and/or process documentation are submitted into an electronic portfolio system.
All courses in Blocks 1 and 2 must be passed prior to enrolling in Block 3.
Passing scores on the FTCE (SAE--Subject Area Exam Reading K-12) are required to exit/graduate from the program. Students must provide an official FTCE score report (no copies) to the program advisor in addition to having the scores reported to USF.
In this section:
Allison Papke
My name is Allison Papke and I chose the USF Master’s program in Reading K-12 because it is extremely beneficial in my current role as a technology facilitator at a K-8 charter school that is expanding to include a high school. In this digital age, students do so much reading and writing on the computer that it is extremely valuable for me to have the skills to assist them in finding reliable information on the Internet, reading and comprehending what they have found, putting information in their own words for use in presentations, websites, video scripts, etc., writing professional emails to experts, and more! I am also able to coach other teachers in the use of technology-based assignments that engage students and motivate them to succeed.