The Graduate Reading Education Program at UofL leads to the Kentucky Reading and Writing P-12 Endorsement, and meets all the IRA standards for preparation of the Reading Specialist/Literacy Coach. We call this program the Teacher Literacy Leadership Program.

MEd in Reading Education

For a Master of Education in Reading degree, candidates must complete a 36-hour sequenced course of study that includes two separate supervised practicum classes—one as a Reading Specialist, and one as a Literacy Coach.

Kentucky Reading and Writing P-12 Endorsement

Certain initial criteria are required at the beginning, middle, and end of the Teacher Literacy Leadership program. For example, at the beginning of the program, each candidate must be admitted to graduate school and meet with an advisor to understand the program and the requirements.

Along the way, each candidate will take a sequence of required courses. Each of the required courses contains a "hallmark assessment" that candidates will complete. Each of the hallmark assessments has been planned to meet the professional standards required by the state and national accrediting agencies.

At the end of the program, each candidate will complete a portfolio that demonstrates mastery of the International Reading Association Standards for Reading Professionals (usually the hallmark assessments) and will pass the PRAXIS for Reading Specialists.

Teacher Literacy Leadership Standards

The following standard sets comprise the basis for the revised M. Ed. In Reading Education Program with Kentucky Reading and Writing Endorsement. Each course in the program is designed to help candidates in the program meet these standards, and each candidate will be expected to demonstrate that these standards have been met in the program exit portfolio.

• Kentucky Experienced Teacher Standards ∞
• International Reading Association Standards for Reading Professionals (2003) ∞

Required Courses

The following courses are required components of the Teacher Literacy Leadership Program.

ELFH 600 Introduction to Research Methods and Statistics

This course develops students' understanding of the conventions of educational research so that they can understand and use published research. Students learn that research is one source of effective educational practice. Research is presented as a type of scientific inquiry and compared with and contrasted with other methods of inquiry. Philosophical and policy issues are treated insofar as they apply to an understanding of empirical methods of investigation. For example, there is discussion of the distinction between researchable problems and non researchable problems.

EDAP 639 Advanced Reading Methods P-12

This course is designed for in-service teachers to refine their literacy teaching knowledge and skill. The focus will be on strategies to teach foundational reading concepts, with special emphasis on comprehension instruction.

EDAP 610 Literacy Research and Theory

The purpose of this course is to acquaint students with the most current research and theory that underlie best practices in literacy education. The particular focus is on research and theory for populations of students who are most disenfranchised---the poor, minorities, children who struggle with literacy, and those with cultural backgrounds different from schools.

EDAP 642 Literacy Learning and Cultural Differences

This course explores the current knowledge base and theoretical frameworks used to explain differential achievement rates between students of diverse backgrounds ethnic, racial, socio-economic, and linguistic) and students of the mainstream culture. In doing so, students will examine their own assumptions considering students, race, class, and culture and students will study major concepts (racism, classism, etc.) to explore multiple perspectives. The course will extend the principles of teaching and learning to include a new perspective on teaching students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. A major focus of the course will be to prepare P-12 classroom teachers for working effectively with diverse student populations in literacy learning using culturally responsive instructional practices.

EDAP 678 Language Knowledge and Acquisition

This course is designed to prepare in-service teachers to provide theoretically sound literacy instruction that supports the diverse needs of readers and writers through grade 12. The course will focus on the principles of language acquisition and mastery of structural language elements (i.e., phonemes, syllables, morphemes), the way they are represented in print, and how children learn them within a comprehensive literacy environment.

EDAP 693 Teaching Writing P-12

Research demonstrates conclusively that reading and writing play an important role in learning in every subject and, as transfer of skills between content areas is limited, must be taught in the context of each subject area. Research also shows that reading and writing are inextricably connected, making it essential that we integrate their use in all teaching and learning. This course is an introductory course featuring strategy lessons on the personal, literary, transactive (informational and persuasive), and reflective forms of writing as well as writing to learn and to demonstrate learning (open response, and on demand writing).

EDAP 614 Supporting Struggling Readers and Writers

This course is designed to prepare in-service teachers to provide theoretically sound literacy instruction that supports struggling readers and writers through grade 12. The course will prepare students to provide such instruction by helping them understand research-based literacy strategies and how to provide appropriate interventions for students with literacy learning difficulties.

EDAP 615 Measurement and Diagnosis of Literacy

This course provides students pursuing a master’s degree in education the proficiency to administer, score, and evaluate a battery of informal diagnostic reading assessments for language arts. Students develop skills in writing comprehensive case studies, which identify the client’s strengths, opportunities for improvement, and contain remedial educational recommendations. Case studies are written for the parent(s) and center teacher(s).

EDAP 641 Literacy Leadership and School-wide Planning

This course is designed to prepare in-service teachers to provide school or district-based literacy leadership within a reading specialist and/or literacy coaching role. The focus will be on the most current research in the field that aligns with the International Reading Association Standards for Reading Professionals for reading specialists/literacy coaches.

EDAP 618 Capstone Practicum in Literacy: Reading Specialist

This course is designed to prepare candidates to provide theoretically sound reading assessment and instruction, within a supervised practicum, for students through grade 12. Candidates will provide assessment-driven instruction centered on the five essential components of reading, as defined by the National Reading Panel. Experience with group and individual instruction in a clinical setting will provide candidates with the opportunity to apply theoretical understandings developed in their previous course work to practical applications in the field. This course is one of two capstone courses for the Kentucky Reading and Writing Endorsement.

EDAP 679 Capstone Practicum in Literacy: Literacy Coach

This course is designed to prepare candidates to provide theoretically sound literacy coaching support, within a supervised practicum, for classroom teachers who teach readers and writers through grade 12. This course is one of two capstone courses for the Kentucky Reading and Writing Endorsement.