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KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY
UNDERGRADUATE PROPOSAL
Change in Degree Requirements/Major Program
Requirements
Major or Degree Affected B.S. Education, Major in Middle Grades Education
Responsible Department Department of Secondary and Middle Grades Education, Bagwell College of
Education
Proposed Effective Date Fall 2010
Please provide a brief summary of the changes proposed:
The middle grades education program prepares candidates to teach children and young adults in the
middle grades (including grades 4 – 8). Currently, candidates are prepared in two of four concentration
areas including mathematics, science, social studies, or language arts. This program change would add a
fifth area of concentration: reading.
I. Current Information
Page Number in Current Catalog:
Current Degree/Major Program Requirements (please copy exactly from catalog):
Page 117 2008-2009 catalog
The middle grades program is designed to prepare teachers of children and young adolescents in the
middle grades (grades 4 through 8). It leads to 4-8 teacher certification in Georgia. Candidates prepare in
tow of the four teaching fields of the middle grades curriculum (mathematics, science, social studies, or
language arts). Preparation in these two teaching fields is more in depth than the content requirements of
the program for early childhood educators, but less extensive and less specialized than the requirements
of programs for secondary educators. The integrated nature of the curriculum and the importance of team
teaching strategies for the different teaching field programs with 4-8 certification are emphasized.
Page 118 2008-2009 catalog
Teaching Field Requirements (Must complete at least 15-18 hours of coursework in two of the following
four teaching field concentrations with 9 hours of study at the 3000 level or above. Those majoring in
science must take 18 hours of science courses due to labs).
II. Proposed Information
Include an outline of the entire program and make all changes in RED:
Page 117 2008-2009 catalog
The middle grades program is designed to prepare teachers of children and young adolescents in the
middle grades (grades 4 through 8). It leads to 4-8 teacher certification in Georgia. Candidates prepare in
two of the five teaching fields of the middle grades curriculum (mathematics, science, social studies,
language arts or reading). Preparation in these two teaching fields is more in depth than the content
requirements of the program for early childhood educators, but less extensive and less specialized than
the requirements of programs for secondary educators. The integrated nature of the curriculum and the
importance of team teaching strategies for the different teaching field programs with 4-8 certification are
emphasized.
Page 118 2008-2009 catalog
Teaching Field Requirements (Must complete at least 15-18 hours of coursework in two of the following
five teaching field concentrations with 9 hours of study at the 3000 level or above. Those majoring in
science must take 18 hours of science courses due to labs.)
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Page 119 2008-2009 catalog
Add the fifth concentration area after language arts:
5. Reading (15 – 18 hours)
EDRD 3320
Understanding the Reader and the Reading Process 3
EDRD 3350* Integrated Reading and Writing Instruction in the Middle Grades 3
EDRD 3360
Introduction to New Literacies 3
EDRD 4409
Young Adult Literature: Cross-Curricular Approaches for Diverse Learners 3
INED 4430**
Applied Linguistics & Adolescent Additional Language Literacy 3
Electives
EDRD 4411
EDRD 4420
Reading Diagnostics for Teachers of Adolescents 3
Teaching Adolescents with Disabilities in Literacy 3
*Language Arts majors will substitute a Reading Elective for EDRD 3350 as they will be taking a 6hour writing course in their language arts concentration.
**Middle grades education majors who plan to pursue certification in individualized general
curriculum/special education will be encouraged to take EDRD 4420 as a substitute for INED 4430.
EDMG 4406 is blocked with two 3-hour courses corresponding to your selected areas of Teaching
Field Concentration:
EDMG 4401
EDMG 4402
EDMG 4403
EDMG 4404
EDMG 4408
EDMG 4475
Teaching Mathematics in Middle Grades
Teaching Science in Middle Grades
Teaching Social Studies in Middle Grades
Teaching Language Arts in Middle Grades
Teaching Reading in Middle Grades
Student Teaching in Middle Grades Education
III. Justification for Change:
In 2006, the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GPSC) revised the certification rules and
recognized Reading as a fifth content area in middle grades education. This is a significant rule change
as there is currently a lack of highly qualified reading teachers, particularly at the middle grades level in
the state of Georgia. Further, Georgia students have performed poorly in reading on the National
Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Georgia’s 8th grade students’ scores have shown no
significant increase in the area of reading achievement from 1998 to 2007, with almost 75% of scores
landing at the Basic and Below Basic level (Perie, Grigg, & Donahue, 2005; Lee, Grigg, & Donahue,
2007). In April (2009), the Southern Regional Education Board released their report, A Critical Mission:
Making Adolescent Reading an Immediate Priority in SREB States. This report emphasizes the need for
more focused reading instruction at the middle and high school level. As a result, the Department of
Secondary and Middle Grades Education (SMGE) have added Reading as a fifth concentration area. (Full
explanation of changes below.)
Explanation of Program Change
Rationale
The Secondary and Middle Grades Department (SMGE) in the Bagwell College of Education
(BCOE) prepares candidates to teach children and young adults in the middle grades. Currently,
candidates are prepared in two of four concentrations areas: mathematics, science, social
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studies, or language arts. With this proposal, SMGE seeks to add the additional concentration of
reading. The rationale for program development is couched within four specific state needs.
First, there is currently a lack of qualified reading teachers in Georgia. The Georgia Professional
Standards Commission (GPSC) reported that middle grades teachers made up a small
percentage of teachers obtaining reading certification (e.g., only 21% of teachers with a Reading
Endorsement were middle grades teachers; only 20% of teachers with a Reading Specialist
certification were middle grades teachers) (Wiseberg, 2006). This is in part due to lack of reading
certification options in the state (the second state need). For example, there is currently only one
state university offering a middle grades undergraduate reading concentration, despite reading
being a recognized middle grades content area by the GPSC since 2006. Third, Georgia students
have performed poorly in reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
Georgia's 8th grade students' scores have shown no significant increase in the area of reading
achievement from 1998 to 2007, with almost 75% of scores landing at the Basic and Below Basic
level (Perie, Grigg, & Donahue, 2005; Lee, Grigg, & Donahue, 2007). Finally, the GPSC has
charged colleges of education throughout the state to respond to growing numbers of language
minority students and the schools responsible for their education. According to the Tomas Rivera
Policy Institute (2004), the number of foreign-born children in Georgia increased by 233%
between 1990-2000. While the population growth is reflected across the state, three counties in
Georgia (Whitfield, Gwinnett, & Hall) have the fastest growing Latino populations in the United
States.
In addition to the aforementioned state needs, the Southern Regional Education Board has
recently released a report emphasizing the critical need of reading instruction at the middle and
high school level and recommended that states work to develop new policies and programs to
meet these needs (2009).
Objectives of the Program
Mastery of literacy skills is essential to successful learning in every school subject at every grade
level. The reading concentration of the middle grades program will facilitate teacher acquisition of
skills and competencies needed to help students read, write, and understand a wide variety of
materials. It will also aid teachers in identifying reading problems, providing required
interventions, and assisting all students in improving skills in reading and writing. The reading
concentration will prepare teachers to work with other content area teachers to support the
literacy needs of students within content area classrooms. Specific objectives of the program
include:
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Candidates will understand major theories and empirical research of reading and writing
processes and instruction.
Candidates will design and implement balanced reading and writing instruction
responsive to the needs of diverse learners.
Candidates will utilize a broad range of texts including online and offline texts.
Candidates will design and implement a variety of assessment tools and practices to plan
and evaluate effective reading and writing instruction.
Candidates will create and engage their students in literacy practices that develop
awareness, understanding, respect and a valuing of differences in our society.
Candidates will create a literate environment that fosters reading and writing.
Candidates will view professional learning and leadership as a career-long effort.
Program Requirements for Concentration
Developing the reading concentration (15-18 hours of coursework) is based on the current
research in the field of reading education and meets the revised International Reading
Association (IRA) Standards for Professionals. The IRA standards were revised to include more
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emphasis on language diversity, influences of technology on literacy, and expanded role for
teachers. In the previous standards, the middle grades reading teacher was not a recognized
role. The core courses for this concentration include the following:
Required
(Course descriptions provided below)
EDRD 3320
EDRD 3350*
EDRD 3360
EDRD 4409
INED 4430**
Understanding the Reader and the Reading Process 3
Integrated Reading and Writing Instruction in the Middle Grades 3
Introduction to New Literacies 3
Young Adult Literature: Cross-Curricular Approaches for Diverse Learners 3
Applied Linguistics & Adolescent Additional Language Literacy
Electives
EDRD 4411
EDRD 4420
Reading Diagnostics for Teachers of Adolescents 3
Teaching Adolescents with Disabilities in Literacy 3
*Language Arts majors will substitute a Reading Elective for EDRD 3350 as they will be taking a
6-hour writing course in their language arts concentration.
**Middle grades education majors who plan to pursue certification in individualized general
curriculum/special education will be encouraged to take EDRD 4420 as a substitute for INED
4430.
TOSS: Teaching of Specific Subjects
EDMG 4408: Teaching Reading in Middle Grades
Note: All new courses will be submitted to TEC/UPCC will appropriate paperwork. The following
courses listed above are already approved courses: EDRD 3320, EDRD 4409, and EDRD 4411.
KSU/BCOE Policies & Assessment Systems
The addition of reading as a fifth concentration does not impact established policies for
admittance to the teacher education program, the lower division major requirements (Area F), or
the professional education requirements specific to the middle grades department.
The middle grades department requires two major field experiences: TOSS (Teaching of Specific
Subjects) and Student Teaching. The established policies for admittance into TOSS will be
applied for the reading concentration. However, TOSS will now include a section for the reading
concentration (EDMG 4408 listed above). Similarly, the established policies for admittance into
and completion of Student Teaching will be applied for the Reading concentration.
No other policy changes will be implemented.
The addition of reading as a fifth concentration will not impact the established program
assessment system for the Department of Secondary and Middle Grades Education. The
attached table illustrates the current assessment system. The individual courses within the
reading concentration are aligned using the International Reading Association Standards for
Professionals, the NCATE Reading Standards, and the Bagwell College of Education Candidate
Performance Instrument.
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Budget
The department of Secondary and Middle Grades will be able to staff the reading concentration in
part because a) we now have one full-tine literacy education faculty member returning from
medical leave, b) the concentration includes a collaboration with ESOL and INED, and c) the
department was provided with an additional line for 2009 – 2010 dedicated for a faculty member
with dual certification (inclusive education and literacy). Therefore, no additional funding will be
necessary.
Course Descriptions
EDRD 3320: Understanding the Reader and the Reading Process
3 Credit Hours, 3 Class Hours, 0 Laboratory Hours
A study of the socio-psycholinguistic foundations of reading and writing for teachers of
adolescents. This course examines language development, reading acquisition, phonemic
awareness, word identification, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension and motivation. It
explores historical perspectives of reading, reading research and theory, and introduces students
to a wide range of instructional practices and curriculum materials that meet the needs of all
adolescent learners.
EDRD 3350: Integrated Reading and Writing Instruction in the Middle Grades
3 Credit Hours, 3 Class Hours, 0 Laboratory Hours
This course is designed to develop appropriate research-based teaching strategies that will
enable candidates who are teaching or mentoring in a middle grades classroom to effectively
integrate reading and writing instruction. Candidates will apply learning theories, teaching
techniques, instructional materials, and assessment procedures for middle grades learners that
apply to both reading and writing instruction. Students will develop and implement plans for
teaching writing through content area reading texts that promote critical thinking and crosscurricular engagement.
EDRD 4409: Young Adult Literature: Cross-Curricular Approaches for Diverse Learners
3 Credit Hours, 3 Class Hours, 0 Laboratory Hours
This course provides an understanding for selecting and using diverse young adult literature in
middle grades classrooms. It examines reading and writing theories and introduces students to
various methodologies for teaching literature. It acquaints students with a reading and writing
experience using diverse literary works for adolescents, introduces students to book selection
aids and electronic database media resources for middle grades environments.
EDRD 3360: Introduction to New Literacies
3 Credit Hours, 3 Class Hours, 0 Laboratory Hours
This course is an introduction to the evolving nature of literacy and its implications for
adolescents in both instruction and motivation of reading and writing. Types of literacy to be
explored include: media, digital, global, and critical. Emphasis will be placed on understanding
universal design in education, considering the impact of technology on literacy, evaluating texts
for currency and accuracy, and developing meaningful plans to incorporate such texts into their
classrooms.
INED 4430: Applied Linguistics & Adolescent Additional Language Literacy
3 Credit Hours, 3 Class Hours, 0 Laboratory Hours
This course is an introduction to linguistic systems and their acquisition as they occur in the
language development of English learners (ELs). There is a strong focus on the cognitive and
social processes of language acquisition, including how functional, cultural and critical literacies
are constructed and promoted. Students will explore the relationships among the four language
domains, their connections to language proficiency levels and the development of academic
vocabulary. EDUC 2120 and EDRD 3320 are prerequisites.
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EDRD 4411: Reading Diagnostics for Teachers of Adolescents
3 Credit Hours, 3 Class Hours, 0 Laboratory Hours
An introduction to a wide range of reading assessment instruments including reading inventories,
miscue analysis, and pausing indices used for understanding the individual and diverse needs of
adolescents. Teacher candidates in this course will examine both informal and formal
assessments including technology-based assessment. Candidates will use assessment data to
plan, evaluate, and revise effective reading instruction that meets the diverse needs of students.
A field component is included.
EDRD 4420: Teaching Adolescents with Disabilities in Literacy
This course prepares prospective content teachers to increase the literacy of students with
disabilities in inclusive classrooms. Teacher candidates will learn to: (a) recognize various types
of reading and writing disabilities; (b) effectively implement Response to Instruction; (c) develop
inclusive, multi-level lesson plans embed accommodations and modifications; (d) identify
appropriate roles for parents in fostering literacy in students with disabilities; and (f) work
collaboratively with special education teachers. EDRD 3320 is a pre-requisite.
References
A Critical Mission: Making Adoelscent Reading an Immediate Priority in SREB States. Southern Regional
Education Board, 2009.
Lee, S., Grigg, W. S., & Donahue, P. L. (2007). The Nation’s Report Card: Reading 2007. Washington,
DC.
Perie, M., Grigg, W. S., & Donahue, P. L. (2005). The National’s Report Card: Reading 2005.
Washington, DC.
Warner, A. (2004). The New Latino South and the Challenge to Public Education. The Tomas Riviera
Poliy Institute, CA.
Wiseberg, J. (2006). Literacy educator preparation in Georgia. Paper presented at the Literacy and
Literacy Teacher Education Summit in Georgia: A Summit for Higher Education.
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KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY
UNDERGRADUATE PROPOSAL
Change in Degree Requirements/Major Program Requirements
Major or Degree Affected B.S. Education, Major in Middle Grades Education
Responsible Department Department of Secondary and Middle Grades Education, Bagwell College of
Education
Proposed Effective Date Fall 2010
Signature Page
Submitted by: Faith H. Wallace, Ph.D.
Name
___ Approved ___ Not Approved
___ Approved ___ Not Approved
___ Approved ___ Not Approved
___ Approved ___ Not Approved
___ Approved ___ Not Approved
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Date
________________________________
Department Curriculum Committee, Date
________________________________
General Education Council*, Date
________________________________
Professional Teacher Education Unit Program Area*,
Date
________________________________
Department Chair, Date
________________________________
College/School Curriculum Committee AND/OR
Teacher Education Council*, Date
________________________________
College/School Dean, Date
________________________________
Undergraduate Policies and Curriculum Committee,
Date
________________________________
Associate VP of Academic Affairs, Date
*For curriculum proposals involving General Education courses, there should be collaboration by the
Department Curriculum Committee and the General Education Council. For Teacher Preparation
proposals, there should be collaboration by the Department Curriculum Committee, the Professional
Teacher Education Unit (PTEU) Program Area Committee, the Teacher Education Council, and the
College/School Curriculum Committee.
Form Updated November 14, 2008