RED 4012 - Foundations of Literacy

3 credits
Prerequisites: Admission into the Bachelor of Science in program in Education or special permission from the Dean of School of Education; and prior to enrolling in any upper level course (course number beginning with a 3 or 4), students must complete the following courses with a grade of “C” or better: ENC 1101 - Composition I , ENC 1102 - Composition II , and three semester hours of college level mathematics; or permission from the appropriate academic Dean
Required: 15 hours of field experience in a K-5 classroom setting

This course will prepare teacher candidates to be effective elementary reading teachers for a diverse population of students. Teacher candidates will develop a substantive knowledge of the structure and function of language for each of the five major components of the reading process: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Teacher candidates will evaluate the major reading philosophies and research-based strategies for teaching reading. Teacher candidates will also apply the research-based reading strategies to create literacy experiences for elementary students that engage them in critical thinking and constructivist principles. The teacher candidates will also learn how to differentiate reading instruction for English Language Learners (ELLs) and students with exceptionalities. This course requires fifteen hours of field experience in a K-5 classroom setting.