Literacy Specialist
Program Description
The Literacy Specialist Program offers the M.A. degree in literacy education–a 32-point program leading to New York State teacher certification as a Literacy Specialist. This Program is designed to immerse the literacy educator in an intense study of practice, theory, and research. The eventual goal is to equip each participant to assume a leadership role in literacy education.
The Program regards the teaching of reading and writing as complex undertakings, and strives to equip its students to teach well. Students investigate individual literacy learning, group literacy learning, teacher development, community partnerships, institutional change and other contemporary and political issues facing literacy education. The Program assumes that teachers’ own literacy work will be a source of knowledge and inspiration in their teaching. Students write creatively as well as professionally, participate in their own reading clubs, and keep portfolios of their own reading and writing development.
The TC faculty in literacy has a long history of social action with areas of special interest that include content area literacies, curriculum development in reading and writing, children’s literature, school reform, ethnographic studies of literacy, teacher development, process approaches to reading and writing, and the impact of class, race, and gender on literacy learning. Students participate in challenging courses, engage in readings, learn from mentorships, and conduct their own action-research projects in which they demonstrate their abilities to synthesize theory and practice and to weave the two throughout their individual work.
Candidates who wish to research and improve their own literacy teaching or serve in leadership positions to help others do the same are encouraged to apply, as are those who intend to engage in scholarly work and continue their education through the doctoral level.
Program Degrees
Expand the accordion(s) to view the degree requirements:
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Students may enroll in this degree program full-time or part-time. The basic curriculum for M.A. degree students includes:
Core: Required of all students
- C&T 4138 Teaching literacy in the early years (2-3)
- C&T 4139 Constructing critical readers (2-3)
- C&T 4151 Teaching of writing (2-3), or C&T 5520 Advanced Teaching of Writing (2-3 points)
- C&T 4200 Fieldwork in curriculum and teaching (6) 2 semesters for 3 credits each
- HBSK 4072 Theory and techniques of reading assessment and intervention (3)
- C&T 4140 Literature for younger children (2-3) or
- C&T 4141 Literature for older children (2-3)
- C&T 5037 Literacy, culture, and the teaching of reading (2-3)
Master’s Action Research Project: Required of all students (1 point)
- C&T 4502 Master’s project (1)
Completion of Master’s Action Research Project
Out of Program electives: Required of all students (6 points). To satisfy the college breadth requirement, students must complete 3 points in addition to HBSK 4072 (3), which is part of the core. (A course for this purpose is defined as one in which a minimum of 2 points is earned outside the program).
Within-Department electives: Required of all students (4 points) Students must select 4-6 credits of literacy electives offered within the department, including two courses from the following list:
- IC&T 4140 Literature for younger children (2-3)
- C&T 4141 Literature for older children (2-3)
- C&T 4835: Improving Reading Instruction (1-2 points)
- C&T 4137 Literacy and learning in the content areas (2-3)
New York State Education Department (NYSED) mandates teacher certification requirements that are needed for program completion and graduation which are listed in the Office of Teacher Education section of the catalog.
Program Faculty
Faculty
- Lucy M Calkins
Robinson Professor in Children's Literature - Maria Paula Ghiso
Professor of Literacy Education
Professors of Teaching
- Rachel Powers Knight
Assistant Professor of Teaching
Emeriti
- Marjorie Gail Siegel
Professor Emerita of Education
Adjunct Faculty
- Carmela B. Gustafson
Adjunct Professor
Program Courses
C&T4137 Content Area Literacies
This course will introduce students to a toolkit of theories and practices to aid them in rethinking and redesigning literacy practices used in teaching mathematics, science, social studies, and other content areas.
C&T4138 Teaching literacy in the early years
This course examines theory, research, and practice of literacy learning and teaching in the early years. The course emphasizes early literacy development from preK to the primary grades, the sources of support and difficulty provided by books and other texts, methods of teaching early literacy (including approaches to assessing and teaching decoding, spelling, fluency, text use, and comprehension), and how to infuse children’s multilingual resources, experiences, and interests in the curriculum.
C&T4139 Constructing critical readers
This course bridges research-to-practice. Students learn to construct and adapt curriculum so as to support oral language, knowledge generation, comprehension strategies, writing about reading and executive functioning. Students will draw on the active view of reading, Next Generation Standards, and formative assessments, k-6.
C&T4140 Literature for younger children
This course helps teachers develop a deep knowledge of PK-grade 2 literature. Course participants will come to understand the sources of difficulty and support that particular books provide learners, and ways in which informed instructors can use books as co-teachers. Participants will study how particular texts can provide special supports for certain reading behavior. They will study texts that teachers might use for reading aloud, shared reading, thematic studies, direct instruction of specific skills, and independent reading. Course participants will learn about various genres of literature for young children with emphasis upon criteria for selecting and interpreting quality material. This course will also engage students in exploring critical literacy.
C&T4141 Literature for Older Children
This course aims to help participants come to know the series books, mysteries, historical fiction, fantasy, and realistic fiction that commonly fill the shelves of upper grade and middle school classrooms. Students will consider children’s developmental issues, theories of reading, and emphasis on literary qualities—such as genre, author’s style, theme, and character—to create meaningful, literature-based curricula.
C&T4151 Teaching of writing
This course integrates theory and practice for teachers. Topics include writing development, reading-writing connections, and classroom methods for teaching the writing process in elementary classrooms.
C&T4200 Fieldwork-Curriculum & Teachng
Students will observe and critically reflect on curriculum, instruction, assessment, learners, and professional development in a variety of educational contexts. Classroom placements can be arranged for students who need to fulfill the 50-hour practicum requirement for professional certification in elementary and secondary classrooms.
C&T4502 Master's Project
Students work to complete the required Master's integrative project.
C&T4835 Improving Reading Instruction: Drama and Theatre
Improving Reading Instruction (1 point): This seminar explores how to infuse drama and performance approaches with the read-aloud experience, to enhance students’ engagement with reading and comprehension of texts.
C&T5037 Literacy, Culture and the Teaching of Reading
This course examines the intersection of literacy and culture in creating more equitable educational opportunities. We explore children's and youth's literacies in and out-of-school, critical literacy, inquiry perspectives on reading and writing, and how the curriculum might be re-imagined to honor and build on community knowledge.
C&T5520 The Writer's Craft
This course integrated theory and practice in teaching writing. The emphasis will be on developing methods of teaching writing to become skilled at conferring, assessing, teaching minilessons, leading small group instruction, making reading writing connections, and designing curriculum.