College of Education - Department of Reading
M.A. in Reading Education
Midge Madden
Deparment Chairperson
(856) 256-4772
madden@rowan.edu
Program Description
The Masters of Arts in Reading Education is nationally accredited by the National Council for Accreditation in Teacher Education in conjunction with the International Reading Association. Students in the program will have the opportunity to develop both a contemporary conceptual framework and effective strategies that are appropriate for guiding literacy development in classroom and clinical environments. The goals and objectives for the program and for the individual courses are aligned with the International Reading Association standards, preparing reading specialists to work with professionals and students to enable all students to meet the appropriate New Jersey Core Curriculum Standards in Language Arts/Literacy.
The course of studies provides students with an understanding of the basic principles of developmental reading instruction for grades pre-k-12. Students acquire advanced knowledge of the reading process. They engage in hands-on experiences in diagnosing and teaching learners who are having difficulty with literacy acquisition. Students learn procedures for administering reading programs in elementary, secondary, and postsecondary schools. In their course work and reading seminar experiences, students read and interpret current reading research and develop expertise in applying relevant findings to literacy practices in their school and classroom, and researching their own practice.
The Department of Reading maintains a highly regarded public reading clinic which provides diagnostic and remedial services to children and adults. While enrolled in the course, Clinical Experiences in Reading, students are required to engage in tutoring of clients attending the clinic. There is an emphasis on reflective practice with colleagues and mentoring of teacher candidates as part of this experience.
The faculty work closely with special educators in order to prepare reading specialists who are capable of addressing the literacy needs of diverse learners.
Goals and Objectives of the Program:
Upon the completion of the program candidates will be able to:
- Articulate the major theories in language development, reading acquisition, and writing development and their relationship to instructional practice.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the major components of reading (phonemic awareness, word identification and phonics, vocabulary and background knowledge, fluency, comprehension strategies, and motivation) and how they are integrated in fluent reading.
- Articulate the evidence for and support teachers in their use of a wide range of appropriate grouping practices, instructional techniques, and materials to ensure students’ literacy development.
- Select, administer, score, and analyze a wide variety of assessment tools. Use the information from assessments to inform literacy practices.
- Use their knowledge of the interrelationship of the language arts (reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing) to assist teachers in creating a literate environment.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the New Jersey Language Arts and Literacy Core Curriculum Standards through clinical and classroom practice.
- Reflect on their own and colleagues’ practice to enhance literacy instruction in the classroom, school, and district. Take a leadership role in planning, implementing, and evaluating professional development efforts.
Admission Requirements
• Completed Graduate Application
• GRE or MAT scores (minimum GRE scores of 400 verbal and 400 math preferred and MAT scores of 34th percentile preferred)
• Undergraduate GPA of 2.75 (3.0 preferred)
• New Jersey teaching certificate
• Interview with graduate advisor
• Essay
Application deadline:
Rolling Admissions
Program Requirements
Total semester hours required for program completion: 33 s.h.
Thesis Requirement: none
For Financial Aid Information click here.
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