Christopher Newport University

Comments on analysis

Courses reviewed: ENGL 521, PSYC 521, and PSYC 521L

The research-based content proven to be necessary for teaching all children to read should be clearly evident in course materials such as lecture topics, assignments and textbooks. All of a program's required reading courses — not just some courses — should impart what is necessary to teach reading.

The program meets the standard because its coursework covers all five of the components of effective reading instruction:

• Phonemic Awareness
• Phonics
• Fluency
• Vocabulary
• Comprehension Strategies

Comments on analysis

Students cannot excel in mathematics without skillful instruction in the earliest years of school. Teacher candidates generally require three semesters of coursework, complemented by adequate field practice, to progress from a procedural to a conceptual understanding of the essential mathematics topics taught in the elementary grades.

Courses reviewed: MATH 570

Through a review of the coursework noted above, the program was found to require too few SCHs of content-focused coursework for teacher candidates to develop a comprehensive understanding of elementary mathematics.

Next Steps
To improve under this standard, require teacher candidates to complete at least four SCH of coursework focused on developing their conceptual understanding of numbers & operations, algebra, geometry, and data analysis & probability.

Comments on analysis

Because they cannot teach what they do not know, teacher candidates need to have content knowledge in English/language arts, social studies, and science. Graduate programs should make sure that their elementary candidates know the subjects they will teach, either by reviewing their transcripts, requiring that they pass rigorous standardized assessments, or requiring that they complete content courses by graduation. If candidates are admitted with deficiencies in content preparation, the program should clearly delineate necessary remediation.

The program meets this standard because it requires, as a condition of admission, that elementary teacher candidates show proficiency in for core elementary curriculum subjects addressed in this standard by passing a rigorous exam or section of an exam focused on and separately scored for each subject.