Elms College (College of Our Lady of the Elms)

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Comments on analysis

Courses reviewed: EDU 498, and EDU 499

The research-based content proven to be necessary for teaching all children to read should be clearly evident in materials such as lecture topics and assignments from at least one course and textbooks from all coursework.

The program fails to meet the standard because coursework addresses only three of the five components of effective reading instruction:

• Phonemic Awareness
• Phonics
• Vocabulary

Coursework does not address the following components of effective reading instruction:

• Fluency
• Comprehension Strategies

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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: MAT 106, and EDU 304

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.

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Comments on analysis

Because they teach all subjects, elementary teacher candidates need to have a solid grasp of literature and composition, American and world history, geography and science. Teacher candidates should also develop some expertise outside of their professional studies, not only to enrich their own academic experience, but also to serve as a fallback major in the event that the student teaching experience is unsuccessful.

Requirements established by the program and/or the institution in which it is located ensure that all elementary certification candidates must take relevant classes in the checked topics below.

Literature & Composition
	✗ World literature
	✗ American literature
	✔ Writing, grammar and composition
	✗ Children's literature
History & Geography
	✔ Early American history
	✔ Modern American history or Government
	✔ World history—ancient
	✗ World history—modern
	✗ Geography
Science
	✔ Biology
	✗ Chemistry
	✔ Physics
	✗ Earth science