M.Ed. or CAGS in Literacy with Specialized Literacy Professional Endorsement (Pre-K-Grade 12)

Literacy Concentration Information

The goal of the Literacy Concentration is to help educators better meet the reading/language arts needs of today’s diverse students while simultaneously becoming leaders in their schools, districts, and beyond. Courses in literacy development, instruction, assessment, and intervention, as well as a job-embedded practicum and leadership experiences, provide the foundation that allows teachers to grow into roles such as Reading/English Language Arts Specialists, literacy coaches, Specialized Literacy Professionals, and/or Reading Interventionists.

Specialized Literacy Professional (Pre-K-Grade 12)

Candidates who complete our state-approved endorsement program will be recommended for the *Specialized Literacy Professional endorsement (Pre-K-Grade 12). This program requires 21 credits in literacy-related coursework including GED 688D Specialized Literacy Professional Practicum, and 6 credits in curriculum and teacher development. To be recommended for the endorsement, candidates must:

Hold or be eligible to hold a Vermont teaching license in early education, elementary, middle grades, the secondary content areas, special education, or English Language Learner
Successfully complete all required coursework with a “B” or better
Pass Praxis II - Reading Specialist
Document three years teaching experience
Hold a master’s degree.

The master’s degree can be completed as part of this program (see below).

Required Courses for the Endorsement Program

GED 510 - Becoming a Literacy Leader: Tools and Strategies for Success Credits: 3
GED 511 - Fundamentals of Curriculum Credits: 3 cr.
GED 534 - Literacy Assessment, Instruction, and Intervention in Reading Credits: 3 cr.
GED 606 - Literacy Development and Instruction in the Elementary Grades Credits: 3 cr.
GED 621 - Supervision, Evaluation, and Teacher Development Credits: 3 cr.
GED 640 - Language and Learning Credits: 3 cr.
GED 688D - Reading Specialist Practicum Credits: 3 cr.

Courses in specialized instruction for readers who struggle

In consultation with your advisor, select one of the following courses in specialized instruction for readers who struggle.

GED 607 - Literacy Instruction for Adolescents with Reading Difficulties: Intervention & Instruction Credits: 3 cr.
GED 643 - Multisensory Language-Based Literacy Instruction for Students with Disabilities Credits: 3 cr.

Courses in literature for children and young adults

Select one of the following courses in literature for children and young adults:

GED 517 - Teaching Nonfiction in the Elementary Classroom Credits: 3 cr.
GED 535 - Children’s Literature: Author and Illustrator Study Credits: 3 cr.

Additional requirements to complete the M.Ed. in Literacy are below. Also, see M.Ed. section.

To complete the M.Ed. in Literacy, students will take these two required courses:

GED 558 - Educator as Researcher Credits: 3 cr.
GED 699 - Capstone Seminar Credits: 3 cr.
AND select one of the following:
GED 595 - Launching and Developing the Writing Workshop in the Elementary Grades Credits: 3 cr.
OR
GED 624 - The Art of the Book Credits: 3 cr.
*Please note that the Vermont Standards Board of Professional Educators (VSBPE) will be phasing out the Reading/English Language Arts (R/ELA) Specialist endorsement and replacing it with the Specialized Literacy Professional endorsement as of June 2021. All candidates admitted to our program beginning in Spring 2021 will be required to complete the new endorsement program. Current students pursuing the Reading/English Language Arts Specialist endorsement are encouraged to complete the new endorsement; however, if they wish to complete the R/ELA Specialist endorsement, they will need to complete all requirements of that endorsement and apply for it by June 30, 2023. Candidates who will be completing the R/ELA Specialist endorsement between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023 must inform the Director of Graduate Education so that their plan for completion can be shared with the Vermont Agency of Education. Please refer to the 2020-2021 Graduate Catalog for the R/ELA Specialist Requirements.