Western Governors University

Comments on analysis

Courses reviewed: EDUC 5277 C733, EDUC 6207 C910, and EDUC 6380 C380

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 earns a passing score on this standard because its coursework covers all five of the components of effective reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and 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 5010 C682, and EDUC 6202 C381

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 of commendably specific requirements for content preparation that must be satisfied in a review of applicants' transcripts. These requirements will ensure that prospective candidates have the content preparation that will best serve them in the classroom in

• Literature and Composition
• History and Geography
• Science