Graduate Catalog: 2012-2013 - Alabama A&M University

evaluate or develop programs in schools. Aresearch design and methodology must be approvedas well as data analysis and techniques.PSY 699 Research Thesis/Project – Six semesterhours. An original research of sufficient magnitudeto warrant the conclusion that candidates showevidence of mastery of research tools, techniques,and understanding.READING EDUCATIONRDG 512 Language Arts Across the Curriculum- Three semester hours. This course providesstudents with the knowledge, skills, and dispositionsrequired of a teacher of language arts. Coursecontent includes the integration of the componentsof the language arts into the self-contained anddepartmentalized/content area classrooms at P-12levels. Knowledge and practical insights forteaching language arts will be gained by examiningscientifically based research and effective methodsof instruction. Topics to be covered include reading,writing, listening, speaking, spelling, vocabulary,grammar and usage, and handwriting.RDG 515 Content Area Reading – Three semesterhours. This introductory course provides studentswith the knowledge, skills, and dispositions requiredof a teacher to build comprehension in the contentareas at the P-12 levels through the activation ofprior knowledge; metacognitive strategies; schematheory; use of before, during, and after readingstrategies; amount of reading; text structure; deepdiscussion and questioning; vocabularydevelopment; writing connected to reading; andstudy skillsRDG 516 Assessing and Accelerating ReadingAbility – Three semester hours. Students will learntechniques for assessing reading ability anddesigning and implementing instruction to improvethe reading ability of students reading below gradelevel at the P-12 levels. Topics to be coveredinclude the role of the diagnostic teacher, gatheringdata formally and informally, designing diagnosticlessons, selecting appropriate instructionaltechniques and materials, and the role of technology.Cognitive, home, school, and other factors will beused to gather data to diagnose a student’s strengthsand weaknesses in reading and design a researchbasedprogram for acceleration of reading ability.RDG 517 Children’s and Adolescent Literature –Three semester hours. This course providesstudents with the knowledge, skills, and dispositionsrequired of a teacher relative to the various genres ofchildren’s and adolescent literature and theirrelationship to beginning reading, enhancement ofreading comprehension, and intervention instructionin the various content areas.RDG 595 Internship for Reading SpecialistCertification – Six semester hours. This internshipprovides students with opportunities to refine andimplement the knowledge, skills, and dispositionsrequired of a reading specialist in school andclassroom settings. Students will demonstrate theircompetencies in providing and/or assisting with theimplementation of effective, research-baseddevelopmental reading and reading interventioninstruction, literacy programs at the P-12 gradelevels, and professional development activities.RDG 700 Trends and Issues in Reading/Literacy– Three semester hours. Students will learn aboutthe historical movements (basal readers, wholelanguage, phonics, multicultural influences, etc.)that have affected current practices inreading/literacy research theories and instruction.Various aspects of reading will be traced back totheir beginnings.RDG 701 Assessment in Reading/Literacy –Three semester hours. Political, social, economic,and psychological implications of reading/literacyassessment are explored through examination of thetesting movement and of issues that have emergedfrom the movement.RDG 702 Quantitative Research Methods inReading/Literacy – Three semester hours.Students will learn quantitative research methodsthat are used to investigate reading/literacy. Studentswill work collaboratively with a faculty member incarrying out a research proposal by formulatingquestions, designing a study, creating testinginstruments and approaches to data analysis.RDG 703 Qualitative Research Methods inReading/Literacy – Three semester hours. Studentswill learn qualitative research methods that are usedto investigate reading/literacy. Students will workcollaboratively with a faculty member in conductinga research proposal by formulating questions,designing a study, creating testing instruments, andapproaches to data analysis.159