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2024-25 Academic Catalog

Master of Arts in Teaching Plus Reading Endorsement

Purpose

The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Plus Reading Endorsement program is designed to provide a future teacher with the content and methods necessary to be an effective teacher. Thematic strands such as critical thinking, curriculum, classroom management, cultural proficiency, action research, and technology are integrated throughout the curriculum. The themes add qualities to the program that are not reflected in single courses but are interwoven throughout the curriculum. The form of the teacher education program includes a purposeful use of current research findings on the education of teachers as translated into practical experiences and methodologies.

The program is available to individuals who have completed an undergraduate BA or BS degree in a field other than education.

Degree Outcomes

Educational Objectives

To enable students to:

  • Build on their knowledge of subject matter as they develop pedagogical skills and research methodologies
  • Gain knowledge about the psychological, sociological, historical, and philosophical foundations of education
  • Apply these understandings in early childhood, elementary, middle, and secondary classrooms
  • Successfully meet the challenges of classroom teaching

Professional Objectives

To enable students to:

  • Meet the federal government's "No Child Left Behind" definition of a "highly qualified teacher"
  • Earn the Reading Specialist Endorsement
  • Receive an Oregon Preliminary Teaching License upon completion of the program and passing scores on the appropriate standardized measures (Praxis Specialty Examination for secondary and middle-level licensure, ORELA for elementary licensure and middle-level authorization, and California Basic Educational Skills Test)

The Preliminary Teaching License may bear endorsements in the following areas: advanced mathematics, agriculture, art, basic mathematics,* biology, business, chemistry, drama,* family/consumer sciences, French, German, health education, integrated science,* Japanese, language arts, marketing, music, physical education, physics, Russian, social studies, speech communications,* Spanish and technology education.

*These subjects may be added to another endorsement for high school applicants; integrated science and basic math may stand alone for elementary/middle school applicants.

Admission Requirements

Applicants seeking admission to the MAT program must hold a four-year baccalaureate degree program from an accredited college or university, with a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the last two years of coursework. In addition, applicants must complete the following to be considered for admission to the program:

  • Master of arts in teaching application and application fee
  • Submit one official transcript from each college/university attended
  • Completion of the character reference statement required by Oregon TSPC
  • Three recommendations
  • A group assessment with the MAT Admission Committee

If accepted into the program, a $200 enrollment deposit is required. Deadline is Feb. 1 for Summer start and October 1 for January start. Applications may be reviewed after those dates on a space-available basis. Preference will be given to those candidates who have had experience in schools working with students in their desired authorization level as well as to those candidates who have passed the appropriate ORELA exam.

Prior to full-time student teaching, students must have taken and passed the appropriate ORELA exam.  If a student has not completed this requirement, she/he may apply for an exception; however, if an exception is granted and the student does not pass the required exams prior to graduation, the director will not sign any official documents recommending the student as a candidate for licensure in Oregon or any other state.

Transfer Credit

No transfer credit is allowed toward the MAT Plus Reading Endorsement program. Transferability of credits earned at this institution and transferred to another is at the discretion of the receiving institution. Consult the Registrar's Office for information on eligibility of transfer credit.

Residence Requirements

All 47 hours required for the MAT Plus Reading Endorsement program must be taken in resident study at George Fox University. Reinstatement to the program after withdrawal requires Admissions Committee action and may subject the student to additional requirements for the degree.

Course Requirements

The Master of Arts in Teaching program is generally 1-2 years in length with 47 semester hours of course work required as a minimum for graduation.

Other Degree Requirements

The program structure will be characterized by:

Cohort Model
Students will work in cohorts of 15 to 20 students. Cohorts will include early childhood, elementary, middle, and secondary levels. Cohorts are both blended- and authorization-specific. Although they are separate cohorts, they will be blended together for certain experiences and courses.

Theory-Into-Practice Links
Practicum experiences will be a large component of the program, beginning with either an enrichment program planned and implemented by the students or a specific volunteer experience. The involvement in a variety of practicum experiences will provide preservice teachers with opportunities to apply learning from coursework. University faculty, cooperating teachers, and administrators from local districts will be involved in collaborative efforts to plan links between coursework and application in classrooms.

Action Research

A professional educator portfolio will be completed to support students in licensing and professional educator requirements.

Thematic Strands
Major strands, such as cultural proficiency, values, action research, and decision making, will be incorporated throughout the professional courses. Other topics such as classroom management and technology will also be integrated with several of the professional courses.

Study of the Subject Matter Knowledge and Structure
Students will research and discuss the nature and structure of the subject areas while concentrating on their major subject. They will engage in interdisciplinary discussions that will allow them to discern relationships between the subject areas.

Reflection
The ability to reflect on learning about teaching and on the practice of teaching will be developed in small- and large-group discussions, in journal entries, in papers, and in conferences with supervisors and cooperating teachers.

Endorsement Courses
Endorsement courses will be completed after the preliminary license requirements have been met.

Graduation Requirements

In order to graduate with a Master of Arts in Teaching degree Plus Reading Endorsement students must:

  • Satisfactorily complete a minimum of 47 semester hours with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above
  • Achieve no grade lower than a B in all core courses. If a grade of a B- or lower is received in a designated course, that course must be retaken (for more specific information, please refer to the student handbook).
  • Pass appropriate exams to be recommended for licensure
  • Pass Praxis content area exam
  • Complete Reading Portfolio
  • Complete a successful Reading practicum experience

Curriculum Plan

Complete the following:
This course focuses on professionalism, purpose of education, educational law, policy, ethics and the place of technology in the field. The course includes instruction on mandatory reporting. Reflection upon professional identity and dispositional development will be facilitated.
This course provides a framework grounded in cultural humility for approaching diverse students and communities. Issues surrounding race, ethnicity, culture, and the qualities needed for cultural competency, and inclusion are explored. IEP’s and 504 information as well as EL foundations and supports are addressed (introduced) in this course. Specific skills for facilitating learning for all students from an asset based perspective are explored.
This course prepares candidates to meet the curricular and instructional needs of all students including exceptional learners. Candidates learn lesson design and instructional planning. Differentiated curriculum and instructional strategies are explored. Accommodations and modifications are made operational in unit and lesson design. This course also incorporates and reinforces best practices in assessment design and implementation. Candidates focus on creating and using assessments that measure growth toward standard-based outcomes. Using student data as appropriate, candidates develop plans for differentiation and intervention.
This course continues to prepare candidates to meet the curricular and instructional needs of all students including exceptional learners. Candidates learn lesson design and instructional planning. Differentiated curriculum and instructional strategies are explored. Accommodations and modifications are made operational in unit and lesson design. This course also incorporates and reinforces best practices in assessment design and implementation. Candidates focus on creating and using assessments that measure growth toward standard-based outcomes. Using student data as appropriate, candidates develop plans for differentiation and intervention.
This course examines human development from an intellectual, social, emotional and physical perspective. Foundations in developmental and learning theory and their connections to development are explored. Foundational knowledge of exceptionalities is reinforced. Foundational knowledge necessary to understanding exceptionalities of all kinds is built.
This practicum will be completed at either multiple subject or single subjects endorsement area. Candidate demonstrates success in multiple performance and dispositional assessments. Additional course fee required.
This course studies positive learning environment strategies including procedures, routines, and clear expectations that allow educators to shape context with students in the clinical practice. Problem solving simulations are grounded in both observations and educational theory.

Complete the following:

This course is designed to prepare the professional educator for the field. It will include design and submission of a portfolio and professional preparation.
Complete one of the following Specializations:
Single Subject Specialization
A study of instructional strategies and the design, implementation, and evaluation of curriculum for content-specific secondary classrooms. The pattern of course topics presented includes the nature of content knowledge, general pedagogical methods, subject-specific pedagogical methods, and integrated pedagogical methods. Inclusion emphasis. For single subject endorsement candidates, this course offers an intensive exploration of pedagogical practices within the content area.
A study of instructional strategies and the design, implementation, and evaluation of curriculum for content-specific secondary classrooms. The pattern of course topics presented includes the nature of content knowledge, general pedagogical methods, subject-specific pedagogical methods, and integrated pedagogical methods. Inclusion emphasis. For single subject endorsement candidates, this course offers an intensive exploration of pedagogical practices within the content area.
This course is designed to introduce the concepts of literacy as defined by the integrated processes of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and interacting with oneself and others within the content area. An emphasis on ELL, language acquisition, assessment, RTI, and Sped with emphasis on high incidence disabilities in language development are reinforced as integral to the content.
Note: (Single Subjects Specialization students will enroll in MATG 555 Secondary Content Pedagogy according to their specific content area: advanced math, art, biology, chemistry, drama, ELA [English Language Arts], health, integrated science, mathematics, music, PE, physics, social studies, or Spanish.
Multiple Subjects Specialization
This course focuses on research-based, best practices of science and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) education at the early childhood/elementary and middle school (EC/EL/MS) levels. In this course, teacher candidates develop pedagogical knowledge and skills around the three-dimensional, inquiry-based learning aspect of the Next Generation Science Standards and integrative STEAM curriculum and assessments that foster student centered and inclusive STEAM learning experiences and honors the diversity of all learners.
This course seeks to integrate effective mathematics teaching and learning pedagogies within the framework of the common core state standards. The development of personal understanding of mathematical concepts and processes is emphasized; this process requires the student to expand his/her own learning beyond the course assignments to examine the relationships between mathematical concepts and the real world. Teaching mathematics effectively to diverse learners is emphasized. The course is interactive and dependent upon student participation.
This course is designed to focus on the foundations and pedagogical methods of literacy including reading, writing, speaking and listening. In the context of teaching diverse populations, course topics encompass instructional strategies, pedagogical methods, research, engagement, literacy curriculum, implementation, and assessment. An emphasis is placed on inclusion, Dyslexia, ELL, language acquisition, and RTI.
Complete the following:
Thoughtful classroom practice depends on sound theory. This course examines some current competing theories, looks at the implications of various literacy theories as they impact classroom decision making, and, through reading and discussion, develop a personal understanding of literacy processes. The linguistic framework of reading and its place in the language arts will also be explored.
Classroom teachers become acquainted with a wide variety of methods for assessing student progress in reading and writing. Administration and scoring of these tests will be explored. Information about how testing results can facilitate teaching and learning is the goal.
This course focuses on current methods and materials for reading/literacy instruction. The strategies used by proficient readers will be explored and teaching methods will be modeled and implemented. Methods of assessment and strategies for remediation will also be explored.
This course focuses on the issues related to public and school-based concerns about literacy learning. The discussion of issues will lead to research-based applications that can be translated into the classroom practice at the elementary, middle, or high school level.
This course explores theoretical principles and practices based on current research. Emphasis is on strategies for coming to print, print conventions, and reading aloud. Shared, guided, and independent reading and writing is also explored. These strategies are based on theoretical assumptions from the psychology of language and cognition development and linguistics.
The content of this course includes: the organization of reading programs within the context of state and federal regulation and within the structure of the school-wide program; the types of testing used to diagnose and monitor student progress; the methods that can be used to involve parents, paraprofessionals, and volunteers; and the methods available to assess program effectiveness. Observations in a variety of school settings will be organized.
The reading practicum will provide a context in which to apply methods, assessment techniques, and teaching strategies in a school setting. It will also provide opportunity for an observation of a reading program in application. The practicum setting must include assessment, teaching, and evaluation of students at both authorization levels. Prerequisites: READ 530 History and Foundations of Literacy Learning; READ 531 Analysis of Reading and Writing Assessments; READ 532 Advanced Strategies in Literacy Instruction; READ 538 Organization of Reading Programs; or by permission.