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Undergrad Course Information

The following courses are offered through the Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture:

Early Childhood Education (ECHE)

ECHE 321: The Young Child and Early Childhood Education - Credit 3. Examines the world of the contemporary child, its demographics and diversity; explores the philosophical and historical foundation of early childhood education; examines early childhood programs and practices serving young children from birth through age nine; translates child development theory into developmentally appropriate practice.
ECHE 331: Creative Inquiry Through the Arts for the Young Child - Credit 3. Explores the role of the arts in the education of young children; examines theoretical stages in children employing both graphic and musical expression; understanding Gardner's "Frames of Mind," the dynamics of creativity and its development in young children: explores strategies for enhancing creative development, inquiry, and expression of young children.
ECHE 332: Planning and Curriculum Development for Early Childhood Education - Credit 3. Addresses the assessment and application of curriculum models used in educational environments designed for young children; reviews state-adopted curriculum materials, their use and enhancement, and Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Grades EC-4.

Early Childhood Education Field Based (ECFB)

ECFB 400: Social Studies Methods in Early Childhood Education - Credit 3. Trends and procedures related to early childhood/elementary curriculum development and instruction in social studies and humanities; integration of content, planning, teaching/learning experiences and evaluation.
ECFB 420: Science Methods in Early Childhood Education - Credit 3. Formatted as three problem-based learning (PBL) units integrating science content, scientific inquiry skills and field-based instruction in diverse elementary classrooms.
ECFB 430: Organization, Motivation and Management in Early Childhood Education - Credit 3. Studies classroom management and the social, emotional and educational development of young children; discipline and organizational strategies that facilitate learning and motivation in young children; procedures for creating an effective learning community.
ECFB 440: Mathematics Methods in Early Childhood Education - Credit 3. Analyzes contemporary curricula; implementation of methods relevant for active, authentic learning and age appropriate teaching of mathematics to young learners; considers state and national standards related to teaching and learning mathematics.
ECFB 497: Residency in Early Childhood Education - Credit 6. Observation and participation in an accredited public school early childhood grades classroom; techniques of teaching and appropriate instructional strategies for assigned student population in fulfillment of certification requirements. May be taken two times.

Interdisciplinary Studies (INST)

INST 322: Foundations of Education in a Multicultural Society - Credit 3. Historical, philosophical and cultural foundations of education emphasizing education for a multicultural society.
INST 332: Second Language Instruction and Assessment - Credit 3. Techniques and methods of intensive English instruction for Limited English Proficient students; lesson planning and instructional modification; use of instructional strategies and appropriate assessment practices.
INST 334: Assessment of English Language Learners - Credit 3. Theoretical and practical aspects of ESL/EFL testing, including formal and informal assessment procedures and instruments, assessments and referral and processes of ESL with special needs, and gifted ESL learners.

Reading (RDNG)

RDNG 301: Reading Acquisition in Early Childhood Education - Credit 3. Focuses on competencies considered essential for effective Early Childhood reading instruction; studies recent research and instructional trends; reviews materials, procedures, and strategies deemed to be essential for effective teaching of reading.
RDNG 302: Teaching Reading through Children's Literature - Credit 3. Prepares teachers in Early Childhood Education to teach critical reading and language arts while using children's literature in heterogeneous classroom; interrelates the teaching of four language processes: listening/viewing, speaking, reading and writing.
RNDG 312: Assessment in Reading Instruction in Early Childhood Education - Credit 3. Focuses on concepts underlying assessment and evaluation; appropriate procedures for studying and understanding the possible courses of literacy development in young readers; develops teacher's diagnostic skills and abilities to determine each student's literacy related skills, abilities and performance levels.
RDNG 411: Language and Reading - Credit 3. Relationship between language, dialect, reading and linguistics; role of the child, community, school through stages of language and literacy development; relationship of linguistic, cultural and conceptual processes to second language learning.
RDNG 440: Reading/Language Arts methods in Early Childhood Education - Credit 3. Investigate contemporary trends and issues in teaching listening, oral language, process writing, spelling, grammar and handwriting; explores relationships among the development of the language arts and the development of young children's reading development; implementation of best instructional practices informed by research.
RDNG 371: Multicultural and Interdisciplinary Literature for Middle Grades - Credit 3. Focuses on mulitcultural and interdisciplinary literature appropriate for middle grades students; implements and evaluates effective multicultural, interdisciplinary instruction through selection, use and development of literature in middle grades classroom.
RDNG 372: Reading and Writing across the Middle Grades Curriculum - Credit 3. Acquaints middle-grade educators to reading and writing instruction in content area education; focuses on development of grade-appropriate reading/writing competencies and educational techniques appropriate to student development in various subjects.
RDNG 381: Language and Reading in Middle Grades - Credit 3. Focuses on current views of the relationship between linguistics, psychology, sociolinguistics, and the development of reading and literacy; critical analysis of instructional and assessment practices.
RDNG 470: Reading/Language Arts Methods in Middle Grades Education - Credit 3. Investigate current trends and issues in teaching listening, oral language, process writing, spelling, grammar and handwriting; explores relationships among the development of various language arts and the development of reading strategies and communicational competencies of middle school learners; application of best instructional practices informed by research.
RDNG 490: Assessment in Reading Instruction in Middle Grades - Credit 3. Evaluation of middle grades students reading performance; selection, understanding, and implementation of formal and informal evaluation procedures in classroom reading assessment, diagnosis, and instruction.

Teacher Education Field Based (TEFB)

TEFB 273: Introduction to Culture, Community, Society and Schools - Credit 3. Analyzes school culture considering the perspectives of language; gender, race socio-economics, ethnicity, academic diversity, and educational equity; weekly field observations and participation in community-based settings; designed to analyze the learning environment, methodology, and the human experiences of teachers and learners.

Middle Grades Education Field Based (MEFB)

MEFB 351: Introduction to Middle Grades: Adolescent Development, Philosophy and Organization - Credit 3. Study of young adolescents in domains of physical, social, emotional, cognitive, interpersonal, moral growth and development; organizational structure of middle schools supporting development of young adolescents through teaming and interdisciplinary work; investigates roles and responsibilities of middle level teachers.
MEFB 352: Planning and Development for Middle Grades Curriculum - Credit 3. Implementing instructional strategies appropriate to development of middle grades students; planning of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary curricula; student centered strategies related to inquiry and problem based learning.
MEFB 450: Social Studies Methods in the Middle Grades - Credit 3. Trends and issues related to middle grades curriculum development and instruction in social studies and humanities; integration of content, planning, teaching-learning experiences; evaluation of teaching and learning in social studies. Prerequisites: MEFB 352; MIDG 352; admission to teacher education; senior classification
MEFB 470: Science Methods in Middle Grades - Credit 3. Problems-based-learning course integrating science content, scientific inquiry skills and field-based instruction; technology-mediated teaching, learning, and assessment.
MEFB 490: Organization, Motivation and Management in Middle Grades Classrooms - Credit 3. Field-based course focusing on communication, methodology and management perspectives consistent with democratic classrooms; organizational structures that focus on student centered, inclusionary learning interventions for disabilities; analysis of systemic conditions placing young adolescents from diverse backgrounds at risk.
MEFB 497: Residency in Middle Grades Education - Credit 6. Observation and participation in an accredited public school middle grades classroom; techniques of teaching student's teaching fields; appropriate instructional strategies for assigned student population.

Integrated Mathematics and Science (MASC)

MASC 351: Problem Solving in Mathematics - Credit 3. Problem solving strategies in math and science; evaluate conjectures and arguments; writing and collaborating on problem solutions; posing problems and conjectures; constructing knowledge from data; developing relationships from empirical evidence; connecting mathematics concepts; readings, discussions, and analyses will model and illustrate mathematics prolems solving and proofs.
MASC 450: Integrated Mathematics - Credit 3. Integration and connections among topics and ideas in mathematics and other disciplines; connections between algebra and geometry and statistics and probability; focus for integration with authentic problems requiring various branches of mathematics.