University Catalog 2023-2024

Elementary Education (ELM)

ELM 250  Introduction to Elementary Education in a Global Society  (3 credit hours)  

Introduction to the major conceptual and intellectual foundations of the teaching profession, the sociology and culture of elementary schools and classrooms, and the world of work of elementary teachers. Fieldwork in schools and related settings maybe required in lieu of lecture on occasion. Students are responsible for transportation to and from their school based experiences.Students interested in Elementary Education.

Prerequisite: Sophomore standing

Typically offered in Spring and Summer

ELM 310  Children's Thinking and Additive Reasoning  (3 credit hours)  

Examination of mathematical reasoning processes in primary grade children and the theory and practice of active teaching strategies designed to motivate and engage children in mathematics learning in grades K-3. Fieldwork in schools and related settings may be required in lieu of lecture on occasion. Students are responsible for transportation to and from their school based experiences.

Prerequisite: ELM 250, Junior standing, Elementary Education Majors

Typically offered in Fall only

ELM 320  Teaching Science in the Primary Grades  (3 credit hours)  

Examination of science knowledge and thinking in primary-age children. Development and application of methods for teaching science in the primary grades that leads to active learning of science as a process of inquiry. Fieldwork in schools and related settings may be required in lieu of lecture on occasion. Students are responsible for transportation to and from their school based experiences.

Prerequisite: ELM 250, Junior standing, Elementary Education Majors

Typically offered in Fall only

ELM 330  Teaching Reading in Elementary School: K-2  (3 credit hours)  

ELM 330 is designed to prepare preservice teachers to teach reading and to lead to licensure in the elementary grades. Specific topics that relate to the theory and practice of teaching reading for early and emergent readers, including literature and struggling readers, will be examined. Fieldwork in schools and related settings may be required in lieu of lecture in occasion. Students are responsible for transportation to and from their school based experiences.

Prerequisite: ELM 250, Junior standing, Elementary Education Majors

Typically offered in Fall only

ELM 335  Teaching Reading in the Elementary School: 3-5  (3 credit hours)  

ELM 335 is designed to prepare preservice teachers to teach reading and to lead to licensure in the elementary grades. Specific topics that relate to the theory and practice of teaching reading for upper elementary grade readers, including information and media literacy and literature, will be examined. Fieldwork in schools and related settings may be required in lieu of lecture on occasion. Students are responsible for transportation to and from their school based experience.

Prerequisite: ELM 330, Junior standing, Elementary Education Majors

Typically offered in Spring only

ELM 340  Children Design, Create and Invent  (3 credit hours)  

An active hands-on class where prospective elementary school teachers develop learning activities that children can use to stimulate their imaginations and learn fundamental concepts in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Part of a program leading to licensure in Elementary Education.

Prerequisite: ELM 370, Junior standing, Elementary Education Majors

Typically offered in Fall only

ELM 350  Assessment of Learning and Behavior  (3 credit hours)  

Application of knowledge of pedagogy and development to develop high-quality strategies for formative and summative assessment. Best practices using developmentally-appropriate assessment strategies including authentic assessment, portfolios and electronic portfolios, real-time feedback, open- and closed-ended formal assessments, and standardized testing. Particular attention to examining the rationale for assessment and the implications of assessment.

Prerequisite: ELM 250, Junior standing, Elementary Education Majors

Typically offered in Spring only

ELM 370  Connections Seminar I The Elementary Classroom and School Community  (3 credit hours)  

The purpose of this course is to introduce preservice teachers to the world of public school classrooms and school communities and to the tasks of teaching. Particular emphasis is placed on building a positive classroom climate and implementing effective classroom management strategies and routines. Weekly fieldwork in schools and related settings is requires 3 hours a week. Students are responsible for transportation to and from their school based experiences.

Prerequisite: ELM 250, Junior standing, Elementary Education Majors

Typically offered in Fall only

ELM 375  Connections Seminar II Cultural Identity, Social Justice and Diverse Learners  (3 credit hours)  

The purpose of the course is to help prospective elementary grades teachers develop the competencies to provide equitable opportunities to all of their future students. To do this, students will investigate issues of systemic injustice and the role of the school in interrupting cycles of inequality, and develop the capacity to engage in culturally relevant pedagogy. Weekly fieldwork in schools and related settings is required 3 hours a week. Students are responsible for transportation to and from their school based experiences.

Prerequisite: ELM 370;Junior standing. Elementary Education majors.

Typically offered in Fall only

ELM 400  Connections Seminar III Instructional Design and Assessment  (3 credit hours)  

In this course preservice elementary educators will examine research-verified practices in instructional design and assessment that are designed to meet the needs of diverse K-6 learners. This course will prepare candidates to plan appropriate units of study, learning experiences and assessment methods for use in the elementary classroom. Weekly fieldwork in schools and related settings is required. Students are responsible for transportation to and from their school based experiences.

Prerequisite: ELM 375, Senior standing, Elementary Education Majors

Typically offered in Fall only

ELM 410  Children's Thinking and Multiplicative Reasoning  (3 credit hours)  

This course is designed to prepare preservice teachers to teach math in the intermediate grades and to lead to licensure in the elementary grades. Specific methodologies that relate to the theory and practice of teaching of math will be examined. Fieldwork in schools and related settings may be required in lieu of lecture on occasion. Students are responsible for transportation to and from their school based experiences.

Prerequisite: ELM 310, Junior standing, Elementary Education Majors

Typically offered in Spring only

ELM 420  Teaching Science in the Intermediate Grades  (3 credit hours)  

This course is designed to prepare preservice teachers to teach science in intermediate grades and to lead to licensure in the elementary grades. Specific methodologies that relate to the theory and practice of teaching science will be examined. Fieldwork in schools and related settings may be required in lieu of lecture on occasion. Students are responsible for transportation to and from their school based experiences.

Prerequisite: ELM 320, Senior standing, Elementary Education Majors

Typically offered in Spring only

ELM 430  Teaching Language Arts in the Elementary School  (3 credit hours)  

This course is designed to prepare preservice teachers to teach language arts and to lead to licensure in the elementary grades. Specific methodologies that relate to the theory and practice of teaching language arts will be examined. Fieldwork in schools and related settings may be required in lieu of lecture on occasion. Students are responsible for transportation to and from their school based experiences.

Prerequisite: ELM 335, Senior standing, Elementary Education Majors

Typically offered in Fall only

ELM 440  Teaching Children with Special Needs in the Elementary Classroom  (3 credit hours)  

This course is designed to prepare preservice teachers to teach students with special needs and to lead to licensure in the elementary grades. Specific methodologies that relate to the theory and practice of teaching students with special needs willbe examined. Fieldwork in schools and related settings may be required in lieu of lecture on occasion. Students are responsible for transportation to and from their school based experiences.

Prerequisite: ELM 350, ELM 375, Senior standing, Elementary Education Majors, Corequisite: ELM 420

Typically offered in Fall only

ELM 450  The Arts for Elementary Education  (3 credit hours)  

This course is designed to prepare preservice teachers to integrate the arts; visual music, dance and drama, into the content areas. Successful completion of this course leads to licensure in the elementary grades. Specific methodologies that relateto the theory and practice of teaching the arts will be examined.

Prerequisite: ELM 375, Senior standing, Elementary Education Majors

Typically offered in Fall only

ELM 460  Social Studies for the Young Learner  (3 credit hours)  

This course is designed to prepare preservice teachers to teach social studies and to lead to licensure in the elementary grades. The course is an examination of curriculum, instruction, and learning in K-6 social studies education. Emphases includedevelopment of the social studies; curricular principles and components; teaching strategies; and learner outcomes. Fieldwork in schools and related settings may be required in lieu of lecture on occasion. Students are responsible for transportationto and from their school based experiences.

Prerequisite: ELM 370, Junior standing, Elementary Education Majors

Typically offered in Spring only

ELM 480  Connections Seminar IV Linking Theory and Practice  (3 credit hours)  

ELM 480 Linking Theory and Practice is designed as the capstone course in the Elementary Education Program. Teacher candidates will meet regularly to analyze and discuss their student teaching experiences and connect new learning to previous university coursework. In addition, teacher candidates will complete their edTPA Tasks and other culminating activities required by the program.

Prerequisite: ELM 400, Elementary Education Majors, Admission to the Professional Semester, Corequisite: ELM 484

Typically offered in Spring only

ELM 484  Student Teaching in Elementary Education  (9 credit hours)  

Culminating experience for Elementary Education majors. A minimum of 10 weeks of supervised teaching in an elementary school classroom, demonstrating competent applications of standards-based practices and other required knowledge, skill, and dispositional outcomes. Taken concurrently with ELM 480. Students responsible for transportation to placement site.

Prerequisite: ELM 480, ELM 400, Elementary Education Majors, Admission to the Professional Semester

Typically offered in Spring only

ELM 515  Instructional Practice in Schools I  (1 credit hours)  

Prepares pre-service teachers to develop competencies in assessment, instructional design, and tutoring and leads to initial licensure in the elementary grades. Includes 15-20 hours of fieldwork; transportation to schools is the responsibility of the students.

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

ELM 516  Instructional Practice in Schools II  (2 credit hours)  

Prepares pre-service teachers to develop competencies in assessment, instructional design, and teaching in whole class settings and leads to initial licensure in the elementary grades. Includes 30 hours of fieldwork; transportation to the schools is the responsibility of the students.

Corequisite: ELM 572, ELM 573, ELM 575

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

ELM 520  Methods of Teaching Elementary School Science  (3 credit hours)  

This course is intended for teachers seeking to expand their knowledge and skills in teaching elementary school science. The course examines the purposes, scope, sequences, materials, and methodologies for teaching science in elementary schools to a diverse student body. It develops skill in planning, instructing, and assessing understanding of science content and processes. It links instruction and assessment and addresses relevant content topics in chemistry, biology, physics, and earth and space science.

Typically offered in Spring only

ELM 524  Issues in Elementary School Science Education  (3 credit hours)  

Analysis of contemporary elementary school environments specific to elementary science content areas: life, Earth/space, and physical science in elementary school as well as science practices of argumentation, discourse, learning progressions, and science for all.

Typically offered in Spring only

ELM 530  Social Studies In the Elementary School  (3 credit hours)  

Advanced professional training in teaching of social studies for middle grades and elementary teachers, including in-depth introduction to research-based teaching strategies, instructional resources and literature of the field.

ELM 533  Targeted Literacy Assessment and Instruction for Elementary School  (3 credit hours)  

Intended for teachers seeking to expand their knowledge and skills in assessing and teaching elementary reading, particularly to students with reading difficulties. Exploring the purposes, sequences, and materials for identifying students' instructional strengths and learn methods for providing appropriate evidence-based reading instruction. Closely links reading assessment and reading instruction and addresses relevant content topics in elementary reading development, assessment, and instruction.

Typically offered in Spring only

ELM 537/ECI 537  Teaching Children's Literature  (3 credit hours)  

Instructions for educators in quality children's literature, specific needs of young reader, genres of children's literature, strategies for instructing children's literature, ways to target reader's interests, and design of literature units.

Typically offered in Summer only

ELM 539  Special Problems in Elementary School Science  (3 credit hours)  

In this course teachers build their science content knowledge in life, physical, and Earth/space science, examine strategies for effective science instruction to provide students with 21st Century skills with applications to young children's cognitive and affective learning.

Typically offered in Spring only

ELM 540  Reading In the Elementary School  (3 credit hours)  

Theoretical foundations of reading instruction and current methods and materials for teaching reading, with emphasis on planning and implementing reading programs for children in kindergarten through grade six.

ELM 555  Number Systems and Operations: K-5 Mathematical Tasks  (3 credit hours)  

Analysis and construction of effective mathematical tasks in teaching number systems and operations at the K-5 level; attention is also given to the expansion of content knowledge.

Typically offered in Fall only

ELM 556  Rational Numbers and Operations: K-5 Learning Trajectories  (3 credit hours)  

Focus on rational number concepts through learning trajectories at the K-5 level; attention also given to problem solving and content knowledge.

Typically offered in Spring only

ELM 557  Data Analysis and Measurement: K-5 Classroom Interactions  (3 credit hours)  

Focus on statistical literacy of elementary teachers and the teaching of data analysis and measurement to K-5 students; attention is also given to learning methods which facilitate appropriate classroom interactions.

Typically offered in Summer only

ELM 558  Algebraic Reasoning: K-5 Discourse and Questioning  (3 credit hours)  

Focus on the early algebra concepts of functional thinking and generalized arithmetic in relationship to pedagogical practices centered on questioning in the mathematics classroom.

Typically offered in Summer only

ELM 559  Geometry and Spatial Visualization: K-5 Assessment  (3 credit hours)  

Formative and summative assessment strategies of students' geometric thinking in elementary grades; Concept development of 2- and 3-dimensional Geometry. Attention also given to diagnosis of student errors.

Typically offered in Summer only

ELM 560  Mathematical Modeling: K-5 Leadership  (3 credit hours)  

Generating mathematical representations and making explicit connections between concepts; Pedagogy designed to equip elementary teachers to become mathematics teacher-leaders in school settings; Focus given to topics integrated within mathematical strands.

Typically offered in Summer only

ELM 570  The Foundations of Reading Instruction in the Elementary-School Classroom  (3 credit hours)  

This course serves as an introductory course for preservice teachers to develop the initial knowledge connected to the pillars of reading instruction needed to teach reading at the elementary-school level. This course builds on evidence-based perspectives on Grades K-6 reading instruction and the "science of reading," and provides candidates with the knowledge needed to teach the foundations of reading. This course serves as a prerequisite for ELM 572 ("The Structures of Reading Instruction in the Elementary-School Classroom").

R: Graduate standing and admission to the Elementary Education Master of Arts in Teaching program or English as a Second Language Master of Arts in Teaching Program, or by permission of instructor

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

ELM 571  Language Arts, New Literacies and Media for Initial License  (3 credit hours)  

Examine research-based processes for writing instruction, effects of and approaches for use of technology on literacy development, and effects of media and new literacies (non-print literacies, e.g. digital, visual, film) on literacy learning and development in elementary schools. Restricted to ELM MAT students.

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

ELM 572  The Structures of Reading Instruction in the Elementary-School Classroom  (3 credit hours)  

ELM 572 prepares pre-service teachers to teach reading and leads to licensure in the elementary grades. The course examines specific research-based methodology that relates to the theory and practice of teaching reading for elementary readers. Restricted to ELM, MAT students.

R: Graduate standing and admission to the Master of Arts in Teaching program, or by permission of instructor.; Prerequisite: ELM 570.

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

ELM 573  Methods for Teaching Elementary School Science for Initial License  (3 credit hours)  

ELM 573 prepares preservice teachers to teach science and leads to licensure in the elementary grades. The course examines specific research verified methodologies that relate to the theory and practice of teaching science to elementary students. Restricted to ELM MAT students.

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

ELM 574  Methods for Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary Classroom for Initial License  (3 credit hours)  

Prepares preservice teachers to teach mathematics and leads to licensure in the elementary grades. Examines specific research-based methodologies that relate to the theory and practice of teaching mathematics to elementary students. Limited to students enrolled in MAT Elementary Education program.

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

ELM 575  Social Studies in the Elementary School for Initial License  (3 credit hours)  

Designed to prepare pre-service teachers to teach social studies and to lead to licensure in the elementary grades. The course is an examination of curriculum, instruction, and learning in K-6 social studies education, Emphasis include development of the social studies, curricular principles and components, research verified teaching strategies, and learner outcomes. Restricted to ELM MAT students.

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

ELM 590  Special Problems in Elementary Education  (1-6 credit hours)  

In-depth study of topical problems in teaching and learning of current and special interest to elementary education practitioners.

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

ELM 630  Independent Study in Elementary Education  (1-3 credit hours)  

Detailed investigation of topics of particular interest to graduate students under faculty direction on a tutorial basis. Determination of credits and content by faculty member in consultation with department head.

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

ELM 644  Practicum in Elementary Education  (1-6 credit hours)  

Supervised practical experiences in schools and area agencies concerned with education of elementary-age students.

ELM 654  Internship In Elementary Education  (1-6 credit hours)  

Supervised opportunities for advanced professional development in contexts concerned with elementary grades education.

Typically offered in Fall and Spring