Curriculum and Learning

View/Print PDF

Adam Goldberg
CHAIRPERSON
Davis 116
(203) 392-6492, (203) 392-6642 – Fax (203) 392-6473
goldberga2@SouthernCT.edu
Department Secretary:  Kathy Muldowney
(203) 392-6425; (203) 392-6593

Beena Achhpal, Professor
Laura Bower-Phipps, Associate Professor
Cheryl Dickinson, Professor
Adam Goldberg, Professor
David Levande, Professor
Helen Marx, Associate Professor
J. Gregory McVerry, Associate Professor
Jessica Powell, Assistant Professor
Carlos Torre, Professor
Christine Villani, Professor

MAJOR PROGRAMS

The department of Curriculum and Learning offers four major programs:

  • Early Childhood Education preparing for certification in grades nursery-3; nursery-K for regular and special education certification and grades 1-3 for regular education certification.
  • Elementary Education preparing for certification in elementary grades 1-6.
  • Collaborative Elementary/Special Education, preparing for certification in both elementary grades 1-6 and special education K-12.
  • Elementary/Bilingual Education preparing for certification in 1-6 regular and bilingual education.

Students who wish to become certified in early childhood, elementary, elementary/special education, or elementary/ bilingual education must have an academic content major in an area outside of the School of Education.  Students need to successfully complete the professional major in education with no grade less than "C" in any professional course.

Early Childhood Certification

Early Childhood Education fulfills the course requirements of the Connecticut Initial Educators Certificate and prepares the individual to teach nursery and kindergarten in both regular and special education, and grades 1-3 in regular education.

Students in the early childhood program are encouraged to begin their academic content major in their freshman year. It is recommended that students choose this major either in psychology or Interdisciplinary Studies (including at least one 18 credit minor in psychology). Students should receive academic advisement from both the interdisciplinary arts major department and the Curriculum and Learning Department.

Students working toward early childhood certification (N, K, grades 1-3) must pass through four gates. To pass through each gate, students complete a specific set of courses:

Gate 1: Students apply for admission to the early childhood program. Students must meet the State of Connecticut requirements for admission to a teacher preparation program (specified in the Academic Standards section of this catalog). In addition, the student must have passed the following courses: ENG 112, MAT 105, EDU 206, and SED 225 or SED 481.  Students must earn a grade of C or higher in EDU 206, SED 225, and SED 481.

Gate 2: Students in Gate 2 take the following teacher preparation courses:  EDU 305, EDU 308, EDU 309, EDU 319, and SED 235.

Gate 3: Students in Gate 3 take the following teacher preparation courses:  EDU 312, EDU 322, EDU 407, SED 365, and EDU 471.

Gate 4: Students in Gate 4 take Student Teaching I and II (EDU 300 and EDU 400), EDU 414, and a seminar course, EDU 485.

Students must pass all required State of Connecticut tests to be recommended for certification.

Elementary Education Certification

The Elementary Education program fulfills the course requirements of the Connecticut Initial Educators Certificate and prepares the individual to teach elementary grades 1-6. 

Students in the elementary education program are encouraged to begin their academic content major in their freshman year. They should receive academic advisement from the department of their academic content major and from the Curriculum and Learning Department.

Students working toward elementary certification (1-6) must pass through four gates.

Gate 1: Students apply for admission to the education program. Students must meet the State of Connecticut requirements for admission to a teacher preparation program (specified in the Academic Standards section of this catalog). In addition, the student must have passed the following courses: ENG 112, MAT 105, EDU 200, and SED 225 or SED 481. Students must earn a grade of C or better in the required EDU and SED courses.

Gate 2: Students in Gate 2 take the following teacher preparation courses:  EDU 305, EDU 307, EDU 316, EDU 317, EDU 330, and EDU 325.

Gate 3: Students in Gate 3 take the following teacher preparation courses: EDU 407, EDU 415, EDU 424, EDU 414, EDU 475, and either EDU 471 or TSL 418.

Gate 4: Students in Gate 4 take Student Teaching I and II (EDU 300 and EDU 400) and the seminar course, (EDU 485).

Students must pass all State of Connecticut tests to be recommended for certification.

Elementary/Special Education Collaborative Certification

The Elementary/Special Education Collaborative program program fulfills the course requirements for the Initial Certificate in Connecticut, and prepares the individual to teach all regular grades 1-6 and special education K-12.  The description of the program can be found in the Special Education Department section of the catalog.

Bilingual Education/Elementary Education

The Elementary Education/Bilingual Education Dual Initial Certification Program prepares bilingual undergraduate students for certification to teach grades 1-6 in elementary schools to both English speaking and limited English proficient children. Graduates of this program who pass the appropriate exams will be dually certified by the State of Connecticut to teach elementary education and elementary/ bilingual education.

Students in the Elementary Education/Bilingual Education Program should receive academic advisement from their academic content major and the Curriculum and Learning Department.  Advanced planning with the elementary education department adviser and the bilingual education adviser at the freshman/sophomore level is critically important.

Additionally, before admission into the Teacher Education Program, candidates are required to provide proof of passing the American Council of Teachers of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) oral exam, typically taken in the sophomore year. If the candidate has not yet taken this exam, the candidate may provide a letter of affirmation written by a faculty member of the World Languages and Literatures Department stating that the student's language proficiency suggests that he/she will be able to pass the ACTFL oral exam by the student's senior year.  Students should consult with a bilingual education adviser as soon as possible to determine how to accomplish these language proficiency requirements.  Students must pass all required State of Connecticut tests and ACTFL exams to be recommended for certification.

In addition to coursework leading to certification in elementary education (see above), the bilingual education coursework includes the following three education courses:

TSL 315 — Foundations of Bilingual Studies
TSL 321 — Assessment for English Language Learners
TSL 418 — ESL Methods in Content Instruction