Literacy Intervention: A Program for Literacy Leaders
REGISTRATION OPEN TO TEACHERS FROM ANY COMMUNITY OR SCHOOL DISTRICT
(When a school district has a minimum of 10 registrants, arrangements may be made to hold classes on-site.)

This Certificate Program will focus on leadership in literacy instruction for teachers and administrators working with students in elementary, middle, or secondary school.  Taken as a whole, the Certificate represents the cornerstones of literacy instruction. Four courses comprise the Certificate, and collectively they will examine effective practices in reading and writing, including reading and writing across the curriculum, successful approaches to literacy assessment, intervention strategies, and designs for differentiating instruction that address the needs of all learners.

Why take this program?

An examination of trends in students’ scores on national and state assessments supports the need to strengthen literacy instruction offered to students throughout the elementary, middle, and secondary grades. At the state level in Massachusetts, where the MCAS is given to children beginning in third grade, student gains have not increased significantly in the past two years of testing, and in most recent assessments, a slight decline in fourth-grade reading scores was reported. Furthermore, results indicate that the racial and linguistic gap continues to persist, with African-American and Latino students lagging behind their White peers. Similar outcomes are evident in the most recent results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), which indicates that across all levels and racial groups, students’ scores do not improve as they progress beyond the fourth grade.

Such indicators make visible the need for instruction that will foster literacy growth for students both from the start and also into  later years of schooling. Literacy must be at the heart of all efforts to improve children’s academic achievement; without proficiency in reading and writing, students will struggle to meet the benchmarks set by national and state tests, and they will be ill-prepared to meet the rigors of secondary school and the demands of higher level academic work.

This Certificate Program will prepare teachers, principals, and other school leaders to optimize literacy learning opportunities for students across their years of schooling.  In collaboration with School of Education faculty and their in-service colleagues, participants will read, analyze, and interpret related research and theory, and they will explore ways to apply the evidence to the learning settings in which they teach. We expect sessions to be thought-provoking and interactive, and in the end, to support higher levels of reading and writing achievement for school-aged students. 

Schedule of Courses

Spring, 2010:
LS 790: Seminar in Literacy Assessment:
Review of theory and research related to formal and informal literacy assessment. Discussion of implications for school, classroom and clinical settings. Practice in administration and interpretation of commonly used assessments. 4 credits

Summer, 2010: 
LS 727: Topical Seminar in Literacy:
Focus on a current issue in literacy education through seminars and discussions with visiting and Boston University faculty. 3 or 4* credits (June, 2010, specific dates TBA)

Fall, 2009:
LS 735: Strategies for Teaching Struggling Readers and Writers:
Analytical comparison of instructional practices and materials in reading in order to meet the specific needs of individual learners in grades 1 though 12. 4 credits

Spring, 2010:
LS 790: Seminar in Literacy Assessment: Dr. Jeanne R. Paratore
Review of theory and research related to formal and informal literacy assessment. Discussion of implications for school, classroom and clinical settings. Practice in administration and interpretation of commonly used assessments. 4 credits
Wednesday, 4:00 to 7:00 (Boston University Campus)*

Spring, 2011: 
BI 535: Literacy Developtment for Bilingual Students: Instruction and Assessment
Development of written language skills for linguistically and culturally-different students. Issues and methods in first- and second-language literacy. Participants implement methods presented with bilingual students of different ages and assess student' progress.

Or

LS 792: Teaching Reading and Writing in the Content Area
In-depth examination of current research regarding literacy processes across content disciplines, including science, social studies, mathematics, and the humanities, along with an exploration of ways in which literacy insturction can be effectively integrated into content disciplines to improve test comprehension.

Certificate in Literacy and Language:
Awarded upon successful completion of 16 credits

Credit towards Master of Education Degree or Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study:
Students who apply and are accepted to a Literacy or Reading Education Program in the School of Education leading to a Master of Education Degree or Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study may apply the 16 credits taken in the Certificate Program to their degree requirements provided that all work is completed within six calendar years.

Credit towards Doctor of Education Degree:
Students who apply and are accepted to a Literacy Education program in the School of Education leading to a Doctor of Education Degree may apply 8 credits taken in the Certificate Program to their degree requirements.

Tuition and Registration Fees (Subject to change for 2009-2010 Academic Year):*
Tuition: $296 per credit ($1184 per 4 credit course)
Registration: $40 per course

* Tuition rate is guaranteed only for the 2009-2010 Academic Year, which concludes at the end of the spring semester

For more information, contact Professor Jeanne Paratore at 617-353-3285 or e-mail jparator@bu.edu

To learn more about applying to the Certificate Program download the document: Application and Registration Procedures

To apply to the Certificate Program download the Application Form

To register for courses download the Course Registration Form (for academic credit) or the Professional Development Registration Form (for PDP's)