Johns Hopkins University Offers graduate degrees in Education:

Master of Science in Education, Reading

Adviser: A. Jonathan Eakle, 410-516-9760

Students completing the Master of Science in Education: Reading program by May 2008 can find program requirements here. The information below is for students completing the Master of Science in Education: Reading program after May 2008.

This concentration is designed to develop and enhance the knowledge and skills of classroom teachers and other professionals to prepare future leaders in the field of literacy instruction in all settings, such as classrooms, school districts, and informal learning environments.

Various evidence-based instructional approaches and perspectives of literacy are presented and examined during the course of study. A foundation in cognitive psychological issues is provided as well as coursework in sociocultural and critical dimensions of literacy. Candidates learn to organize creative and effective learning environments and to evaluate, design, produce, and implement programs and strategies to teach literacies to young children, adolescents, and adults. Practical assessment and meaningful instruction are treated as integrated processes to address the needs of all learners, including those who struggle with reading and writing, gifted students, and students with culturally and linguistically diverse experiences.

Throughout the program and with the assistance of School of Education professors, course instructors, and technical experts, candidates develop a professional digital portfolio for presentation as they move toward graduation. This portfolio includes practical research and research reviews, philosophy statements, literacy program designs, multimedia and other literacy materials selections, and reports from practical supervised clinical experiences. The digital portfolio will be available for students to use during and after their graduation from the Johns Hopkins School of Education. In consultation with an adviser, candidates plan a 39-credit program of study, culminating in clinical practicum experiences and portfolio review. Students are required to successfully complete a mid-point multiple-choice comprehensive examination and to score 570 on the Praxis II Reading Specialist examination prior to being approved for graduation. Candidates completing the course of study with initial teacher certification and three years of successful teaching experience fulfill all requirements for certification as a reading specialist in the state of Maryland.

Note: 1. The Johns Hopkins University School of Education's Academic Policy Committee approved the course of study listed on this page in Fall 2006. In Winter 2007 the new Master of Science in Education: Reading program was submitted to the Maryland Higher Education Commission and the International Reading Association and its approval is pending. 2. All students must provide evidence of a satisfactory federal and state criminal background check.

Program Plan

Number of Credits Required: 39

First Half

Choose one course from the following for a total of 3 credit hours:

Take the following six 3-credit hour courses for a total of 18 credits:

Second Half

Choose one of the following elective courses, to be taken at any time during the last half of the program, for a total of 3 credits:

Take the following 5 courses for a total of 15 credits:

 

  • 882.501 Educational Psychology: Learning

    Participants examine current theory and practice in the teaching and learning process. The course emphasizes the dynamics of learning through the perspectives of human development, learning theory, cognitive mechanisms, individual differences, classroom dynamics, measurement and evaluation, and social forces. (3 credits)

    Back to top

     

  • 882.511 Human Growth and Development: A Lifespan Perspective

    Students consider an overview of the physical, social, and emotional aspects of human development throughout the lifespan. The course considers developmental theory and reviews current areas of research. (3 credits)

    Back to top

     

  • 884.604 Emergent Literacy: Research into Practice

    Emergent Literacy: Research into Practice builds on the theories and research-based knowledge presented in 884.501 (Advanced Processes and Acquisition of Reading) to address in depth instructional issues involving emergent literacy processes. Topics include the application of current literacy theory to alphabetics, word identification, and word study strategies for classroom instruction; designing and providing authentic early literacy experiences and literacy-rich environments; and strategies and methods for storytelling and in developing contextual oral reading fluency. (3 credits)

    Back to top

     

  • 884.615 Cross-Cultural Studies in Literacy

    Students in this class investigate how culture, language, school and out-of-school literacy experiences, and education policy influence student attitude, learning, and content area knowledge. Participants evaluate multicultural literacy research, curriculum, literature, and new literacies, and how social and cultural factors contribute to daily classroom literacy instruction and everyday life. The course emphasizes creating democratic and culturally sensitive learning environments. (3 credits)

    Back to top

     

  • 884.617 Children and Adolescent Literature

    Children and Adolescent Literature builds on the theories and research-based knowledge presented in 884.505 (Materials for Teaching Reading) to examine in-depth instructional issues involving multiple genres of children and adolescent literature. Topics include the examination of text structures in informational, expository, and narrative materials; effective identification and selection of instructional and independent level texts for student reading; developing awareness of literature about, and resources related to, culturally diverse groups in the United States; understanding self as a reader and to use that understanding to inform teaching practices, engagement and motivational issues related to text instruction and selection; and how digital literature can be used in classroom instruction. (3 credits)

    Back to top

     

  • 884.642 Linguistics for Teachers

    This course acquaints teachers and other reading professionals with aspects of linguistic theory that apply in elementary and secondary classrooms. Emphasis is on a thorough, research-based understanding of phonology, morphology, semantics, syntax, and pragmatics. Students learn ways to use the information to strengthen existing reading and language arts instruction. Issues of cultural diversity, second language learning, and developmental issues of language are covered in this interactive format. (3 credits)

    Back to top

     

  • 881.622 Advanced Instructional Strategies

    Students review recent research on effective instruction and explore advanced classroom strategies and techniques designed to enhance their effectiveness in meeting the needs of diverse populations of learners. Examples include direct instruction, cooperative learning, dimensions of learning, creative problem solving, and applications of technology to thinking and learning. Students develop expert teaching skills and learn to diagnose and deliver instructional strategies that are most appropriate in specific circumstances. (3 credits)

    Back to top

     

  • 884.810 Clinical Practicum in Reading I

    This capstone experience permits students to apply concepts, theories, and instructional strategies learned in the Johns Hopkins University reading courses in a clinical setting. Under the supervision of the clinical instructor, students design and implement instructional plans and apply current literacy theory, research, and their knowledge and skills in diagnosis, material selection, and instruction to the teaching of children who struggle with reading. (3 credits)

    Back to top

     

  • 884.508 Methods of Teaching Reading in the Secondary Content Area, Part I

    Students in this course learn methods for developing effective reading skills and strategies that lead to student academic achievement. The course emphasizes teaching reading strategies for secondary students that can be applied across the content areas. Emphasis is placed on advanced vocabulary learning, reading comprehension, study skills, and critical reading. Participants in the class also explore strategies for differentiating instruction to address the wide range of reading abilities and cultural experiences found in classrooms. (3 credits)

    Back to top

     

  • 884.621 Seminar: Reading and the Brain

    This course offers students an opportunity to study, discuss, and explore aspects of brain function that influence learning and, particularly, the reading process. Neurological processing, the physical development of the brain, the impact of injury, dysfunction and medication on the brain, and how the brain's structure serves as a processing center are examined. Students see how the various technologies are used to study the physical activities of the brain as it processes information. They explore how understanding brain function connects to reading instruction and curriculum. Experts in the field of neurology, neuropsychology, language, research, and education share their knowledge with students. This course is offered at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. (3 credits)

    Back to top

     

  • 881.611 Action Research for School Improvement

    Students explore the role of the educator as an action researcher, with special emphasis on formulating and refining research questions as well as on selecting appropriate methodologies for classroom or school-based research. Students review research as a tool for assessing and improving teaching/learning environments. (3 credits)

    Back to top

     

  • 884.701 Reading Comprehension and Critical Literacy

    Building on the instructional strategies learned in 884.507 (Instruction for Reading), 884.508 (Methods of Teaching Reading in the Secondary Content Area, Part I), and 881.622 (Advanced Instructional Strategies), this advanced graduate course examines classic and contemporary research and theory in reading comprehension and critical literacy and how these dimensions and processes are applied to literacy education. During the course students learn to explore and appreciate the diversity of literacy research perspectives, and to learn to think and write critically and analytically about research, literacy education policy, and practices that influence and are used in classroom education. These topics are overlapped by advanced instructional methods and strategies for teaching students reading comprehension and critical literacy skills. (3 credits)

    Back to top

     

  • 884.610 Advanced Diagnosis for Reading Instruction

    This course advances the knowledge of students who have taken Diagnosis/Assessment for Reading Instruction (884.502) to refine and expand the diagnostic process in determining reading difficulties and appropriate interventions. Case study and small group collaboration are used to develop students' abilities to integrate data from multiple sources, generate diagnostic profiles, and make instructional recommendations. Students learn to administer standardized and criterion-referenced assessments and about the principles, philosophies, and strategies of effective remedial approaches. (3 credits)

    Back to top

     

  • 884.620 Seminar in Reading: Roles of the Reading Specialist

    Students in the final year present and evaluate their projects and plans for addressing the needs of students at all levels of reading ability in their classrooms, schools, and school districts. In addition, participants examine selected topics and issues in reading instruction. (3 credits)

    Back to top

     

  • 884.820 Clinical Practicum in Reading II

    Supervised Clinical Practicum II is a capstone course that focuses on how teachers can intervene to facilitate literacy development. It allows Master of Science in Reading students to extend and apply concepts, theories, and techniques they learned in earlier reading courses. Discussions focus on various reading problems; how these problems are defined, identified, and addressed; and factors that contribute to reading difficulties. A strong emphasis is placed on cognitive models of reading acquisition, current education theory, and in applying theory in clinical and classroom practice. Under expert supervision, Hopkins students tutor children who experience reading difficulties, and from this experience develop case studies and professional clinical reports. (3 credits)

    Prerequisite(s): ED.884.610 AND ED.884.810 AND ED.884.620

    Back to top