This course examines the role and responsibility of the elementary educator as an advocate for, and educator of, students with diverse learning needs. Methods and structure to enable educators to understand, engage, and respond to the challenges presented within an academically diverse classroom are addressed. Special focus is given to research and applications for facilitating emergent literacies and social, emotional and behavioral development.

The course is to examine the socio-cultural circumstances surrounding racially, culturally and linguistically diverse (RCLD) families raising children with disabilities, address the implications of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) for families and professionals, discuss issues regarding families' experience during the special education process, assess family strengths and coping styles, and develop knowledge and skills to advocate for diverse and inclusive family-school-community partnerships.

This course provides an introduction to research methods in education and the social sciences. Issues from a wide variety of perspectives on research are covered, including the formal procedures employed by experimental psychologists, qualitative perspectives, and techniques used by researchers involved in exploratory investigations in schools and other real-life settings. The design and implementation of research studies is contextualized in current educational and social science issues.

A two semester, full-time, supervised internship consisting of less-than-full-time teaching responsibility in selected educational settings and programs. Weekly seminars and occasional workshops held concurrently with internship.