Description
This program that focuses on the design of educational services for children or adults with dyslexia which adversely affects their educational performance. The course sequence will prepare individuals to teach such students and includes instruction in identifying students with dyslexia, developing individual education plans as needed, teaching and supervising students with dyslexia, counseling, and applicable laws and policies. Georgia Senate Bill 48 mandates that educator preparation programs teach candidates about Dyslexia, the identification of dyslexia and support for students in pre-kindergarten through second grade. The Georgia Professional Standards Commission granted approval for this endorsement program in July 2020.
Certificate Admission Requirements
- Admitted to the university as a graduate student in education
- Submit official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended
- Submit verification of immunization (pdf)
Courses
The three-course endorsement/certificate included the following:
- EDRD 6650: Foundations of Language and Literacy Development for Special Populations
- Course Prerequisites and Description: This course is required for completion of the Dyslexia Endorsement and is pre-requisite to the other two courses in the sequence. It provides theory and research into the foundations of children’s learning and acquisition of reading and writing and the relationship of written language to oral language development. Content will be guided by research, elements of structured literacy instruction, and evidence-based strategies. There will be a focus on children who are at risk, struggling, or have identified reading, writing, or language disabilities across grade levels, including dyslexia and dysgraphia. Components necessary for successful literacy mastery including phonology, orthography, semantics, syntax, and discourse will be introduced. You must be admitted to the graduate program at Georgia College to participate in the course.
- EDRD 6651: Literacy, Dyslexia, and Language Difficulties and Structured Interventions
- This course will examine a range of literacy and language-based difficulties, including dyslexia and dysgraphia, and their indicators. Candidate will research these difficulties and the evidence-based/structured instructional techniques that would be most appropriate for addressing them. A database or notebook will be compiled and shared with other teachers on their staff. You must have completed EDRD 6650 before beginning this course.
- EDRD 6652: Assessing, Identifying, and Supporting Students with Dyslexia and other Literacy and Language-based Difficulties
- This course will examine and apply a range of literacy assessments, both formal and informal. Assessments will cover all facets of literacy, Phonemic/phonological awareness, alphabetic principle, decoding, writing, handwriting, spelling, and orthography, listening comprehension, fluency, vocabulary, and oral reading, silent reading, and multiple levels of reading comprehension will be covered. Specific areas of concern, such as dyslexia or dysgraphia, and patterns of student literacy needs will be discussed. Appropriate interventions will be determined for identified problems. Supporting materials for instruction and intervention will be explored and applied to field situations. All students will participate in a field-based coaching session assessing one student already identified with literacy difficulties to determine areas of strength and weakness and appropriate interventions and materials. You must have completed EDRD 6650 and EDRD 6651 before beginning this course.
Dismissal Policy
Students are required to maintain a 3.0 GPA during the three-course series that comprise the certificate program. If a student's GPA falls below a 3.0, he/she may petition to stay in the certificate program for one semester. If, at the end of the semester on probation the student's GPA is still below a 3.0, he/she will be dismissed from the certificate program. Any student who plagiarizes work will fail that course (receive an F) and be referred to the Judicial Council for a violation of Georgia College & State University's Honor Code.
Exit Requirements
At the completion of the three-course certificate program students who have met all requirements of the three-course series will be eligible to receive the certificate in dyslexia and, when applicable, they will be recommended to the Professional Standards Commission for the endorsement.