In this school-like environment, graduate students assess students reading and writing, listening and speaking ability. Children of all abilities, some gifted, others average, and some with special learning needs attend the Center. Learning to plan, execute, and carry out reading and writing programs for children of all ages, grades, and ability levels is the focus. The practicum experiences in the Center replicates, as much as possible, classroom, basic skills and resource room settings. Graduate students plan and carry out parent education as well as professional development activities for teachers.
Many states require teacher certification as a prerequisite for reading specialist certification.
The Master of Arts degree is 36 credits divided into four groups of course work. D. is an internationally known reading specialist in large part due to her work in the Center for Reading and Writing at Rider University. She has written 15 books and more than 200 articles based on her work with graduate students and children in the Center. This is the Center where students enrolled in the graduate program carry out their practicum experiences. You will see children ages 5 to 16 learning language arts skills though content areas and literature.