ECEK - Early Childhood Education - KC

Required field experience: 5 hours This course explores school readiness for children from birth to age 5 and the potential for various interventions of improving outcomes for children and their families. Teacher candidates will research and evaluate current intervention programs and will investigate the financial and economic impact of intervention programs in varied community and educational settings. Prerequisites: ECE 250 and ECE 252

This course focuses on establishing positive physical and emotional learning environments from preschool through the early grades and dealing with difficult and disruptive behavior. Intervention plans are developed with consideration given to the family and community where the classrooms are located. Emphasis is given to strategies for managing individuals and groups. Prerequisites: All 100- and 200-level courses required for major NOTE: This course replaces EDU 317 in previous curricula.

Required field experience: 5 hours This course examines developmentally and individually appropriate strategies to foster the social, emotional, cognitive, communicative, and adaptive learning and motor development of young children with special needs in various settings, including the home, school, and community. Curriculum, instructional methods, and materials for teaching young children with special needs, from birth through kindergarten, are examined. A variety of disabilities are addressed,and topics include compliance with pertinent legislation,team collaboration and practices, IFSPs and IEPs, accommodations and modifications for educating children in the least restrictive environment, assistive technology,individual and family-centered programming, and direct educational and behavioral intervention techniques. Prerequisites: ECE 320 and SOE 302 NOTE: This course replaces EDU 391 in previous curricula.

Required field experience: 5 hours This course provides an examination of the historical, philosophical, and legal basis for family participation in education and family services. Students develop techniques for promoting positive supportive relationships with parents of young children with special needs, including strategies for working with socially, culturally, and linguistically diverse families. Family systems theory is reviewed, as well as family stressors, grief, and coping. Emphasis is placed on models for building effective teams; strategies for facilitating consultation and collaboration among professionals, para -professionals, families, and other agencies; as well as techniques for supporting family strengths, addressing family needs, priorities, and concerns, and accessing community resources. Prerequisite: SOE 290 NOTE: This course replaces EDU 394 in previous curricula.

Required field experience: 5 hours In this course, students will be provided with the knowledge and skills necessary to implement recommended, evidence-based practices with young children (under 6 years of age) with autism-spectrum disorders and/or developmental delays in an inclusive ECE setting. Etiology, diagnostic procedures, current theoretical approaches to intervention, and research on supporting young children with autism-spectrum disorders and/or developmental delays and their families, will be considered. Developmental delays will be considered in their relationship to autism-spectrum disorders and independently in the areas of cognition, Social-emotional, gross motor, and speech development. Prerequisite: SOE 290.

This course will examine the etiology of behavioral and emotional concerns in young children (under 6 years of age) and strategies for prevention and intervention of challenging behaviors. Both biological and environmental risk factors, along with protective factors, will be considered. Individual and full classroom assessment, prevention, and intervention strategies will be discussed, including functional assessment and Positive Behavioral Support (PBS), along with current psychological and medical interventions that relate to inclusive ECE environments. Prerequisite: ECE 240

Required field experience: 10 hours A study of the theory, curriculum, methods, and materials for developing creative, positive, and healthy environments in which preschool children can play and learn. Included are the pedagogical fundamentals of mathematics, science, social studies, music, and the arts for preschool children. Prerequisite: ECE 240 NOTE: This course replaces EDU 255 in previous curricula.

Required field experience: 10 hours This course explores the latest research regarding the most effective methods for teaching a pre-kindergarten and kindergarten early literacy curriculum, including strategies to promote the abilities of children as they apply language and thinking skills to classroom life. Included are methods for developing oral and written language, concepts of print, and listening and speaking skills. Emphasis is on meeting diverse learner needs, and effective use of materials, including the use of technology for literacy learning. Prerequisite: ECE 240 NOTE: This course replaces EDU 403 in previous curricula.

Required field experience: 10 hours This course provides a study of the theory, curriculum, methods, and materials for promoting literacy development in the early grades. Emphasis is on strategies for establishing multiple literacies (read ing, writing, speaking, and listening), as well as on phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension through active, thoughtful reading and metacognitive processing throughout every part of the early childhood curriculum. Prerequisite: ECE 240 NOTE: This course replaces EDU 404 in previous curricula.

Required field experience: 10 hours Utilizing the latest research regarding the most effective methods for teaching a developmentally appropriate mathematics curriculum from kindergarten through the early grades, this course explores strategies to develop children’s conceptual understanding of mathematics, including the best use of materials. The National Council for Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) content and process standards are addressed with an emphasis on real-world problem-solving. Prerequisite: ECE 240 NOTE: This course replaces EDU 405 in previous curricula.

Required field experience: 10 hours Utilizing the latest research regarding the most effective methods for teaching a developmentally appropriate science curriculum from kindergarten through the early grades, this course explores strategies to promote modes of inquiry and analytical skills in science education, including the best use of materials. Also addressed is the integration of science with other curricular content areas. Prerequisite: ECE 240 NOTE: This course replaces EDU 406 in previous curricula.

Required field experience: 10 hours Utilizing the latest re research regarding the most effective methods for teaching a developmentally appropriate social studies curriculum from kindergarten through the early grades, this course explores strategies to develop understanding of the interrelationships among the social sciences, including historical, geographical, economic, and political concepts. Emphasis is on the integration of the arts and how music, the visual arts, and the performing arts are celebrated differently by diverse cultures. Prerequisite: ECE 240 NOTE: This course replaces EDU 407 in previous curricula.

This course is the capstone of the early childhood program, providing opportunity for development of a final project that addresses five key elements of early childhood, as well as early childhood administration; educational programming, legal issues and regulatory, fiscal management, staff management, and marketing and pulic relations.

This course is the first of two clinical practice experience s for teacher candidates in the School of Education. During this experience, the teacher candidate will move from theory to practice in a pre-primary learning environment (pre-K classroom), while beginning to prepare for a state- mandated assessment (edTPA). The corresponding online seminar includes a variety of relevant topics related to program competencies: planning, instructional delivery, assessment, and leadership/professionalism. Prerequisite: Approval from licensure officer NOTE: This course replaces EDU 451 and EDU 452 (combined) in previous curricula.

This course is the second of two clinical practice experiences for teacher candidates in the School of Education. During this experience, the teacher candidate will move from theory to practice in a primary learning environment (grades K, 1, 2*), while completing a state-mandated assessment (edTPA). The corresponding online seminar includes a variety of relevant topics related to program competencies: planning, instructional delivery, assessment, and leadership/professionalism. Prerequisite: Approval from licensure officer NOTE: This course replaces EDU 453 and EDU 454 (combined) in previous curricula *Any licensure candidate who is eligible for the Birth through Grade 3 endorsement will be allowed to complete ECE 465 in the 3rd grade setting, if desired. Any licensure candidate who is eligible for the Birth through Grade 2 endorsement will not be allowed to complete ECE 465 in the 3rd grade setting. Please ask the licensure officer for clarification.

This culminating course blends administrative theory and practice into an intensive and cooperative experience. Students choose an administrative internship, a research/ advocacy project, an early childhood center design project, or student teaching to complete this requirement for the Illinois Gateways Director credential.