Early Childhood Education and Special Education

亚洲博彩平台排名 University's bachelor's degrees in early childhood education and special education prepare students to apply for Rhode Island teacher certification in grades pre-kindergarten through 2 (early childhood education) or birth through grade 2 (early childhood and special education). Accredited by the Rhode Island Department of Education and grounded in a liberal arts tradition, our programs integrate a content-oriented and comprehensive study of teaching methods with practical field experience in diverse settings.

Make a Sustainable, Positive Impact

Our early childhood education majors begin their field experience in their sophomore year. These early experiences introduce them to the diversity of students and families that comprise the communities in which they will work and initiate the process by which they can make a sustainable, positive impact. This "change impact" has long been a major emphasis of our curriculum and is created as our students build meaningful relationships within these communities.

亚洲博彩平台排名's special education program – which can only be taken as a double major with early childhood or elementary education – prepares majors to work with students impacted by mild and moderate special needs. Our students examine exceptionality and its relation to learning styles, teaching styles and service delivery models. Through comprehensive coursework and field experience, majors develop strategies that respond to students' academic and behavioral needs while effectively managing their classrooms and their teaching practice.

Our students benefit from the personalized guidance they receive from faculty and school professionals. Through extensive clinical placements, which culminate in two semesters of student teaching assignments, they develop skills that enable them to put theory into practice, observe cutting-edge methods and gain valuable experience in their discipline.

Program Spotlight: Firsthand Experience

The thing I loved about 亚洲博彩平台排名's early childhood program was the exposure to the field of teaching right out of the gate. Beginning freshman year, the program is designed to make sure that teaching children is something you want to pursue. Through the years, we visited different types of learning environments such as child care centers, private schools, public schools and even schools that had a specific teaching philosophy like a Montessori school.

We were always interacting with children, from volunteering in a preschool to eventually student teaching in a classroom. I went into the early childhood program thinking I wanted to teach young children and came out knowing I wanted to teach young children.

Rob Toribio ’09, second-grade teacher, Pell Elementary School

Our Faculty

Comprehensive instruction and personalized guidance from our committed and experienced faculty ensures that our students acquire the knowledge and skills needed to put theory into practice, and to become exemplary practitioners and scholars.

 

Meet Our Faculty

Life After Salve

While the early childhood education degree is specifically focused on teaching pre-kindergarten through second grade, the core competencies gained are valuable in a variety of professional careers, including:

  • After-school program administrator
  • Consultant
  • Charter school teacher
  • Childcare worker
  • Elementary school teacher
  • Educational administrator
  • Kindergarten teacher
  • Preschool teacher
  • Professional development specialist
  • Researcher
  • Sales
  • Teacher assistant

Major in Early Childhood Education (B.S.)

22 courses | 74-77 credits

Required courses:

  • ELC100: Introduction to Early Childhood Education
  • ELC220: Child Growth and Development, Learning and Teaching: Theories and Application
  • ELC298: Tutoring and Mentoring in a Multicultural Society I
  • ELC299: Tutoring and Mentoring in a Multicultural Society II
  • ELC310: Language and Literacy
  • ELC311: Early Childhood Methods and Curriculum
  • ELC314: Authentic Assessment
  • ELC332: Early Childhood Math Concept Development
  • ELC431: Student Teaching in Early Childhood Education
  • ELC432: Student Teaching Seminar in Early Childhood Education
  • ELC480: Senior Partnership
  • ELC490: Senior Seminar

Students also complete the following courses in other disciplines:

  • EDC202: Foundations of Reading
  • EDC243: Children's Literature
  • SED211: Introduction to the Characteristics of Students With Exceptionalities
  • SED225: Literacy, Language and Communication Development for Children With Disabilities
  • SED232: Principles and Procedures for Behavior and Classroom Management
  • SED350: Collaboration: Home, School and Community.
  • SED370: Working With Young Children With Language and Literacy Challenges
  • SED380: Strategies for Young Children With Diverse Learning Needs
  • SED397: American Sign Language I
  • SED398: American Sign Language II

Professional licensure disclosure

Major in Early Childhood and Special Education (B.S.)

23 courses | 84 credits

Early childhood education courses:

  • EDC202: Foundations of Reading
  • EDC243: Children's Literature
  • ELC100: Introduction to Early Childhood Education
  • ELC220: Child Growth and Development, Learning and Teaching: Theories and Application
  • ELC298: Tutoring and Mentoring in a Multicultural Society I
  • ELC299: Tutoring and Mentoring in a Multicultural Society II
  • ELC310: Language and Literacy
  • ELC311: Early Childhood Methods and Curriculum
  • ELC314: Authentic Assessment
  • ELC332: Early Childhood Math Concept Development
  • ELC431: Student Teaching in Early Childhood Education
  • ELC432: Student Teaching Seminar in Early Childhood Education

Special education courses:

  • SED211: Introduction to the Characteristics of Students With Exceptionalities
  • SED225: Literacy, Language and Communication Development for Children With Disabilities
  • SED232: Principles and Procedures for Behavior and Classroom Management
  • SED304: Intensive Intervention: Curriculum Methods and Assessments of Students
  • SED309: Special Education in the Inclusive Classroom: Curriculum, Methodology and Assessment for Students With Mild/Moderate Disabilities I
  • SED331: Assessment Procedures for Children With Disabilities
  • SED350: Collaboration: Home, School and Community
  • SED397: American Sign Language I
  • SED398: American Sign Language II
  • SED411: Student Teaching in Special Education
  • SED432: Student Teaching Seminar in Special Education

Professional licensure disclosure

Minor in Special Education

All education majors, along with students not majoring in education, are welcome to minor in special education. Our minor does not meet the requirements for special education teacher certification.

6 courses | 18 credits

Required courses for early childhood education majors:

  • SED211: Introduction to the Characteristics of Students With Exceptionalities
  • SED225: Literacy, Language and Communication Development for Children With Disabilities
  • SED370: Working With Young Children With Language and Literacy Challenges
  • SED380: Strategies for Young Children With Diverse Learning Needs
  • Two elective courses in special education

Required courses for elementary education and secondary education majors:

  • SED211: Introduction to the Characteristics of Students With Exceptionalities
  • SED225: Literacy, Language and Communication Development for Children With Disabilities
  • SED232: Principles and Procedures for Behavior and Classroom Management
  • SED350: Collaboration: Home, School and Community
  • Two elective courses in special education

Required courses for non-education majors:

  • SED211: Introduction to the Characteristics of Students with Exceptionalities
  • SED225: Literacy, Language and Communication Development for Children With Disabilities
  • SED350: Collaboration: Home, School and Community
  • Two elective courses in special education
  • One additional course approved by the coordinator of elementary and special education