Special Education — P-12 Outreach Program, BAE

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Department of Special Education and Education Leadership, Woodring College of Education

140-144 credits (professional program and major)

Introduction

Special Educators need to have extensive knowledge in four areas: they need to know about students and how they learn; they need to know about effective instruction; they need to know about the content of the lessons they will teach; and, they need to know about the context (social, legal, and political) in which they will work. Therefore, training to become a Special Educator will include work in each of these areas. The program includes coursework and extensive supervised practicum experiences in the public schools. The program is rigorous and the expectations are high. However, the rewards are also high. This program will prepare you to be an excellent teacher in whatever position you eventually choose. Our graduates are actively recruited by school districts to teach in both elementary classrooms and special education settings.

Students seeking a bachelor’s degree with teacher certification and an endorsement in Special Education - P-12 through Teacher Education Outreach Programs located in Bremerton, Everett and Seattle must complete the Elementary Education Professional Program - Outreach Program and the Special Education (P-12) - Outreach Program requirements. Program coursework listed below is delivered through a cohort-based, integrated model designed specifically for outreach program sites. Graduates may earn an endorsement in special education by completing a second internship (16 credits) through the special education additional endorsement program. Courses must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or better.

Contact Information

Assistant Dean
Larry Antil
Miller Hall 256B
360-650-7505
Larry.Antil@wwu.edu

Program Manager
Joanna Reynoso
Miller Hall 256C
360-650-614
Joanna.Reynoso@wwu.edu

Sample Careers

Major/Career Resources

www.wwu.edu/careers/students_choosingamajor.shtml

How to Declare (Admission and Declaration Process):

Before students may begin taking courses in education, they must be admitted to both Western Washington University and Teacher Education Outreach Programs. Admission to our programs occurs once a year in the fall. Program admission requirements include:

Transferable A.A. degree from a Washington state community college, or satisfaction of Western’s General Education Requirements
Minimum grade point average of 2.75 overall or for the most recent 45 quarter credit hours
Meet the West-B basic skills requirement. This may be met by: a) Taking the West-B exam, b) SAT minimum scores, c) ACT minimum scores. See the West-B webpage for details: wce.wwu.edu/admissions/west-b-requirement.
English composition course, completed with a B- or better
Three letters of recommendation
Reflective essay

For more details about program admission, please see the Frequently Asked Questions page at wce.wwu.edu/teop/teacher-education-outreach-programs.

Enrollment restrictions apply in all teacher education programs. Meeting the above criteria makes the applicant eligible for admission, but does not guarantee admission. Students who meet all criteria are further evaluated by the department to determine the most qualified applicants. Retention in the program requires continuous demonstration of competence in standard oral and written English in all coursework. Retention also requires maintenance of a 2.75 quarterly GPA for each quarter after admission. The State of Washington requires students to earn a “C” or better in all major endorsement and most education courses.

See the Teacher Education Outreach Programs section of this catalog for program admission, completion, and teacher certification requirements.

Advisement

Prospective elementary education students are invited to meet with an advisor for more information about the program (see above for site contacts). At all TEOP sites, the student advisor is the Academic Program Director. Students will be assisted and monitored by their advisors and their program coordinator on a regular basis throughout their program.

Grade Requirements

Students must earn a grade of C (2.0) or better in the elementary education professional program and in all courses required for the endorsement.

Requirements

Elementary Education Professional Program – Outreach Program: 98 credits

❑ ART 380 - Art Educating the Child Credits: 3
❑ SPED 301 - Educational Psychology I: Development and Individual Differences Credits: 4
❑ SPED 302 - Educational Psychology II: Motivation, Learning and Assessment Credits: 4
❑ ELED 310 - Education, Culture, and Equity Credits: 4
❑ ELED 372 - Introduction to Teaching Seminar Credits: 4
❑ ELED 373 - Introduction to Teaching - Practicum Credits: 1
❑ ELED 380 - Literacy I: Foundations Credits: 4
❑ ELED 426 - Social Studies Methods Credits: 4
❑ ELED 472 - Developing Teaching Seminar Credits: 3
❑ ELED 473 - Developing Teaching - Practicum Credits: 2
❑ ELED 474 - Documenting Teaching Seminar Credits: 3
❑ ELED 475 - Documenting Teaching - Practicum Credits: 2
❑ ELED 478 - Literacy: Fluent Communicators Seminar Credits: 4
❑ ELED 479 - Literacy: Fluent Communicators - Practicum Credits: 2
❑ ELED 494 - Internship - Elementary Credits: 2-16 (16 credits required)
❑ HLED 455 - Health Education Grades K-8 Credits: 2
❑ I T 344 - Foundations of Technology in Teaching and Learning Credits: 1
❑ I T 442 - Digital Decisions: Technology for Educators Credits: 3
❑ MATH 381 - Teaching K-8 Mathematics I Credits: 4
❑ MATH 382 - Teaching K-8 Mathematics II Credits: 4
❑ MATH 383 - Teaching K-8 Mathematics III Credits: 4
❑ MUS 361 - Music for Elementary Teachers Credits: 3
❑ PE 345 - Physical Education for Elementary School Credits: 3
❑ SCED 480 - Science Methods and Curriculum for the Elementary School Credits: 5
❑ SCED 490 - Laboratory/Field Experience in Elementary Science Credits: 3
❑ SPED 360 - Introduction to Special Education Credits: 4
❑ SPED 440 - Practicum I - General Education Credits: 1-4 (2 credits required)

Special Education (P-12) - Outreach Program

❑ SPED 466 - Assessment, Evaluation and IEP Credits: 4
❑ SPED 467 - Curriculum-Based Evaluation Credits: 4
❑ SPED 468 - Effective Collaboration with Families, Professionals and Community Credits: 4
❑ SPED 471 - Interventions for Learning and Achievement in a Diverse Classroom Credits: 4
❑ SPED 472 - Behavior Assessment and Intervention Credits: 4
❑ SPED 474 - Students With Complex Needs Credits: 4
❑ SPED 480 - Practicum III - Individual/Group Intervention, Reading Credits: 1-3 (2 credits required)
❑ SPED 481 - Practicum VI - Individual/Group Intervention, Written Expression Credits: 1-3 (can be taken for 2 or 3 credits)
❑ SPED 482 - Practicum VII - Individual/Group Intervention, Math Credits: 1-3 (2 credits required)
❑ SPED 483 - Reading Instruction for Students With Special Needs Credits: 4
❑ SPED 484 - Designing Written Expression Interventions Credits: 4
❑ SPED 485 - Designing Math Interventions Credits: 4
❑ Elective under advisement (optional):
SPED 470 - Violent and Aggressive Youth Credits: 3

University Graduation Requirements

General University Requirements 2016-17
Writing Proficiency Requirement (WP)
180 Minimum Total Credits
60 Minimum Upper Division Credits
Residency Requirement
Minimum Grade Requirements
Final Quarter Requirement