About the Program
The Citadel’s MEd in Literacy Education is your opportunity to learn the most effective ways to support students’ literacy development while improving your understanding of how best to support multi-language learners. In this program you will learn how literacy and language development are interrelated, as well as how composition and discipline-specific inquiry are related to language and literacy development. Your understanding of literacy will be grounded in research on phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, reading comprehension, orthography (spelling), and writing processes, as well as explorations of the influence of content-area, background knowledge, and cultural identity on language and literacy development. In short, the MEd in Literacy Education at The Citadel supports language and literacy instruction through the lens of culturally relevant and sustaining pedagogies.
Program Learning Outcomes: Skills and Knowledge
Our program is supported by the International Literacy Association’s 2017 Standards for Literacy Professionals, which are restated here:
- Foundational Knowledge: Candidates demonstrate knowledge of the theoretical, historical, and evidence-based foundations of literacy and language and the ways in which they interrelate and the role of literacy professionals in schools.
- Curriculum and Instruction: Candidates use foundational knowledge to critique and implement literacy curricula to meet the needs of all learners and to design, implement, and evaluate evidence-based literacy instruction for all learners.
- Assessment and Evaluation: Candidates understand, select, and use valid, reliable, fair, and appropriate assessment tools to screen, diagnose, and measure student literacy achievement; inform instruction and evaluate interventions; participate in professional learning experiences; explain assessment results and advocate for appropriate literacy practices to relevant stakeholders.
- Diversity and Equity: Candidates demonstrate knowledge of research, relevant theories, pedagogies, essential concepts of diversity and equity; demonstrate and provide opportunities for understanding all forms of diversity as central to students’ identities; create classrooms and schools that are inclusive and affirming; advocate for equity at school, district, and community levels.
- Learners and the Literacy Environment: Candidates meet the developmental needs of all learners and collaborate with school personnel to use a variety of print and digital materials to engage and motivate all learners; integrate digital technologies in appropriate, safe, and effective ways; foster a positive climate that supports a literacy-rich learning environment.
- Professional Learning and Leadership: Candidates recognize the importance of, participate in, and facilitate ongoing professional learning as part of career-long leadership roles and responsibilities.
- Practicum/Clinical Experiences (for specialized literacy professionals only): Candidates apply theory and best practice in multiple supervised practicum/clinical experiences
Tracks or Concentrations
- Coursework leading to the Read2Succeed Literacy Teacher
- Add-on Endorsement
- Coursework leading to state certification in ESOL
Modalities of Instruction
- Online, Synchronous (Scheduled Meeting Times)
- Hybrid
- Online, Asynchronous (On Demand)
Aspirational Career Sector
61. Education