Overview
The Department of Teaching and Learning offers a major in Elementary/Exceptional Student Education (ESE) that leads to certification in Elementary Education (K-6) and ESE (K-12) with ESOL and Reading endorsements. The requirements for Elementary Education/ESE are a major in Elementary Education/ESE and a minor in an area other than teacher education.
Requirements for Graduation
Bachelor of Science in Education
I. Candidates for B.S.Ed. in the School of Education and Human Development must complete the credit hours of work and achieve the quality grade point average specified for students in the University at large as stated in the section ACADEMIC REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES, subject to regulations concerning the major specified in departmental and program sections of this Bulletin.
Exemption
Exempted is interpreted to refer exclusively to those exemptions provided under the following headings:
- Advanced Standing and Placement (Credit Hour Granted)
- Credit by Examination
- Advanced Placement (by proficiency examination)
- Statement of Foreign Language Requirements
Florida Teacher Certification Examinations (FTCE)
Students must pass the Professional Education Test (PET), General Knowledge Test (GKT) and Subject Area Examination (SAE) tests of the Florida Teacher Certification Examinations (FTCE). See the Florida Department of Education website for the latest teacher exam requirements.
Support in passing the (GKT) and the (PET) is provided through two zero-credit courses, TAL 306 and TAL 429. Online modules provide support for the various SAE tests.
Credit Only
Only free electives or zero-credit courses may be taken under this option. Core courses which satisfy the major, minor, the distributions of the School, the General Education Requirements of the University or any course for which a C or better is required may not be taken for credit only.
Transfer Credit
Transferred credit hours may not count toward the completion of a major without the approval of the TAL Teacher Preparation Program Director. See your Cane Navigator for assistance with submitting a syllabus or required documents for transfer evaluation.
Required Areas of Study
First-Year Writing 3 – 6 credit hours
Students fulfill this requirement by satisfactorily completing WRS 105 and WRS 106 or its equivalent. Appropriate Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) scores in English composition may be used to satisfy the WRS 105/WRS 106 requirement. An appropriate score on the SAT or ACT verbal examination may earn a student exemption from, but not credit hour in, WRS 105.
Appropriate scores on other tests determined by the Department of Writing Studies in the College of Arts & Sciences may earn a student exemption from, but not credit hour in, WRS 105. Courses satisfying the requirement may not be used to fulfill the Writing Across the Curriculum Required Area of Study.
Mathematics
B.S.Ed. degree candidates must complete MTH 113 or higher. Students who do not place directly into MTH 113 must enroll in either MTH O99 or MTH 101 based on the results of the ALEKS placement tests. Once students have started the math sequence, they must complete it as outlined in the Bulletin. They cannot skip or alter the sequence to accelerate their progression.
Foreign Languages (not applicable)
Areas of Knowledge and Cognate Requirements
The University of Miami’s General Education requirements ensure that graduates have acquired essential intellectual skills and have engaged a range of academic disciplines. All new students will fulfill the General Education requirements by selecting a Cognate, which is a cluster of courses arranged by their content, field and interest.
- A cognate is a group of at least three related courses for at least nine 9 credit hours.
- The courses in a cognate are related in a topical, thematic, interdisciplinary, sequential, or other such fashion, so that completion of a cognate provides coherent depth of knowledge in the area.
- The student must take three cognates to fulfill the Areas of Knowledge requirement,
- one in the Arts & Humanities (A&H)
- one in People & Society (P&S), which is satisfied by the Elementary Education/ESE major and
- one in Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM).
- Each cognate has course options that allow students to complete the cognate in ways that meet their individual interests, while staying within the coherent focus of the cognate.
- In addition to the cognates that have been designed by faculty, each major and minor fulfills the cognate requirement in one area.
- Exercise Physiology majors will fulfill the STEM cognate.
- Sport Administration, Community and Applied Psychological Studies, and Elementary/ESE majors will fulfill the P&S cognate.
- An approved list of cognates can be found on the University of Miami website.
Advanced Writing and Communication Skills
Every student majoring in Teaching and Learning, will meet the Advanced Writing and Communication Requirement upon fulfillment of their major courses. These courses have a prerequisite requirement of WRS 105 and WRS 106 and will be identified as either writing intensive or as an oral/verbal communication proficiency course or both. Digital competency for both written and oral competencies will be assessed. Writing intensive courses require a minimum of 2500 written words; assignments will be assessed for analytical ability, synthesis of information, grammar, content and style. Courses designated as an oral/verbal proficiency class will provide students an opportunity to demonstrate their presentation skills using accurate standard English structure and syntax, non-verbal cues and gestures, as well as audience appropriate language. Courses for the TAL Major which meet the Advanced Writing and Communication Skills Requirement are TAL 332, TAL 428, and TAL 480.
Majors
Every candidate for the B.S.Ed. degree in the Department of Teaching and Learning must choose a major in Elementary/ESE with ESOL and Reading endorsements.
Minors
Every candidate for a B.S. Ed. in Elementary Education/ESE must select a minor in an area of than teacher education.
Electives
Electives may be chosen from any courses offered by the University. The student should consult a Cane Navigator regarding financial aid implications before selecting elective courses. At least six 6 credit hours must be at the 300-level or above. Students may select elective course credits beyond the major, minor and general education requirements to complete a total of 120 credits required for the degree.
Note: Common prerequisites and total length for state-approved teacher education programs are subject to revision based on legislative and State of Florida Department of Education rule changes.
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major Requirements | ||
| TAL 103 | Psychological Foundations of Education | 3 |
| MTH 113 | Finite Mathematics (MTH 113 or higher) | 3 |
| TAL 305 | Classroom and Behavior Management | 3 |
| TAL 306 | Teacher Preparation Seminar I | 0 |
| TAL 308 | Language Development for Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Children | 3 |
| TAL 322 | Mathematics Instruction in the Elementary School | 4 |
| TAL 323 | Interdisciplinary Methods in the Content Areas | 3 |
| TAL 330 | Introduction to the Education of Exceptional Individuals | 3 |
| TAL 332 | Assessment of Exceptional Students | 3 |
| TAL 420 | Introduction to Literacy, Assessment, and Instruction in Elementary School | 3 |
| TAL 426 | Practicum in Reading | 3 |
| TAL 428 | ESOL Curriculum and Methods and Assessments | 3 |
| TAL 429 | Teacher Preparation Seminar II | 0 |
| TAL 432 | Inclusive Models of Teaching | 3 |
| TAL 434 | Specialized Instructional Strategies/Transition | 3 |
| TAL 470 | Supervised Teaching Experience | 12 |
| TAL 480 | Seminar On Teaching | 3 |
| General Education Requirements | ||
| Written Communication Skills: | ||
| WRS 105 | First-Year Writing I | 3 |
| WRS 106 | First-Year Writing II | 3 |
| or ENG 106 | Writing About Literature and Culture | |
| Quantitative Skills: | ||
| MTH 101 | Algebra for College Students (Fulfils Quantitative Skills Requirements) | 3 |
| Areas of Knowledge: | ||
| Arts and Humanities Cognate | 9 | |
| People & Society Cognate (9 credits) (fulfilled through the major) | ||
| STEM Cognate | 9 | |
| Other Required Courses | ||
| Minor | 15 | |
| General Elective | 24 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 121 | |
- *
Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses in their major.
Suggested Plan of Study
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| TAL 103 | Psychological Foundations of Education | 3 |
| WRS 105 | First-Year Writing I | 3 |
| MTH 101 | Algebra for College Students | 3 |
| Arts and Humanities Cognate | 3 | |
| STEM or General Elective | 3 | |
| UMX 101 | 0 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| TAL 330 | Introduction to the Education of Exceptional Individuals | 3 |
| TAL 308 | Language Development for Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Children | 3 |
| TAL 306 | Teacher Preparation Seminar I (online component) | 0 |
| MTH 113 | Finite Mathematics | 3 |
| WRS 106 | First-Year Writing II | 3 |
| STEM Cognate | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| TAL 332 | Assessment of Exceptional Students | 3 |
| TAL 322 | Mathematics Instruction in the Elementary School | 4 |
| Arts and Humanities Cognate | 3 | |
| STEM Cognate | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| TAL 323 | Interdisciplinary Methods in the Content Areas | 3 |
| TAL 420 | Introduction to Literacy, Assessment, and Instruction in Elementary School | 3 |
| STEM Cognate | 3 | |
| Arts and Humanities Cognate | 3 | |
| Minor or General Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| TAL 426 | Practicum in Reading | 3 |
| TAL 432 | Inclusive Models of Teaching | 3 |
| Minor | 3 | |
| Minor | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| TAL 305 | Classroom and Behavior Management | 3 |
| TAL 428 | ESOL Curriculum and Methods and Assessments | 3 |
| TAL 434 | Specialized Instructional Strategies/Transition | 3 |
| TAL 429 | Teacher Preparation Seminar II (online component) | 0 |
| Minor | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| TAL 470 | Supervised Teaching Experience | 12 |
| TAL 480 | Seminar On Teaching | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 121 | |
Additional Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major Requirements (52 Credits) | ||
| TAL 103 | Psychological Foundations of Education | 3 |
| TAL 305 | Classroom and Behavior Management | 3 |
| MTH 113 | Finite Mathematics (MTH 113 or higher) | 3 |
| TAL 306 | Teacher Preparation Seminar I | 0 |
| TAL 308 | Language Development for Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Children | 3 |
| TAL 322 | Mathematics Instruction in the Elementary School | 4 |
| TAL 323 | Interdisciplinary Methods in the Content Areas | 3 |
| TAL 330 | Introduction to the Education of Exceptional Individuals | 3 |
| TAL 332 | Assessment of Exceptional Students | 3 |
| TAL 420 | Introduction to Literacy, Assessment, and Instruction in Elementary School | 3 |
| TAL 426 | Practicum in Reading | 3 |
| TAL 428 | ESOL Curriculum and Methods and Assessments | 3 |
| TAL 429 | Teacher Preparation Seminar II | 0 |
| TAL 432 | Inclusive Models of Teaching | 3 |
| TAL 434 | Specialized Instructional Strategies/Transition | 3 |
| TAL 470 | Supervised Teaching Experience | 12 |
| TAL 480 | Seminar On Teaching | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 55 | |
* If students have a certain score on SAT/ACT, they can waive GKT; but they do need to complete PET, SAE-ESE K-12, and SAE-Elem Ed K-6.
Mission
The mission of the University of Miami (UM) School of Education and Human Development is to prepare the next generation of leaders, researchers, and agents of change and well-being in education and the community. The Department of Teaching and Learning (TAL) is the unit that oversees all Teacher Preparation Programs at UM.
Goals
The goal of the Teacher Preparation Programs in the Department of Teaching & Learning is to prepare University of Miami students to teach K-12 students in Elementary Education/Exceptional Student Education with ESOL & Reading Endorsement. The major, once completed, leads to eligibility for the State of Florida's Professional Teaching Certification.
Professional Conduct
The Florida Department of Education is the accrediting body for the Elementary Education/Exceptional Student Education program in the Department of Teaching and Learning. To successfully complete the program, students are expected to demonstrate mastery of the six (6) Florida Educator Accomplished Practices (FEAPs). These practices represent Florida’s expectations for effective educators and guide instructional personnel evaluation and professional learning systems, educator preparation programs, and educator certification. FEAP (6A-5.065) addresses “Professional Responsibility and Ethical Conduct" and applies to pre-service and in-service educators.
Additionally, the department’s expectations for professional conduct are outlined in its Professionalism Agreement. Through this agreement, students affirm their understanding of the principles, standards, and values that guide their behavior in the classroom and in the required field-based experiences, including interactions with partner institutions, teaching professionals, and their students. If the department determines that a student has not fully met these expectations, the department may initiate dismissal proceedings from the program, as compliance with Florida’s Educator Accomplished Practices (FEAP) is required for continuation and graduation. For more detailed information about the FEAPs, please visit: https://www.fldoe.org/teaching/professional-dev/the-fl-educator-accomplished-practices.stml
Student Learning Outcomes
- Outcome 1: Students in the Elementary/Exceptional Student Education with ESOL & Reading Endorsement Program will demonstrate in-depth knowledge in their area of specialization by correctly answering 80% of the questions on the Florida Teacher Certification Examinations (FTCE) by the time they graduate.
- Outcome 2: Students will demonstrate proficiency in differentiating instruction for diverse students, including linguistically diverse students and those with disabilities, as demonstrated by a grade of 85% or higher on the Differentiating Instruction for Diverse Students (DIDS) project rubric.
- Outcome 3: Students will demonstrate "effectiveness" (i.e., a 3 out of 4) in teaching practices by the end of their student teaching experience, as measured by the Instructional Performance Evaluation and Growth System (IPEGS).
- Outcome 4: To meet the Advanced Writing and Communication requirement, students will demonstrate effective, professional written communication to parents concerning student progress in response to an intervention implemented in the classroom.
