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School of Teaching and Learning

Course Code
STL 226  Credits
Title Social Studies Content for Elementary Teachers 
Course Outline Course Outline 
Description In this course, students will receive background on the content of social studies with special emphases on the fields of geography, history, government and economics, which are the backbone of the elementary and middle school social studies curriculum. Other parts of the social studies will also be discussed. In addition, students will receive background on the history, government and culture of Minnesota's American Indian groups. 



Course Code
STL 230  Credits
Title Child Development and Learning for Teachers 
Course Outline Course Outline 
Description This course explores the growth, development and learning of children from conception through adolescence. This course examines influences on child development including culture, family, community, and policy and practices. The relationship between development and learning is explored along with implications for teaching.  



Course Code
STL 295  Credits
Title Foundations of Language and Literacy 
Course Outline Course Outline 
Description This course examines language and early literacy development in children from birth to age six. Emphasis is given to the relationship between language acquisition and early literacy, the impact of sociological and cultural factors on early literacy development, and the wide variety of home and school experiences that provide children with a solid foundation of success for learning to read and write. This course includes an introduction to the five pillars of reading, with a particular emphasis on phonemic awareness, phonics, and vocabulary. 



Course Code
STL 325  Credits
Title Principles of Inclusive and Responsive Teaching: Technology Emphasis 
Course Outline Course Outline 
Description This course will explore principles necessary for successful inclusion across elementary settings. Effective use of technology and assistive technology to support student needs will be a special emphasis of the course. The course will also cover communication strategies, working with English Language Learners, and other students with diverse needs in order to create inclusive educational environments. 



Course Code
STL 365  Credits
Title Responsive Teaching I: Learning Environments and Differentiation 
Prerequisite STL 325 
Course Outline Course Outline 
Description This course will focus on teaching students with diverse needs in a variety of settings. The course is designed for both regular and special educators to gain knowledge, skills, and dispositions related to best practices for teaching in inclusive environments – including a strong emphasis on differentiated instruction, universal design for learning and collaboration. This course serves as a methods course for education majors; therefore, an emphasis will be placed on students connecting theory to practice and strategies into teaching practice. 



Course Code
STL 380  Credits
Title Models of Teaching and Assessment 
Prerequisite STL 325 
Course Outline Course Outline 
Description Teacher candidates will learn how assessment and instruction are tied together in providing appropriate instruction based on student need. Models of teaching will be studied and lesson plans will be developed using a variety of instructional models. Candidates will be introduced to principles and methods of effective and appropriate assessment that apply to children grades K-6 and across multiple subject areas. Additionally, in this course, the candidate continues to develop an understanding of how students learn and how students develop intellectually, socially, and emotionally via differentiation and classroom environment supports. Candidates will continue to consider the need for adapting instruction to meet individualized learning needs. 



Course Code
STL 390  Credits 1-3 
Title Topics in STL 
Course Outline Course Outline 
Description This is an upper division topical course which may be repeated when the topic changes. 



Course Code
STL 395  Credits
Title Literacy Methods I 
Prerequisite STL 295 
Course Outline Course Outline 
Description This course focuses on methods of literacy instruction for teaching children in preschool to grade three. Emphasis is placed on instructional strategies to support readers and writers across the five pillars of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension) within a comprehensive literacy framework. This course builds upon the content and concepts related to the five pillars introduced in STL 295. Further, this course includes a strong emphasis on the role of assessment in the teaching and learning process and exposes candidates to a variety of literacy assessments. 



Course Code
STL 441  Credits
Title Children's Literature: Content and Methods 
Prerequisite SPED 225, STL 395  
Course Outline Course Outline 
Description This course requires close reading and study of children's literature--folktales, myth, hero tales, picture books, poetry, modern fantasy, informational text and realism. Emphasis is placed on the nature of children's literature, literature from diverse cultures, criteria for selection, and strategies for reading/teaching literature as a content field in the elementary school.  



Course Code
STL 452E  Credits 1-2 
Title Senior Level Field Experience 
Prerequisite Successful completion of all previous practicum experiences.  
Course Outline Course Outline 
Description Supervised field experience for Elementary Inclusive Education students. This experience takes place the semester just before student teaching. Students will demonstrate proficiency in knowledge, skills and dispositions needed to successfully student teach the following semester. 



Course Code
STL 465  Credits
Title Responsive Teaching II: Collaboration and Team Decision Making 
Prerequisite STL 365; STL 395; STL 380; STL 495; STL 476; MATH 406 
Course Outline Course Outline 
Description Students will be expected to apply principles of effective inclusive environments in authentic settings and reflect upon their practices. An emphasis of the course will be collaboration, parent and professional relationships, and making decisions as a team to meet the needs of individual learners in inclusive settings. Students will have extensive opportunities to plan differentiated lessons considering needs outlined in Individualized Education Plans and using grade-level content standards 



Course Code
STL 474  Credits
Title Methods in Teaching Elementary Science and Environmental Education 
Course Outline Course Outline 
Description Methods course for teaching science and environment education in elementary settings. Emphasizes inquiry learning, methods of instruction and assessment, place-based environmental education, integration across the curriculum, safety, and responsiveness to student diversity. Recommended Corequisite: STL 476



Course Code
STL 475  Credits
Title Teaching Reading and Writing Grades 4-6 
Course Outline Course Outline 
Description Methods course for teaching language arts in the intermediate grades. In this course candidates will learn strategies to strengthen students' ability to read advanced texts as well as the use of reading and writing to learn content across the curriculum. Candidates will examine a variety of instructional approaches, including: literature circles, integrating literature into content learning, and building comprehension and vocabulary through integrated experiences. In addition, students will explore a variety of language arts curricula. Candidates will develop a range of strategies to support older students' reading and writing development through a response to intervention instructional approach. 



Course Code
STL 476  Credits
Title Methods for Teaching Elementary Social Studies 
Course Outline Course Outline 
Description Content, philosophy, and organization of social studies program; methods of instruction and curricular issues. Recommended Co-requisite STL 474



Course Code
STL 480  Credits
Title Advanced Models of Teaching and Assessment 
Prerequisite STL 380 
Course Outline Course Outline 
Description In this course teacher candidates will build upon their knowledge of the teaching and learning cycle introduced in coursework throughout their program. Candidates will plan lessons which incorporate deep student engagement, inclusive teaching strategies, and appropriate formative and summative assessment practices. Lesson plans will focus on classroom standards and lesson objectives with consideration given to learner needs. Candidates will implement their lesson plans in their placement classroom with the opportunity to analyze and reflect upon their instruction. The course is taken concurrently with an extensive field placement in order to allow students to demonstrate proficiency in utilizing the teaching and learning cycle. The course will also place continued emphasis on collaboration and team-planning for meeting individual learner needs. 



Course Code
STL 481E  Credits 8-16 
Title Student Teaching: Elementary 
Course Outline Course Outline 
Description Supervised student teaching experience in an elementary school setting. Includes weekly seminar. 



Course Code
STL 482  Credits
Title Behavior, Trauma, and Mental Health in the Classroom 
Prerequisite STL 325 
Course Outline Course Outline 
Writing Intensive Yes  
Description This course will focus on developing an understanding of trauma in children as well as other childhood experiences manifesting in challenging school behaviors. The course will also provide teacher candidates with strategies to address challenging behaviors, trauma, and mental health in school-age children and youth. Candidates will be challenged to reflect on their own biases and interpretation of behavior and will develop a plan for their own self-care for continuing professional growth. 



Course Code
STL 490  Credits 1-3 
Title Topics in School of Teaching and Learning 
Course Outline Course Outline 
Description This is an upper division topical course which may be repeated when the topic changes. 



Course Code
STL 495  Credits
Title Literacy Methods II 
Prerequisite STL 230, STL 295, STL 395  
Course Outline Course Outline 
Description This is a methods course for teaching language arts in grades 4-6. In this course candidates will learn strategies to strengthen students' ability to read advanced texts as well as the use of reading and writing to learn content across the curriculum. Candidates will examine a variety of instructional approaches, including: literature circles, integrating literature into content learning, and building comprehension and vocabulary through integrated experiences. In addition, students will explore a variety of language arts curricula. Candidates will develop a range of strategies to support older students' reading and writing development through a response to intervention instructional approach. 



Course Code
STL 497  Credits 1-3 
Title Independent Study in STL 
Course Outline Course Outline 
Description Independent study in the School of Teaching and Learning.