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Initial Teacher Certification - Early Childhood / Elementary Education (ECE) Program: PreK-4th Grade
The skills that students learn in the early childhood period are absolutely critical for their later success in elementary school. Participants in our Early Childhood Education program will acquire the knowledge and skills they need to help young children excel in a variety of pre-school and elementary education settings. To this end, the Early Childhood Education program at Temple offers:
- Coursework on the cognitive, social and emotional development of children in the age range of 3 to 9 (prekindergarten to 4th grade); Teachers can be most effective when they really understand the minds of young children – what they can understand, how they learn, and what motivates them.
- Coursework on language and literacy; courses cover state-of-the-art research on how spoken language in the early years serves as a foundation for learning reading skills and how reading fluency develops and is promoted by effective, evidence-based teaching strategies.
- Coursework on students with special needs; four courses on special education strategies provide a comprehensive and excellent foundation for promoting achievement in all students in the classrooms. Participants can also earn a special education teaching certificate in the fifth year after completing the Early Childhood Education program in four years to be even more successful and marketable.
- Coursework on English Language Learners (ELLs); In 2007, the Census Bureau reported that 13% of the population were born outside of the United States; in Philadelphia, one in 10 students are classified as ELL. Teachers need effective strategies for promoting the achievement of their students with limited English proficiency.
- Courses that emphasize the challenges of teaching and learning in urban environments; Graduates of our program are equipped to teach in a variety of school settings and understand how families, communities, and cultures influence school achievement.
Contact Information
If you have additional questions about this program, please contact:
Cathleen Soundy, Associate Professor
email: cathleen.soundy@temple.edu
phone: (215) 204-6129
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