Apr 29, 2024  
2023-2024 Graduate Catalog 
    
2023-2024 Graduate Catalog

Exceptional Student Education (ESOL and Reading Endorsements), M.A.T.


College of Education  
Department: Language, Literacy, Ed.D., Exceptional Education, and Physical Education 

This Major shares core requirements with the Exceptional Student Education, M.A.  

 


The Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) is a graduate major in Special Education for individuals teaching with temporary certification and/or individuals who hold an undergraduate degree in an area other than Special Education. The major leads to certification in Exceptional Student Education (ESE) and endorsements in Reading and English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)*. Students can be admitted to the major during any semester throughout the year; however, the Special Education core course sequence begins in the fall. Students in the M.A.T. benefit from an integrated curriculum taught in six-hour blocks; mentors who are master teachers within the district that provide one-on-one mentoring for each major participant; and accelerated delivery of course content which allows for completion of the degree in one summer and four academic semesters. All students are required to conduct action research in their classrooms, investigating how they can more effectively use research-based interventions. This requires that students link theory and practice and encourages an inquiry approach to teaching.

*Students seeking to graduate from a state-approved teacher preparation program with embedded Reading and ESOL endorsements must attain passing scores on all portions of the Florida Teacher Certification Exam (FTCE).
Students who graduate prior to attaining passing scores on all portions of the FTCE will not receive the state-approved teacher preparation program with respective endorsements statement on their official transcript.

Admission Information

Must meet University Admission and English Proficiency requirements as well as requirements for admission to the major, listed below.

  • A letter of application that addresses why the candidate desires to pursue a master’s degree in education.
  • At least one letter of recommendation from a person who has observed the candidate teach and/or work with children and youth.

Curriculum Requirements


Total Minimum Hours: 48 Credit hours

  • Shared Core Requirements – 6 Credit Hours
  • Additional Required Courses – 30 Credit Hours
  • ESOL Required Courses - 6 Credit Hours
  • Internship Courses - 6 Credit Hours

Please be advised that program and/or course requirements are subject to change, per state legislative mandates, Florida State Department of Education program approval standards, and accreditation criteria.

Shared Core Requirements: (6 Credit Hours Minimum)


  • Credit Hours: 3
  • Credit Hours: 1-4 *
  •  

    *The successful completion of a comprehensive exam in the form of an action research project is required of all students in their final semester of the program and is completed while enrolled in EEX 6943 Practicum in Exceptional Student Education (3). If the student does not successfully complete the action research project in the last semester of the program, the student must pass 2 credit hours of EDG 6975 Project: Master’s/Specialist the following semester for a maximum of two attempts.

ESOL Requirements (6 Credit Hours)


NOTE: The special requirements for ESOL endorsement through infusion are as follows: Successful completion of (1) TSL 5085 , and TSL 5242 , with a minimum grade of 70% or better on all three sections of the ESOL Comprehensive Exam administered in the three ESOL courses; (2) a 20-hour early ESOL field experience in ESOL 1; 3 a late ESOL field experience where students plan, implement, and evaluate lessons for one or more ESOL students over a series of weeks; and 4 an ESOL folder, containing all assignments and test results from TSL 5085   and TSL 5242 .

Note: If a student obtains a state approved ESOL Endorsement prior to internship, consideration will be given to waiving TSL 5085  and TSL 5242  with the appropriate program and college approvals.

  • Credit Hours: 3
  • Credit Hours: 3
  •  

  • The special requirements for ESOL endorsement through infusion are as follows:
    Successful completion of:
    1.    The following three ESOL courses with a minimum grade of 70 percent or better on all three sections of the ESOL Comprehensive Exam administered in the three ESOL courses:

    • TSL 5085 - Theory and Practice of Teaching English Language Learners (3)
    • TSL 5242 - Language Principles, Acquisition & Assessment for English Language Learners (3);

    2.    A 20-hour early ESOL field experience in ESOL 1;
    3.    A late ESOL field experience where students plan, implement, and evaluate lessons for one or more ESOL students over a series of weeks; and
    4.    An ESOL folder, containing all assignments and test results from TSL 5085 and TSL 5242.

    NOTE: If a student obtains a state-approved ESOL Endorsement prior to internship, consideration will be given to waiving TSL 5085 and TSL 5242 with the appropriate program and college approvals

     

Internship (6 Credit Hours)


Comprehensive Exam


A project is required to fulfill the comprehensive examination requirement and is completed while enrolled in EEX 6943  Practicum in Exceptional Student Education (3).

Tests and Examinations


•    All students must pass the following examinations*:

o    Florida Teacher Certification Professional Education Test – must be passed prior to graduation.

o    Florida Teacher Certification ESE Subject Area Test – must be passed prior to graduation.

 *Students seeking to graduate from a state-approved teacher preparation program with embedded Reading and ESOL endorsements must attain passing scores on all portions of the Florida Teacher Certification Exam (FTCE).
Students who graduate prior to attaining passing scores on all portions of the FTCE will not receive the state-approved teacher preparation program with respective endorsements statement on their official transcript.

 

•    Practicum Requirements: All students are required to register for and complete 3 total hours of practicum (listed above under core requirements).   Students who are employed as an ESE-teacher, or as teaching assistant/paraprofessional may complete the practicum in the classroom where they are employed. Students who are not employed as a teacher or teaching assistant/paraprofessional will be placed in a classroom practicum setting with a mentor teacher in the local school district.


•    Internship Requirements: All students are required to complete a full-time semester long internship as a special education teacher in a K-12 classroom setting. The internship can be a supervised paid internship which an employed teacher can complete in his/her own classroom. If a student is not employed as a special education teacher, he/she must complete the internship (non-paid) in a supervising teacher’s (Professional Practice Partner) classroom.


•    Please be advised that program and/or course requirements are subject to change, per State legislative mandates, Florida State Department of Education program approval standards, and accreditation criteria.