This course will address a specific area of study in early childhood not already covered by other course offerings. Prerequisites vary by topic.

This course will provide emphasis on developing a deep understanding of typical and atypical human development, emotional and social development, and major theories of learning in early childhood settings, from birth to age eight. Course content includes the various areas of exceptionality in terms of causes, characteristics, and individual differences related to cultural and language diversity and the educational implications for these children. Specific intervention strategies for adapting the learning environment and modifying instruction to make the classroom and curriculum accessible to all children, through inclusion and self-contained placements of those with special education needs. Teacher candidates will learn how developmental delays, health and educational issues infants and young children are identified. Planning for family support, involvement, and understanding how a child with a disability impacts the family system is addressed. Strategies and techniques for ameliorating delays and facilitating academic and functional integration of children with disabilities in various settings are included. Teacher candidates will learn about their role and responsibilities as a general and special education early childhood educator when working with students with diverse abilities in both collaborative, co-teaching relationships in general and special education settings.

This course covers typical and atypical speech and language development of young children, birth to age eight. The course presents a broad range of techniques that parents, caregivers and teachers can use to foster speech and language development. Specific language disorders and remedial strategies are covered. Adaptive and assistive technology for facilitating and ameliorating delays in language are observed and practiced, as well as using technology to access and manage information. In addition, second language acquisition, as well as culturally unbiased assessments and procedures are analyzed. A complete schedule of clinic/lab experiences will be distributed in class.

This course will address a specific area of study in early childhood not already covered by other course offerings. Prerequisites vary by topic.

Teacher candidates will learn how to design and plan appropriate Early Childhood classroom environments taking into consideration the health, safety, and nutritional needs of both typically and atypically developing young children ages birth-age 8. To ensure the health and well-being of each child, content includes responsibilities of adults to model and teach healthy and safe habits, understand treatment of childhood illnesses and injuries that meet required state standards. The development of the classroom environment will also include planning for safe and stimulus-rich indoor and outdoor environments. Teacher candidates will be designing curriculum and planning lessons and activities in the 6 domains of affective, aesthetic, cognitive, communication, motor, and social, to promote learning and development in those areas. Teacher candidates will become knowledgeable about choosing materials and instructional strategies to accommodate and plan for young children with disabilities and young children from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. The study of play-based learning and assessment for young children, maintaining records, classroom management, and the importance of establishing daily routines/schedules will be included. Teacher candidates will have the opportunity to study, develop and implement developmentally appropriate functional/adaptive, and academic curricula which meet the Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education standards.

In this course, teacher candidates will learn to assess children's cognitive, social-emotional, motor and sensory-motor, communication, adaptive and academic skills through a variety of techniques, including observation, informal and formal instruments, and family member interviews. Culture and bias-free instruments and procedures are presented along with adaptation assessments for children with disabilities and those children who may be identified as gifted. Teacher candidates will have the opportunity to test, interpret results, present the results in a team setting and collaborative develop a learning plan. The different purposes of assessment (screening, pre-referral, referral, classification, instructional planning and progress evaluation) as well as the due process rights and procedures will be analyzed. A complete schedule of clinic/lab experiences will be distributed in class.

This course teaches methods and techniques for working with typically and atypically developing infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Developmentally appropriate methods and materials for teaching young children ages birth - 5 are presented along with interventions and adaptive technology available for children with disabilities, children from diverse cultures, and second language learners. Essential topics in the course include: family involvement, home settings, natural environments, health, safety, medical issues, transitions, as well as fostering age-appropriate motor, language/communication, social/emotional, self-help, and cognitive skills in early childhood learning domains. Teacher candidates will learn and plan instructional strategies for implementing learning activities embedded in the child's daily routine. Teacher candidates will learn strategies for integrating children with exceptional needs within various settings and for using varying levels of complexity to engage all children. Teacher candidates will develop skills of appropriate adult/child interaction and instruction with young children while developing professionalism and competence as future teachers. This course includes a clinical/lab experience designed to provide candidates with an understanding of the development of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers through observations, planning and providing individual or small-group instruction.

This course teaches methods and techniques for working with typical and atypical infants and toddlers. Natural environments and home settings are stressed. Medical issues, health, nutrition, and safety issues will be covered as well as fostering motor, self-help, language, social/emotional and cognitive skills. Teacher candidates will have the opportunity to observe screenings and the development of the IFSP. In addition, teacher candidates will learn strategies for implementing learning activities embedded in the child's daily routine. Transition issues and procedures are also presented. This course includes a clinical/lab experience designed to provide candidates with an understanding of the development of infants and toddlers through participation in hands-on learning experiences in infant and toddler settings. Teacher candidates will facilitate small group lessons and experience, first-hand, the construction of knowledge. Teacher candidates will develop an awareness of appropriate adult/child interaction while developing professionalism and overall competence as future teachers. A complete schedule of clinic/lab experiences will be distributed in class.

Early literacy development and its relationship to a child's oral language are explored. The role of developmentally appropriate children's literature, vocabulary development and prior experience, and the use of print in the classroom are covered. Teacher candidates will learn the importance of early phonemic awareness, phonics, reading comprehension, and spelling development and acquire strategies to assess and teach reading literacy skills. Research based methods for teaching reading and writing in the early grades are taught and practiced in an early childhood classroom setting. Candidates will learn reading assessments and apply the knowledge when students have difficulty with reading and/or writing and utilize strategies for remediation. Specific techniques for children with disabilities, for children from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, and for gifted will be emphasized. A complete schedule of clinic/lab experiences will be distributed in class.

The development of mathematical thinking in young children is included in this course. Integrating developmentally appropriate mathematical experiences include number development, the relationship of more, less, and the same, estimation, counting, numeral recognition, pattern recognition, manipulative modeling, algebra, geometry and probability. Methods and activities for teaching number systems, measurement, spatial relationships, data collection and computation are presented. Teacher candidates will have the opportunity to develop and implement lessons which increase students' ability to apply mathematical skills in a variety of contexts. Specific techniques for children with disabilities, children from diverse cultures and children considered gifted are explored. A complete schedule of clinic/lab experiences will be distributed in class.

This course will cover methods and strategies for promoting scientific knowledge and inquiry in young children. Developmentally appropriate activities for exploring social sciences and the fine arts (visual arts, music, drama and dance) are also investigated. Approaches and activities for integrating these learning experiences with experiences in other content areas are emphasized. This course will present adaptive strategies and techniques for children with disabilities, children from diverse cultures and children considered gifted. A complete schedule of clinic/lab experiences will be distributed in class.

This course will address a specific area of study in early childhood not already covered by other course offerings. Prerequisites vary by topic.

This course is a supervised practicum to provide teacher candidates more extensive clinical experience working with early childhood children and their families (birth to age 3). Candidates observe, plan and implement activities for birth to age 3 typical and atypical infants and toddlers over the course of a semester or summer. Settings may include hospitals, homes, daycare settings, early intervention or community centers and more. Teacher candidates have the opportunity to observe occupational, physical and speech therapists working with young children and their families, including those from diverse cultures. This course requires the clinical component to be a minimum of 50 hours. A complete schedule of clinic/lab experiences will be distributed in class.

This course is a supervised practicum to provide teacher candidates more extensive clinical experience working with early childhood children 3-5 years of age. Candidates plan and implement lesson plan units for individual children and small groups which allow for individual differences and special needs, language and cultural diversity, and which incorporate varying levels of complexity to include all students. Settings may include Early Childhood Special Education classrooms, blended ECS classrooms, and daycare or nursery school settings which include children with special needs. Continued interaction and support for families is stressed. This course requires the clinical component to be a minimum of 50 hours. A complete schedule of clinic/lab experiences will be distributed in class.

This course is a supervised practicum to provide teacher candidates with extensive clinical experience working with young children in Early Childhood programs from Infants/Toddlers, Preschool and Kindergarten - 3rd-grade settings and their families. Candidates observe, plan, and implement activities for typically and atypically developing children and those from diverse cultures, over the 16-week session. Settings may include daycare, preschool, early intervention, or elementary school settings. Teacher candidates will have the opportunity to observe occupational, physical and speech therapists working with young children and their families. This course requires the clinical component to be a minimum of 36 hours.

This course is a supervised practicum to provide teacher candidates more extensive clinical experience working with early childhood children 5-8 years of age. Candidates will be assigned a kindergarten, first or second grade classroom, or a self-contained primary special education classroom. Candidates will plan and implement lesson plan units in math and reading and will utilize formal and informal assessments to inform their planning and teaching. This course requires the clinical component to be a minimum of 50 hours. A complete schedule of clinic/lab experiences will be distributed in class.

Student teaching is the capstone experience of Aurora University's School of Education. It is the culminating experience for teacher candidates. Teacher candidates will be responsible for directing the learning of a group of students under the competent supervision of a licensed teacher. The student is guided through experiences designed to apply the knowledge and skill gained in the classroom. In essence, the student performs major instructional responsibilities of a classroom teacher with appropriate assignments and supervision. The early childhood student teaching experience will encompass two distinct placements: birth to 4 years of age and K-3. Students will be expected to successfully complete the ISBE (Illinois State Board of Education) requirement of an edTPA to fulfill the requirements of the course. (Fall and Spring).

Additional fee required

This seminar meets in conjunction with student teaching and is required for all early childhood education majors. (Fall and Spring)

This course will address a specific area of study in early childhood not already covered by other course offerings. Prerequisites vary by topic.