Multiple Subject Literacy Certification

Briefly describe the process (i.e., committee established, specific faculty review committee  work, academic senate approval, etc.) used to review the program to ensure alignment with the  new literacy instruction standards and teaching performance expectations. If this process  differed by pathway, please describe the process for each pathway. Note who was involved in  this effort. Institutions may respond with a table indicating each pathway. The following table  provides an example of how this information could be provided.

A team of literacy experts among the SDSU faculty in the School of Teacher Education and the Department of Dual Language and English Learner Education was established to review multiple subject credential program pathways to ensure alignment with the new literacy instruction standards and teaching performance expectations. This literacy working group was chaired by Dr. Sera Hernández, and included Dr. Kelly Johnson and Dr. Ixchel Samson. Collectively, the committee brings decades of teaching literacy across PK-12 settings, including early literacy, literacy in multilingual classrooms and with students with special needs. The literacy working group met weekly for several months to become familiar with the expectations around SB 488, the new standards and TPE’s, and the aligned literacy performance assessment. This included identifying where the state content and literacy resources were included in the program of study (e.g., CCSS, ELD Standards, ELA/ELD framework), identifying gaps in resources (e.g., California Dyslexia Standards), revisiting the overarching literacy goals California has established for its P-12 students, the guiding principles and circles of implementation from the ELA/ELD standards which are leverage the new literacy standard and TPEs. This included referencing other important state documents such as the California Preschool Curriculum Framework, California’s Dyslexia Guidelines, the California English Learner Roadmap, and the Guide to Understanding California MTSS, among others. 

The team also reviewed the “Resource Guide on Preparing Teachers for Effective Literacy Instruction“ that was released on June 2, 2022 by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing to ensure that the program pathways built on what the program was doing well related to SB 488 and revising or enhancing where needed to include the study of effective means of teaching literacy through an “evidence-based means of teaching foundational reading skills and print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics, word recognition, and fluency to all pupils, including tiered supports for pupils with reading difficulties, English learners, and pupils with exceptional needs” (from SB 488). The literacy working group team understands the need for the state’s efforts to elevate the explicit teaching of foundational skill as critical to student academic success, while acknowledging (as does the CCTC), that these skills are foundational but not sufficient to a comprehensive literacy approach and program. 

This review of the program included reviewing course syllabi, clinical practice opportunities and assessments, and clinical practice handboooks.The lead of the committee, Dr. Hernández, and Dr. Nina Potter, SDSU College of Education’s Director of Accreditation, Program Review and Assessment, met to ensure that TPE 7 was reflected in teacher candidate assessments, specifically the TPE Rubric used by supervisors during clinical practice to observe and evaluate teacher candidates’ level of growth across all TPEs. This also included the revision of SDSU’s Clinical Practice Walkthrough Observation #2 to include screening for dyslexia and a foundational skill intervention lesson in conjunction with the Case Study Assignment, and the revision of SDSU’s Clinical Practice Walkthrough Observation #3 to include a language development / Designated ELD focus with the opportunity to plan, teach and assess a small group of English Learners. 

Describe how the program has ensured that faculty teaching the literacy instruction courses understand the requirements in SB 488, the new standards and TPEs, and the evidence base supporting them. If this response differs by pathway, please respond for each pathway. 

SDSU’s literacy working group for multiple subject pathways ensured that faculty teaching the literacy instruction courses understood the requirements in SB 488, the new standards and TPEs, and the evidence-based supporting them in a variety of ways. The literacy working group includes faculty that teach the literacy courses. The team prepared for the program review and certification process by reading the literacy standard and TPEs and viewing and discussing the CCTC Webinars “Examining the Literacy Standard & TPEs for SB 488 Certification.” Each member also participated in modules and viewed webinars offered through the CCTC and CDE on literacy instruction. The lead of the literacy working group also attended office hours offered by CAR/W to ask questions and get clarity about the process where needed. The faculty in the literacy working group then met with the additional instructors of the literacy courses to share resources, modules, and other relevant information to meet the state’s literacy requirements for teacher preparation programs. The literacy standard and TPEs were also shared with all faculty during a summer 2024 faculty retreat, as the responsibility to address these competencies is a collective effort across the program.

Describe how the institution/program has provided opportunities for faculty teaching these courses to engage in professional learning to ensure that they are prepared to teach new content as required by SB 488, the standards, and the performance expectations. If none has been provided to date, provide information about the implementation plan for specific professional development and learning that will take place. If these responses differ by pathway, please respond for each pathway. 

SDSU has supported the literacy working group by providing professional development funding to all literacy working group members.The members are deciding which professional development opportunity to attend for 2024-2025. In the meantime, they are actively participating in free CCTC and CDE-sponsored professional development on literacy to report back to the team and view previously recorded webinars on the topics of foundational skills, dyslexia, and early literacy. Resources from CSU’s Center for the Advancement of Reading/Writing (CAR/W) were shared with the working group by our faculty representative, Dr. Monica Baldonado. Dr. Baldonado recently joined the literacy working group to help support the implementation of TPE 7 in single-subject literacy courses across the college. At least one member from the literacy working group will participate in CAR/W’s professional learning events during the 2024-2025 academic year that focus on foundational skills, early literacy, dyslexia, literacy and multilingual learners. A literacy drive was created to house all materials in one place where all faculty, including those that teach literacy methods, can reference and utilize those resources.

What steps has the program taken or will take in the coming months to communicate to mentor/cooperating teachers and other PK-12 partners the new requirements of SB 488, the new literacy instruction program standards, TPEs, and upcoming performance assessment requirements? (meetings, notifications, handbook updates, etc.) 

The literacy working group has designed a plan to communicate to mentor teachers and other PK-12 partners the new requirements of SB 488, including the new literacy instruction program standards, TPEs, and upcoming performance assessment requirements through mentor teacher handbook updates, a video recorded introduction to SB 488 by the literacy working group members to be released in the Fall of 2025, and a mentor teacher workshop planned for February 2025. Literacy resources from the CCTC and CDE will be shared with the mentor teachers to encourage them to continue their professional development opportunities in the area of literacy.   

The next level of training will be for our site coordinators that run our governance meetings with partner districts to ensure that they are aware of the new requirements of SB 488, the new Literacy instruction program standards, TPEs, and performance assessment requirements.  This information is also included in our mentor teacher handbook, as well as in the district and SDSU Student Teaching Agreement/MOU.

 In what ways did the program’s process for reviewing its coursework and clinical practice requirements against the new standards and TPEs include individuals with expertise in literacy instruction for multilingual/English learner students? 

The review process for the multiple subject programs at SDSU involved three professors that have expertise in literacy instruction in general and literacy instruction for multilingual/English learners. The review included examining coursework and clinical practice requirements with the new standards and TPEs by the three lead literacy working group members: 

Sera Hernández, Ph.D. is the Department Chair and an Associate Professor of Dual Language and English Learner Education at San Diego State University where she teaches graduate courses on language policy, multilingual education, and biliteracy. She earned her Ph.D. in Language, Literacy, and Culture in Education from the University of California, Berkeley and has worked in public K-12 schools and universities for over 25 years focusing on the education of multilingual learners and the preparation of the teachers that serve them. 

Kelly Johnson, PhD, a National Board Certified teacher, is a faculty member in the School of Teacher Education at San Diego State University. Kelly teaches graduate courses, with a focus on literacy, in the credential, masters, and doctoral programs. Kelly is the recipient of the International Reading Association’s Celebrate Literacy Award which honors educators for their significant contributions in literacy. Often referred to by her colleagues as a teacher’s teacher, Kelly has appeared in many instructional videos on teacher modeling, assessment, writing, and instruction for multilingual learners.

Ixchel Samson, Ph.D. is the coordinator of the Graduate Reading program M.A. program and a lecturer in the School of Teacher Education at San Diego State University where she teaches courses on literacy for both credential and masters students and serves as a cohort leader and supervisor for student teachers. She earned her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Teacher Education with a focus on language, literacy and culture from Stanford University. She proudly began her work as a bilingual elementary school teacher and has worked in public K-6 schools and universities for 30 years with a focus on preparing teachers to work effectively with culturally and linguistically diverse students.

Provide links to syllabi that demonstrate that the English Language Arts (ELA) and Literacy Standards, English Language Development (ELD) Standards, and English Language Arts/English Language Development (ELA/ELD) Framework are required and central components for candidates in literacy instruction coursework. These links should be bookmarked to the exact place in the syllabi where this occurs. Multiple links to different sections of the same syllabus are acceptable. 

TE 930 requires California’s Common Core English Language Arts (ELA) Literacy Standards (CCSS) and the English Language Arts/English Language Development (ELA/ELD) Framework as core course texts. Course content includes the use of the ELA CCSS and ELA/ELD Framework.

DLE 915A requires the English Language Development (ELD) Standards and English Language Arts/English  Language Development (ELA/ELD) Framework as core course texts. Course content includes the use of both the ELD Standards and ELA/ELD Framework.

**Updates in repsonse to Phase III Feedback**
Table 3.1 - Updates for the second round are highlighted in red. updated areas from the first round are highlighted in yellow

**Updates from Phase III Feedback**
See updated DLE 915A Syllabus

**Original Response**
Teacher candidates are prepared to teach foundational skills through TE 930: Teaching Reading/Language Arts in the Elementary Schools. This course is designed to be the first of a two semester course in reading/language arts for multiple subject teachers. Through TE 930’s explicit focus on foundational skills, candidates are introduced, have opportunities to practice and are assessed on reading instruction that is structured and organized, as well as direct, systematic, and explicit. Teacher candidates are provided learning opportunities and assessments on reading instruction that includes the following core elements: print concepts, phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, phonics, spelling, word recognition, decoding, encoding, morphological awareness, and fluency.

An embedded signature assignment in this course is the Reading Case Study which provides teacher candidates the opportunity to work closely with an elementary school student in assessing, planning, and teaching for reading foundational skills. As part of the case study assignment, students plan and teach at least three literacy lessons that are direct, systematic, and explicit. A variety of formative assessments on reading foundational skills are also integrated into TE 930 such as the phonics game/activity, micro-teaching sessions on decoding, encoding, and morphological awareness, a strategy presentation on teaching spelling, syllabic patterns, morphology, and syntax, among others.

TE 930 focuses on comprehension, the relationship between reading and writing, emergent literacy, phonemic awareness, phonics, using assessment for instruction, surveying children’s literature, fluency, developing academic language skills, individual student differences and similarities, first and second language acquisition and development, and creating effective literacy instruction for all students, especially culturally and linguistically diverse learners. The primary focus is to support teacher candidates in becoming effective teachers of all children as their early literacies emerge, especially their foundational reading skills.

SDSU’s College of Education has included information for LEAs/school districts about the requirements of SB 488 specifically related to their responsibility in providing opportunities for teacher candidates to practice literacy competencies in clinical practice settings for their future classroom teaching and to pass the CCTC approved literacy assessment in our Sample SDSU STA/MOU. Additional details on reading foundational skills can also be found HERE. 

See School of Teacher Education Credential Handbook HERE and HERE.

**Responses to Phase III Feedback***
Please see the Mentor Teacher Handbook
Here is a copy of the form used to provide formative feedback.

**Original Response**
Teacher candidates will practice teaching foundational reading skills to students during one of their classroom observations during the first semester of their program and while taking the TE 930 course to support them. Credential supervisors use the TPE Rubric (7.5) as the mechanism to provide guidance for planning and formative feedback during the coaching and debrief meeting that follows the observation.

**Updates in repsonse to Phase III Feedback**
Table 4.1 - links with updated information are highlighted in yellow

**Updates in repsonse to Phase III Feedback**
The program promotes multilingualism and addresses multiliteracy in both English-medium and multilingual programs as can be seen in the updated DLE 915A Syllabus. 

**Updates in repsonse to Phase III Feedback**
Please see the Mentor Teacher Handbook

**Original Response**
SDSU’s College of Education has included information in our sample SDSU STA/MOU for LEAs/school districts about the requirements of SB 488 specifically related to their responsibility in providing opportunities for teacher candidates to practice literacy competencies in clinical practice settings related to oral and written language

See School of Teacher Education Credential Handbook.

**Updates in repsonse to Phase III Feedback**
The qualtrics version of the TPE Rubric that supervisors use for clinical practice has sections for written comments/feedback. We share it here. 

**Original Response**
Teacher candidates will practice teaching oral and written language to students during one of their classroom observations during the second semester of their program. Credential supervisors use the TPE Rubric 7.7 as the mechanism to provide guidance for planning and formative feedback during the coaching and debrief meeting that follows the observation.

**Updates in repsonse to Phase III Feedback**
Table 5.1 - updated links are highlighted in yellow

SDSU’s College of Education has included information in our sample SDSU STA/MOU for LEAs/school districts about the requirements of SB 488 specifically related to their responsibility in providing opportunities for teacher candidates to learn about, and where possible, observe, how schools/teachers are using screening and diagnostic techniques to inform teaching and assessment and early intervention technique.

Teacher candidates will administer and interpret 3 assessments including but not limited to the following: background information interview, reading attitude/preferences survey, concepts of print letter recognition, phonemic awareness, phonics, spelling, comprehension, word reading and a writing sample. TE930A Syllabus and Case Study Guidelines.

Teacher candidates are also expected to debrief with their university supervisor and mentor teacher about their reading intervention lesson on a foundational skill during SDSU’s Clinical Practice Walkthrough #2 which is based on the Case Study Assignment where teacher candidates are expected to demonstrate that they have included reading data that can screen for dyslexia or other literacy-related disabilities.

Lastly, teacher candidates are expected to debrief with their university supervisor and mentor teacher about their Designated ELD lesson during SDSU’s Clinical Practice Walkthrough Observation #3 which included planning, teaching and assessing a small group of English Learners at the same English Language proficiency level.

The California Dyslexia Guidelines are incorporated into the multiple subject pathway through the first literacy course in the program’s literacy sequence (i.e., TE 930A). Teachers candidates complete the dyslexia module from the UC/CSU Collaborative for Neurodiversity and Learning and receive training in screening and assessment. Additionally, in TE 930, teacher candidates read California Dyslexia Guidelines (Chapter 9: Screening and Assessment for Dyslexia, Chapter 10: Special Education and 504 Plans, Chapter 11: Effective Approaches for Teaching Students with Dyslexia).

TE 930

Teacher candidates are also expected to debrief with their university supervisor and mentor teacher about their reading intervention lesson on a foundational skill during SDSU’s Clinical Practice Walkthrough #2 which is based on the Case Study Assignment where teacher candidates are expected to demonstrate that they have included reading data that can screen for dyslexia or other literacy-related disabilities.

 Additionally, all teacher candidates are provided opportunities in their TE 930 course to respond to a scenario where they are expected to explain assessments, strategies and scaffolds or modifications to support a student that has characteristics of dyslexia, as described in the UDL, MTSS, Dyslexia Table 5.1 - STE. This will be especially helpful to teacher candidates that do have access to a child with dyslexia in their clinical practice setting.

SDSU’s College of Education has included information in our sample SDSU STA/MOU for LEAs/school districts about the requirements of SB 488 specifically related to their responsibility in providing, to the extent practicable, opportunities for candidates in clinical  practice settings to observe and practice the concepts and strategies included in  the California Dyslexia Guidelines.

See School of Teacher Education Credential Handbook

See UDL, MTSS, Dyslexia Table 5.1 - STE and SDSU’s Clinical Practice Walkthrough #2.