The graduate and undergraduate elementary teacher preparation programs at the University of Tennessee at Martin have earned “A” grades from the National Council on Teacher Quality for how well they prepare future teachers to teach reading to elementary school students.
The report “Teacher Prep Review: Decoding Progress in Reading Preparation” was published on June 9 and spotlights UT Martin for meeting the standards set by literacy experts for coverage of the most effective methods of reading instruction.
Grades received by the UT Martin programs from the NCTQ were:
• Bachelor of Science in Integrated Studies (K-5): A
• Master of Science in Elementary Education (K-5) with Teaching Certification: A+
This means the programs are preparing aspiring teachers in all five components of scientifically-based reading instruction – phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension and vocabulary – and avoids many instructional practices that research has shown to be ineffective or counterproductive for teaching children to read.
A child’s ability to read proficiently in the early grades shapes everything that comes next in school and in life, yet according to data provided by the National Assessment of Educational Progress, 4 in 10 fourth-graders in Tennessee cannot read at a basic level.
UT Martin is part of a growing group of teacher preparation programs nationwide helping transform how future teachers are trained to teach reading.
“This recognition is a testament to the dedication of our faculty and school partners who work together to ensure that teacher candidates are prepared to meet the literacy needs of today’s learners,” said Staci Fuqua, director of the UT Martin Educator Preparation Program.
“By grounding our programs in the science of reading, providing meaningful opportunities to apply learning in clinical settings, and continually examining current research, our faculty are committed to preparing educators who enter the classroom ready to make informed instructional decisions and meet the literacy needs of all learners.”
The UT Martin Educator Preparation Program recently earned accreditation by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, the only national accreditor for education preparation recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
“Every child deserves a teacher who has been well prepared to teach reading, and every teacher deserves the opportunity to enter the classroom ready to help students succeed,” said NCTQ President Heather Peske. “Across the country, many teacher preparation programs still do not fully align with the science of reading, but the University of Tennessee at Martin is demonstrating what strong preparation can look like.”
To earn an “A,” programs need to demonstrate that coursework for future elementary teachers includes all five core components of scientifically-based reading instruction and avoid teaching more than three instructional methods that are unsupported by the research on effective reading instruction. To earn an A+, programs needed to exceed those targets and not teach any instructional practices that are unsupported by research.
The National Council on Teacher Quality is a nonpartisan research and policy organization that was founded in 2000 and researches, evaluates and provides information and guidance on the topics of teacher preparation, teacher pay, educator equity and diversity.
For more information about the UT Martin Educator Preparation Program, visit www.utm.edu/epp.
For more information about UT Martin, visit www.utm.edu or call 1-800-829-UTM1 (-8861).
PHOTO: Dr. Abbie McClure, assistant professor of educational studies and a faculty member within the UT Martin Educator Preparation Program, is shown teaching an educational studies class last October. The graduate and undergraduate elementary teacher preparation programs at the University of Tennessee at Martin have earned “A” grades from the National Council on Teacher Quality.
