Teacher Education
Reading Endorsement (Language and Literacy Program)
Program Details
Total credit hours: 14 - 15
Program start: September, January, or June. Full-time summer study is also available.
Program length: Full-time or part-time classes (weekends, evenings, and summers). Full-time summer study is also available.
Off-campus classes: Available through Continuing Education
View the current program of study in the course catalog
Faculty Coordinator: Ruth Shagoury
Lewis & Clark’s Language and Literacy Program applies a dynamic view of literacy to reading and writing instruction in the schools. Our course of study builds on the belief that language, in all its richness of form and function, is the foundation from which effective literacy evolves. The program’s theoretical base owes much to the work of Nancie Atwell, Donald Graves, Ellin Keene, Louise Rosenblatt, Frank Smith, and others who maintain that reading, writing, listening, and speaking are all language processes. We take an integrated and holistic approach to the teaching of these skills.
I learned new practical elements for my practice and have a deeper awareness of my own reading.Program alumnusK-12 teacher
The courses in the Language and Literacy Program lead to a Reading Endorsement, allowing candidates to teach reading at all four levels of licensure (early childhood, elementary, middle, and high school). The program requires 14-15 semester hours of credit and averages 18 months of part-time study.
What to Expect
Adopting the stance of teacher- researchers, program participants and faculty explore different issues in the teaching of reading and writing. Within each course, students explore literacy, language arts instruction, the intersections of literacy and politics, and the culture of our classrooms and who learns in them. The goal of the program is to offer educators tools to observe, describe and learn from the behaviors of their students and to build cohesive theoretical bases for learner-centered literacy programs. The program is designed for the needs of practicing professionals. Coursework is offered in the evenings, on weekends, during the summer and, in some cases, on-site in a school district. Classes emphasize individual attention and the opportunity to learn and work collaboratively with fellow teachers and school leaders. All endorsement coursework may be applied to the M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction degree.
Expectations for Admission
Teachers seeking to gain admission to the Language and Literacy Program must possess an active, valid teaching license in any teaching field, pre-k- 12. Teachers may take up to 8 hours of coursework before being formally accepted into the program.
Apply Now
You can find admissions requirement information and an online application at the Graduate Admissions Office website.
For more information, or to make an appointment with an advisor, contact either of the program coordinators, Ruth Shagoury at shagoury@lclark.edu or contact the office of Teacher Education at lcteach@lclark.edu or 503-768-6100.
For Current Students
- Finished your program? Apply for your endorsement
Related Programs
- For information regarding off-campus offerings, visit the Continuing Education: Off Campus Programs site.
- Oregon Writing Project
- Northwest Writing Institute
Wish to continue your Inservice studies?
Students currently enrolled in an Inservice degree or endorsement program who would like to continue their Inservice studies in another endorsement program may be eligible for an abbreviated application process. Please complete the form below.