EDUC 474: Orientation and Assessment in the Classroom

This comprehensive course examines the challenges and best practices of the classroom across the developmental continuum from birth through secondary education, focusing on learning processes, motivation, and communication to stimulate student interest, cooperation, and achievement in preparation for productive work and citizenship. The curriculum integrates the historical, social, and legal foundations of special education, dedicated to the categories of disabilities, the special education process, and state and federal regulations to promote the progress of students in the general education curriculum through individualized instruction, co-teaching, and positive behavioral supports. By emphasizing the holistic alignment of curriculum development and instructional planning, students use multiple research-validated strategies and assistive technologies to design differentiated instruction for the full range of abilities. Candidates apply formal and informal assessment methods to reflect on childhood and adolescent growth, using data to modify their own teaching practices and enhance learning while fostering productive relationships among the school, home, and community through conflict resolution and collaborative partnerships to support student growth and independence across all grade levels.