TROY elementary education programs achieved top marks in a new report from the National Council on Teacher Quality. The graduate and undergraduate elementary teacher preparation programs at Troy University have earned “A” grades from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) for how well they prepare future teachers to teach reading to elementary students.
Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education (K-6): A (View grade page)
Alternative Master of Science in Elementary Education (K-6): A (View grade page)
The report, Teacher Prep Review: Decoding Progress in Reading Preparation, published on June 9, spotlights Troy University for meeting the standards set by literacy experts for coverage of the most effective methods of reading instruction. Specifically, this means the programs are preparing aspiring teachers in all five components of scientifically based reading instruction, including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension and vocabulary, and avoid many instructional practices that research has shown to be ineffective or counterproductive for teaching children to read.
People are also reading…
A child’s ability to read proficiently in the early grades shapes everything that comes next in school and in life, yet according to NAEP data, four in ten fourth graders in Alabama cannot read at a basic level. Teacher preparation is one of the most direct levers available to change that—but only if it is aligned to the research-based instructional methods that have been proven to help most students become successful readers.
Troy University is part of a growing group of teacher preparation programs nationwide helping transform how future teachers are trained to teach reading.
“If I am a student at TROY, I’m not just getting a degree, but I’m really being prepared for that first day of class,” said Dr. Fred Figliano, the dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences. “I think that we do that, and we give students that real-world experience. They’ve got that background in literacy, and they can feel really confident that they can meet any challenge that they face in the classroom.”
The College of Education and Behavioral Sciences emphasizes hands-on learning throughout its elementary education programs. Students practice instructional strategies using classroom manipulative kits, gain experience through partnerships with local school systems, and receive extensive preparation for the Foundations of Reading Assessment, a certification exam required for elementary educators in Alabama. Faculty also offer additional review sessions and support to help students succeed on the assessment.
“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 Troy University is demonstrating what strong preparation can look like.”
NCTQ’s methodology is informed by a panel of reading experts, teacher preparation faculty, reading advocates and measurement experts. To evaluate the quality of preparation being provided, a team of experts at NCTQ analyzed syllabi, including lecture schedules and topics, background reading materials, class assessments, assignments and opportunities to practice instruction in required literacy courses for elementary teacher candidates at Troy University.
To earn an “A,” programs needed 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.
“I think our relationships with our students is one of the biggest perks that we have,” said Mrs. Cathy Keck, TROY lecturer and assistant chair of the Department of Teacher Education. “We love our students, and our students love us. We know their names, we keep up with them. They text us when they’re gone. They send us pictures of what they’re doing in their classrooms, and we’re also very intentional about keeping up with them.”
See NCTQ’s report for more information about Troy University’s coverage of the science of reading and to see how Troy University compares to other programs in Alabama or across the country.
