College of Education earns national recognition

COE’s Elementary Education TESOL-Infused Program was recognized for outstanding preparation of future elementary and secondary reading teachers at the annual IRA conference on May 5.

The FIU College of Education (COE) Elementary Education TESOL-Infused Program has been named a recipient of the International Reading Association’s (IRA) prestigious Certificate of Distinction, which honors outstanding preparation of future elementary and secondary reading teachers. 

As part of the rigorous application process, COE professors Joyce Fine and Lynne Miller prepared a written report on the reading program that was reviewed by members of IRA’s Quality Undergraduate Elementary and Secondary Teacher Education in Reading Task Force.

The Task Force recommended that the College of Education proceed to the second stage of review – a site visit from task force members who assessed the Elementary Education TESOL-infused program in terms of course content; faculty and teaching; field experiences; cultural diversity; candidate and program assessment; and governance, resources and vision.

The two-day site visit gave the task force members a chance to visit with FIU faculty, administrators and students. The reviewers also visited schools in which FIU students were teaching.

They cited numerous reasons why the reading program at the College of Education is distinctive, including the four sequenced reading courses designed so that with each successive course, students build upon their skills in lesson planning, assessment, and instruction. They particularly commended the exemplary aspect of the fourth reading course, in which candidates integrate their knowledge and skills through a supervised, clinical practicum prior to student teaching.

The group also praised the excellence of COE faculty, who are outstanding practitioners in the field.

“We are so honored to receive the Certificate of Distinction, which recognizes the highest quality of reading teacher preparation,” said Fine. “This brings national recognition to the College of Education, our graduates, and to FIU. Research shows that teachers who teach reading well significantly impact student achievement.”

The award was presented on May 5 at the annual IRA conference in Minneapolis, Minn. The association honored four other universities with Certificates of Distinction: University of Alabama, University of Indianapolis in Indiana, Emporia State University in Kansas, and Texas Christian University.

The International Reading Association is a nonprofit, professional organization with 85,000 members and councils and affiliates in more than 100 countries.