NSU’s Elementary Education program achieves top marks in new report from the National Council on Teacher Quality
NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University’s Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with 1-5 certification earned an A+ from the National Council on Teacher Quality for how well they prepare future teachers to teach reading to elementary students.
The report, Teacher Prep Review: Decoding Progress in Reading Preparation, published on June 9, spotlights NSU for meeting the standards set by literacy experts for coverage of the most effective methods of reading instruction. Specifically, this means the program is preparing aspiring teachers in all five components of scientifically based reading instruction, including 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.
“We are honored to receive this recognition from NCTQ,” said Dr. April Jessup Giddens, interim director of the NSU’s School of Education. “Strong literacy instruction is foundational to student success, and we are proud that our elementary education program equips future teachers with evidence-based practices that support reading achievement for all learners. This reflects our ongoing commitment to excellence in educator preparation and service to Louisiana’s schools and communities.”
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 Northwestern State.
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. To earn an A+, programs needed to exceed those targets and not teach any instructional practices that are unsupported by research.
“We are grateful to receive this recognition from NCTQ. We are thankful to Dr. April Giddens and our faculty and staff for their dedication; their passion for preparing our students to be the best educators is commendable,” said Dr. Neeru Deep, dean of NSU’s Gallaspy College of Education and Human Development.
For information on Northwestern State’s School of Education visit School of Education. To read the full report visit Teacher Prep Review: Decoding Progress in Reading Preparation.