Program of Study
The family-centered early education (FCEE) specialization in education of deaf and hard of hearing children prepares specialists to work with children from birth through 5 years of age who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have multiple disabilities, and their families. Graduates are prepared to fill a variety of roles including early childhood teacher, parent/family educator and consultant, family-child advocate, program developer and manager, and transdisciplinary team member. As such, graduates are qualified to work in public school, clinic, and special school settings with home or center-based early education programs. The course of study in the family-centered early education specialization leads to state licensure in Special Education/Deaf and Hard of Hearing (K-12) and Council on Education of the Deaf (CED) certification in infant/preprimary. An endorsement in Early Childhood Special Education may be recommended if the candidate has obtained an initial D.C. license in Early Childhood Education (P-3).
Program Requirements
To complete the M.A. degree in the teacher preparation program, students must satisfy the following requirements.
- Completion of graduate degree requirements, as described in the appropriate section of the catalog.
- Successful completion (grade of B or better) of all academic and practicum requirements specified by the Department of Education. Prerequisite coursework for each specialization should be completed prior to the beginning of Practicum II.
- Successful completion of student teaching or internship (grade of "B" or better). All required coursework must be successfully completed prior to the start of student teaching or internship.
- A minimum of one year of full-time enrollment in the program (usually the last year) is necessary to complete the master's degree program in teacher preparation due to practicum requirements and the integration of these with coursework. Although students may begin the program on a part-time basis, they cannot obtain the master's degree in the teacher preparation program through part-time study only.
- Gallaudet University American Sign Language Proficiency Interview (GU-ASLPI) rating of 2+ prior to advancing to candidacy and beginning the second year of graduate study.
Typical Program
The M.A. teacher preparation program is designed to be completed in two academic years, excluding summers. Students are strongly encouraged to take sign language or other prerequisite coursework during the summer prior to beginning the program, however. In addition, some students may elect to take courses during the summer between the two years to lighten the course load during the academic year or to meet American Sign Language proficiency requirement.
Students must satisfactorily complete a prescribed course of study for the family-centered early education specialization teacher certification program. The required program of studies requires two full years plus two summers; a three-year plan of studies is recommended for students who lack coursework in Early Childhood Education. The program consists of course work in the following areas (credit hours indicated in parentheses are approximate):
education and deafness (3);
infant development and assessment (4);
working with families and other professionals (5-8);
American Sign Language (9);
linguistics and language acquisition (7);
audiology and speech development (6);
curriculum, instruction, and classroom management (10-16);
research and foundations in education (6);
field experiences and seminars (12)
Total 68-69 Credits
Copies of the complete sequence of study for the family-centered early education specialization are available from the Department of Education.
Prerequisite Coursework (or other evidence of knowledge in each area) for Family-Centered Early Education Specialization
Child Development OR Child Psychology
Introduction to Exceptional Children
General Psychology
Educational Psychology or Learning Theory
Foundations of Education
Curriculum Development
Early Childhood Instructional Methods (a minimum of 6 credits covering language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies on early childhood level)
Methods of Teaching Reading OR Emerging Literacy
Children's Literature
World Literature
Art
Philosophy
Mathematics (6 credits college-level)
Science (6 credits college-level)
Social Sciences (12 credits, including one course in world history or cultures and one course in American history)
Deaf Culture (a course, demonstrated experience, OR participation in Gallaudet's "Culture and Language Colloquium")
Sign Language (2 semesters or demonstrated proficiency)
Practicum
An integral part of the family-centered early education specialization is the fieldwork with families and early education programs, undertaken during four semesters of the program. Supervision and coordination with the campus-based course work facilitates the development of skills for working with families in each practicum. The practica are developmental both in terms of the amount of time in the field, which ranges from 42-60 hours the first semester to 350 hours the fourth semester, and the increased responsibility and skill level required of the students.
Practicum sites are chosen to provide students with the opportunity to work with young children, from birth through 5 years and with different disabilities including deafness, and their families, to provide experience in a variety of programs (e.g., school, agency/clinic), and in different types of settings, e.g., home and/or center-based. Programs frequently used as practicum sites in the Washington, D.C., area include the Kendall Demonstration Elementary School (on the Gallaudet University campus), the Maryland School for the Deaf, early intervention centers and public schools in Prince George's County and Montgomery County, Maryland, and Fairfax County, Virginia. In addition, students are usually placed in programs out of the area for their final 10-week, full-time internship.
Students should also be prepared to pay for security clearance checks when these are required by a school. These security checks cost approximately $40-$50.
