Required Courses
This program will run from Summer 2025 to Winter 2026. Each course consists of nine classes, presented synchronously on Zoom (Mountain Time, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada). Dates and times are determined by the course instructor.
These are graduate-level, credit courses, requiring between five and ten hours of coursework per week in the fall and winter terms (13 weeks). Courses offered in the spring and summer terms are condensed (six and three weeks respectively), so the amount of time spent on coursework is increased. This includes time spent on readings, assignments, presentations (group and individual), and writing papers.
Note: you must take a course in the term for which you apply. Course offerings are dependent upon sufficient enrollment.
Summer Term
EDU 595 Oral Language: Evidence-informed instruction and assessment for literacy ★3
July 21 - August 1; Monday, Wednesday, Friday
August 5 - 8; Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday
Synchronous online classes will be held as follows:
- Cohort 1 and 2 in the mornings (9:00 a.m. to Noon)
- Cohort 3 in the afternoons (1:00 - 4:00 p.m.).
This course contextualizes oral language development within the process of literacy acquisition. Topics include typical developmental trajectory of oral language, oral language-based learning disorders, oral language-written language connections, and the role of oral language in current psychological models of literacy acquisition. Empirically validated approaches for assessment and instruction to strengthen oral language skills for typical and struggling readers Including Identification and support for students with language-based learning disorders related to oral language will be a focus.
Fall Term
EDU 595 Word Reading: Evidence-informed instruction and assessment for literacy ★3
September 10/11 to November 5/6 (9 weeks)
Synchronous online classes will be held as follows:
- Cohort 1 and 2 on Wednesday evenings (5:00 - 9:00 p.m.)
- Cohort 3 on Thursday evenings (5:00 - 9:00 p.m.)
This course focuses on the role of word reading in a comprehensive understanding of literacy acquisition. Topics include developmental phases of word reading skill; linguistic processes contributing to word reading and spelling; current psychological models of the role of word reading in reading comprehension; learning disorders related to word reading and how students with these disorders can be identified and supported; and empirically validated approaches for assessment and instruction to strengthen word reading skills for typical and struggling readers.
Fall / Winter Term
EDU 595 Reading Comprehension: Evidence-informed instruction and assessment for literacy ★3
Part A - November 12/13 to December 3/4, 2025 (4 weeks)
Part B - January 7/8 to February 4/5, 2026 (5 weeks)
Synchronous online classes will be held as follows:
- Cohort 1 and 2 on Wednesday evenings (5:00 - 9:00 p.m.)
- Cohort 3 on Thursday evenings (5:00 - 9:00 p.m.)
This course focuses on the role of reading comprehension in literacy acquisition. Topics include the typical trajectory for reading comprehension skill development; text reading fluency; the role of knowledge in reading comprehension; effective reading comprehension strategies; and empirically validated approaches for assessment and instruction of reading comprehension for typical and struggling readers.
Winter Term
EDU 595 Writing: Evidence-informed instruction and assessment for literacy ★3
February 18/19 to April 15/16, 2026
Synchronous online classes will be held as follows:
- Cohort 1 and 2 on Wednesday evenings (5:00 - 9:00 p.m.)
- Cohort 3 on Thursday evenings (5:00 - 9:00 p.m.)
This course focuses on the role of writing in a comprehensive understanding of literacy acquisition. Topics include current psychological models of the writing process and writing development; reading-writing connections; assistive technology; text structure; and empirically validated approaches for assessment and instruction of writing for typical and struggling writers.