Middle Level Education (5-8), B.A.

Middle level education is a program of study that leads to initial South Carolina teacher licensure for grades five through eight in at least one content area. This program includes 1) a set of foundation courses that provide the framework for teaching young adolescents in today’s society, 2) a set of education foundation courses that focus on the art and science of teaching young adolescent learners, 3) a set of content area concentration courses that are defined according to the chosen content area(s), and 4) a set of clinical experiences that allows students to develop professional skills related to instructional planning, teaching, assessment, and classroom management. Since a number of these courses have prerequisites and are limited to specific semesters, students should take the time during their freshman year or first semester of their transfer year to carefully plan their program of study with their assigned academic adviser. This plan can be modified in future semesters, but serves as a template to help guide students in successfully and strategically identifying the appropriate course selections each semester. Students may not participate in courses designated with the middle level education prefix (EDML) until they have been admitted into the professional program in teacher education, except for EDML 317 , which should be taken in the spring of their sophomore year. Once admitted to the professional program, students are required to participate in planned and guided clinical experiences each semester in area public middle school classrooms, including a yearlong internship during their final two semesters. Therefore, students should plan their schedule to allow for at least 2-3 days for at least 2-3 hours (between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.) at the same time each day for these planned clinical experiences.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students who complete the requirements for a degree in middle level education (5-8) will be able to:

1. Design and implement effective standards-based lessons that are built on their knowledge of unique developments of young adolescent learners, developmentally responsive, meaningful and challenging curriculum, interdisciplinary nature of knowledge and best pedagogical practices.
2. Demonstrate depth and breadth of subject areas and pedagogical content knowledge.
3. Integrate technology to enhance their teaching, learning and professional productivity.
4. Adapt learning environments, instructional strategies, and assessment techniques to meet and respond to the needs of academically, culturally and developmentally diverse young adolescent learners.
5. Demonstrate leadership, skills, behaviors and dispositions in professional contexts.
6. Engage in data-informed instruction and reflective practice to improve teaching and learning.
7. Demonstrate understanding of diverse family structures, communities and cultural backgrounds that influence and enrich young adolescent learners.