PROVIDENCE COLLEGE LAUNCHES MASTER OF EDUCATION IN SPECIAL EDUCATION WITH EMPHASIS ON DYSLEXIA STUDIES
(PROVIDENCE, R.I.) – Providence College announced today that its School of Professional Studies will launch a Master of Education in Special Education with Dyslexia Credential in partnership with Wilson Language Training. The 34-credit program will offer advanced course work in special education with a particular emphasis on dyslexia studies. It also includes a 10-credit sequence leading to a Level I Certification as a Wilson Dyslexia Practitioner. Specialized training educators receive in this program will allow them to effectively help students with dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities to become fluent and independent readers. The Wilson program is used in schools across the United States as a Tier 3 intervention designed to meet the needs of students who require the most intensive level of reading instruction.
“Providence College is well known for its high-quality educator preparation programs, and its Master of Education in Special Education with Dyslexia Credential will be no exception,” said Barbara A. Wilson, president, and co-founder of Wilson Language Training. “We are excited to partner with this outstanding academic institution. Together we will equip teachers with knowledge and skills so that they can successfully provide research-based reading instruction to those students who struggle most to attain literacy.”
Marcy Zipke, PhD, a professor in the Elementary/Special Education department at Providence College, as well as co-Editor in Chief of the Journal of Research in Childhood Education, will direct the program. Her research focuses primarily on language and literacy development. Dr. Zipke’s work has appeared in such journals as The Reading Teacher and Reading Research Quarterly; her most recent publication is Playing With Language: Improving Elementary Reading Through Metalinguistic Awareness from Teachers College Press.
Yune Tran, PhD, dean of the School of Professional Studies, supports the creation of the program. “As a leading educator preparation program in the state of Rhode Island, PC’s Master of Education degree in dyslexia studies can be a game-changer in the field of special education and dyslexia studies given its scope and focus. Not only is the program timely for meeting the state of Rhode Island’s emphasis on understanding and responding to the needs of people with dyslexia, it also comes at a very exciting time for Providence College as the School of Professional Studies is working to expand offerings to meet the growing demands of special educators from state, regional, and national contexts,” she said.
Wilson Language Training’s mission is to provide quality professional learning and ongoing support so that educators have the skills and tools they need to help their students become fluent, independent readers. For the past three decades, Wilson has advanced that mission through multisensory structured literacy programs and professional learning backed by a commitment to the science of reading and implementation. Wilson is an expert in the field of dyslexia and a forerunner in delivering foundational skill instruction for students in K-3 general education classrooms and those beyond elementary grades who struggle to read and spell. The Wilson Reading System ®, Fundations®, and Just Words® programs build a solid foundation for beginning readers and reduce the literacy gap for struggling students, including those with dyslexia. Wilson’s certifications result in Wilson Dyslexia Practitioner and Therapist credentials, which have been awarded Accreditation Plus by the International Dyslexia Association. Nearly 300,000 educators have participated in Wilson courses and workshops, and 25,000 have earned WRS Level I Certification. For more information, visit http://www.wilsonlanguage.com.
The School of Professional Studies at Providence College oversees four undergraduate academic programs: Elementary/Special Education, Secondary Education, Health Policy & Management, and Social Work. Associated graduate programs in the school include the Providence Alliance for Catholic Education, School Counseling, School Administration, Literacy, Special Education/Dyslexia Studies, Global Education/TESOL, and Higher Education.
Founded in 1917, Providence College is the only college or university in the United States administered by the Dominican Friars and has an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 4,100 students. Providence College has ranked first among regional colleges and universities in the North for the last three years according to U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges.”
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