Core courses for the Reading Teacher Endorsement on the Professional Educator License meet State of Illinois requirements for 18 semester credit hours of coursework in targeted areas. Clinical/fieldwork hours experiences that meet International Literacy Association standards are embedded in course assignments and are readily achievable by educators, whether or not they are currently employed in the schools. This program leads to a Reading Teacher Endorsement for those not seeking an additional degree. This program does not lead to initial teacher licensure.

In addition to the Department of Education admission requirements, candidates seeking coursework toward the Reading Teacher Endorsement must meet the following requirements:

1. A valid Illinois Professional Educator License with teaching endorsement.¹
2. Successful completion of the following program requirements.

¹

International students and those not pursuing teaching licensure endorsement, such as students pursuing the coursework for use in other fields, are exempt from the requirement for an Illinois Professional Educator License.

Endorsement Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Required Courses
RDLT 50900	Child and Adolescent Literature 1	3
RDLT 52300	Foundations and Methods of Teaching Content Area Reading and Intermediate-Adolescent Literacy 2	3
RDLT 52400	Foundations and Methods of Teaching Developmental Reading and Early Literacy 2	3
RDLT 53300	Strategic Comprehension Instruction and Practicum for the Reading Teacher	3
RDLT 53600	Theory and Practice for Intervention and Remediation of Reading 2	3
RDLT 53900	Assessment of Literacy and English Language Learning 3	3
Total Hours		18

¹

RDLT 54400 Instruction and Resources for Developing Multiliteracies may be substituted for courses in the Reading endorsement or for dual Reading and ESL endorsement students, depending on prior coursework in reading.

²

RDLT 52700 Teaching Reading to the Diverse Learner may be substituted for courses in the Reading endorsement or for dual Reading and ESL endorsement students, depending on prior coursework in reading.

³

RDLT 53800 Assessment and Diagnosis of Reading Problems may be substituted for Reading endorsement students.

Clinical/fieldwork experiences are embedded in course assignments.

Program faculty can assist in determining which courses must be taken to fulfill state requirements for endorsement.

State Assessment Requirements

At the conclusion of the program, candidates seeking a Reading Teacher Endorsement on a Professional Educator License must pass the Illinois Test for the Reading Teacher, or its State-approved equivalent.