West Liberty University now has two new certification options for professional educators or those who are working to become professional teachers. The first is a new undergraduate major, approved by the West Virginia State Board of Education in July: Early Intervention (EI).
This major is designed for students who want to specialize in early childhood and preschool special needs. Students will be certified PreK-K general and special education after completing the program.
The Reading Specialist certification also received approval by the West Virginia State Board of Education in July. This is a graduate-level program leading to West Virginia State Certification in Reading for licensed general educators. The Reading track in the MA Ed is also accredited by the International Dyslexia Association because of our partnership with the Learning Center at Wheeling County Day School and their certified Orton-Gillingham instructors.
The Reading track is designed for educators or others wishing to expand upon their knowledge of literacy with a special emphasis on multi-sensory based instructional practices. Coursework includes early and emergent literacy, word structure knowledge, delivery of reading assessments with resulting targeted interventions, advanced literacy instruction in comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary acquisition, developmental writing, and spelling.
“There is great need for both certifications in this valley, and we are thrilled to offer them,” said Dr. Keely Camden, dean of the College of Education.
Faculty member Nicole Davis is the point-of-contact for Early Intervention major and is available to assist students or prospective students with questions and enrollment.
Faculty members Theresa Kowcheck and Dr. Leann Elkins are the point-of-contacts for the Reading Program at the graduate level.
The WLU College of Education includes many majors, minors, and programs and strives to deliver the Gold Standard of Education. Students in the College of Education prepare for the 21st century classrooms and for professional programs through a contemporary curriculum that focuses on interdisciplinary teaching, learning, research, and service.
“From close student-faculty relationships, engaging teaching, state-of-the-art technology, and professional development opportunities, it provides the highest quality of education for all of our students. We also maintain a commitment to active engagement and service in the community,” Camden said.
- For more information on the Early Intervention major, please contact Davis at nicole.davis@westliberty.edu.
- For more information on the Reading Specialist certification, please contact Kowcheck at kowcheck@westliberty.edu or Elkins at leann.elkins@westliberty.edu.
West Liberty University is a forward-looking, four-year public university steeped in a rich heritage as West Virginia’s oldest institution of higher education. Five colleges and a School of Professional Studies undergraduate majors and programs that are nationally recognized or accredited. Graduate programs include the Master of Arts in Education, the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies, the Master of Professional Studies, the Master of Science in Criminology and the online MBA degrees. For more information on WLU, please call 1.866.WESTLIB or visit westliberty.edu.
