Continuing Education
Currently, gaps in teacher certification and education exist, specifically in the areas of literacy and language (Hikida, Chamberlain, Tily, Daly-Lesch, Warner, & Schallart, 2019). Thousands of children are not reading proficiently or not understanding what they read (Hetzel & Soto-Hinman, 2006). Students are often ending up in special education for their entire school career, or dropping out of school before high school graduation; special education has become a career in and of itself, and we do not have enough teachers with the training and expertise to help these struggling students.
+ Read More
UEHL proposes a "Zero Enrollment in Special Ed" goal. We, as educators, are the only ones who need and want a "special education" — an education that will prepare us to deal with the many different learners that we interact with daily. As we improve our understanding and knowledge of reading and comprehension processes, we create a future in which an education in American public school grades K-3 really is a special education for every child.
We are committed to providing every elementary school teacher — of every subject — with a basic understanding of the processes involved in the reading, learning brain. Moreover, we aim to bridge the gap between the scientific world and the boots-on-the-ground educators who are doing the daily work of delivering instruction. UEHL provides a model of how the human brain processes written and auditory information and how children's comprehension and use of language can be trained to its fullest potential from pre-K forward.
UEHL recognizes the invaluable contribution of the classroom teacher: regardless of technological advances, on-line programs, and remote learning opportunities, early childhood education — specifically reading and language development — requires the highly developed and honed skill of the human educator. Teaching at its best is both a science and an art, which if nurtured and valued properly, will not only enrich our global community and interpersonal understanding, but will also advance our civilization economically and psychologically.
References:
Hetzel, J., & Soto-Hinman, I. (2006). The three literacy gaps and Title III of NCLB. Forum on Public Policy, pp. 1-31.
Hikida, M., Chamberlain, K., Tily, S., Daly-Lesch, A., Warner, J. R., & Schallert, D. L. (2019). Reviewing how preservice teachers are prepared to to teach reading processes: What the literature suggests and overlooks. Journal of Literacy Research, 51(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/1086296X19833297
Teaching Teachers to Teach Reading
Knowing how to teach literacy doesn't need to be a secret. If we look at the research, we know what to do. While competing political interests and short-term thinking have held us back from looking at good data, UEHL understands how young students learn to read and write and actively advances teacher knowledge through a number of educational programs.
Basics for Learning to Teach Reading
Enhancing teacher education with up-to-date, ongoing literacy instruction ensures our teachers are equipped to meet the needs of all children.
Understanding How the Brain Works
With a balanced, research-oriented approach, we can utilize what we know about brain function to better instruct our students in a way that complements individual learning styles.
