Salem College Earns National Recognition for Preparing Future Elementary Teachers in the Science of Reading
Salem elementary education program achieves top marks in new report from the National Council on Teacher Quality
Winston-Salem, North Carolina—The graduate elementary teacher preparation program at Salem College has earned an A+ from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) for how well they prepare future teachers to teach reading to elementary students.
- Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Elementary Education with Certification: A+ (View grade page)
The report, Teacher Prep Review: Decoding Progress in Reading Preparation, published on June 9, spotlights Salem College for meeting the standards set by literacy experts for coverage of the most effective methods of reading instruction. Specifically, this means the program is preparing aspiring teachers in all five components of scientifically based reading instruction, including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary, and avoids many instructional practices that research has shown to be ineffective or counterproductive for teaching children to read.
A child’s ability to read proficiently in the early grades shapes everything that comes next in school and in life, yet according to NAEP data, four in ten fourth graders in North Carolina cannot read at a basic level. Teacher preparation is one of the most direct levers available to change that—but only if it is aligned to the research-based instructional methods that have been proven to help most students become successful readers.
Salem College is part of a growing group of teacher preparation programs nationwide helping transform how future teachers are trained to teach reading.
“In the MAT program at Salem College, we are fortunate to have faculty with a firm grounding in the Science of Reading and a broad understanding of student learning. We are proud to support our teacher candidates with a deep knowledge that will ensure they are providing the highest quality instruction to all students,” said Nicki Young, MA, MEd, PhD, Director of Educator Preparation at Salem College.
NCTQ’s methodology is informed by a panel of reading experts, teacher preparation faculty, reading advocates, and measurement experts. To evaluate the quality of preparation being provided, a team of experts at NCTQ analyzed syllabi, including lecture schedules and topics, background reading materials, class assessments, assignments, and opportunities to practice instruction in required literacy courses for elementary teacher candidates at Salem College.
To earn an “A,” programs needed to demonstrate that coursework for future elementary teachers includes all five core components of scientifically based reading instruction and avoid teaching more than three instructional methods that are unsupported by the research on effective reading instruction. To earn an A+, programs needed to exceed those targets and not teach any instructional practices that are unsupported by research.
“Every child deserves a teacher who has been well prepared to teach reading, and every teacher deserves the opportunity to enter the classroom ready to help students succeed,” said NCTQ President Heather Peske. “Across the country, many teacher preparation programs still do not fully align with the science of reading, but Salem College is demonstrating what strong preparation can look like.”
See NCTQ’s report, Teacher Prep Review: Decoding Progress in Reading Preparation, for more information about Salem College’s coverage of the science of reading and to see how Salem College compares to other programs in North Carolina or across the country.
News Media Contact:
Caroline Garza
Communications Coordinator
Salem Academy and College
caroline.garza@salem.edu
About Salem College
Salem College provides women with a liberal arts education with a distinctive focus on health and leadership, ensuring our graduates understand the power, importance, and complexity of health in our society. Salem College prepares students for a range of career paths to lead in making the world a better, healthier, and more equitable place. Salem College is the only national liberal arts college exclusively focused on developing the health leaders of tomorrow.
About NCTQ
The National Council on Teacher Quality: NCTQ is a nonpartisan research and policy organization on a mission to ensure every child has access to an effective teacher and every teacher has the opportunity to be effective. We believe a strong, diverse teacher workforce is critical for providing all students with equitable educational opportunities. For more information about NCTQ, visit www.nctq.org.