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Instructional Strategist II + Initial Licensure

Prepare to serve as a competent and Christ-like leader in special education with Dordt’s Instructional Strategist II + Initial Licensure program. The program is 100% online, and courses can be completed in as little as two years.

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Program Overview

The Instructional Strategist II + Initial Licensure program provides practical, hands-on learning experiences in teaching and leading in a distinctively Christian manner. Coursework focuses on specific strategies for assessing and addressing learning and behavioral difficulties of various types. Courses provide experience in developing instructional strategies, inclusion opportunities, behavior interventions, and working with professionals and parents to maximize learning opportunities for children. Optional courses in Applied Behavior Analysis may be added to qualify for the BCBA certification exam.

An BCBA at Dordt's Thrive Center for ABA works one-on-one with a child

Program Details

This program provides a pathway for students to earn initial licensure in the state of Iowa as well along with a K-12 Instructional Strategist II: Behavior Disorders/Learning Disabilities (263) endorsement.

This track consists of 15 courses in a 52-credit-hour specialization that prepares the teacher or administrator to be a competent leader in special education roles.

M.SPED. Instructional Strategist II + Initial Licensure Courses (30 CREDITS)
  • EDUC 501 Issues in Education (3 Credits)
  • EDUC 502 Learner Development (3 Credits)
  • EDUC 505 Foundations of Special Education (3 Credits)
  • EDUC 515 Assessment of Learning Difficulties (3 Credits)
  • EDUC 516 Advanced Behavior and Social Interventions (3 Credits)
  • EDUC 517 Instructional Decisions (3 Credits)
  • EDUC 518 Transitional Support & Collaborative Partnerships (3 Credits)
  • EDUC 522 Advanced Pedagogies for Teaching Literacy (1.5 Credits)
  • EDUC 523 Advanced Pedagogies for Teaching Math (1.5 Credits)
  • SPED 611 Foundations of ABA (3 Credits)
  • SPED 613 Experimental Design and Interpretation of Data (3 Credits)
  • EDUC 521 Advanced Content Reading & Children’s Lit (3 Credits)
  • SOWK 615 Inequality, Diversity, and Social Justice (3 Credits)
  • EDUC 523 Student Teaching Internship—Elementary Instructional Strategist (8 Credits)
  • EDUC 578 Student Teaching Internship—Secondary Instructional Strategist (8 Credits)

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Kathleen VanTol

Professor of Education
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