Reading Education

Considering graduate study in Reading Education at Auburn University?

"Slow reading acquisition has cognitive, behavioral, and motivational consequences that slow the development of other cognitive skills and inhibit performance on many academic tasks . . . The longer this developmental sequence is allowed to continue, the more generalized the deficits will become, seeping into more and more areas of cognition and behavior. Or, to put it more simply—and more sadly—in the words of a tearful nine-year old, already falling frustratingly behind his peers in reading progress, 'Reading affects everything you do.'" Stanovich, K. E. (1986). Matthew effects in reading. Reading Research Quarterly, 21, p. 390.

Effective reading teachers make a permanent difference in students' education careers by providing the essential literacy tools for lifelong learning.

Auburn University offers master's and doctoral programs in Reading Education. Our instruction focuses on evidence-based theory and practice based on scientific studies of reading. Course curricula are matched to Alabama state standards, which emphasize the objectives of the Alabama Reading Initiative.

A major work of the Reading Education program is to prepare undergraduates to teach reading. We offer a two-course sequence to Early Childhood Education majors and to Elementary Education majors. The first course, CTRD 3700, introduces Reading Education and provides field teaching experiences with small groups in local elementary schools. The second course, CTRD 3710, develops specific strategies for reading acquisition and provides field teaching experiences in which each teacher candidate assesses and tutors a struggling primary-grade reader.

We provide a comprehensive course in Developmental Reading K-12 for Special Education majors, CTRD 5700/6700/6706 as a general introduction to Reading Education. We also provide the course CTRD 5710/6710/6716, Literacy and Inquiry in the Content Areas 6-12, for Secondary Education majors. This course shows teachers how to improve learning in their disciplines by guiding students' reading.

Degree Options

Master of Education/ Master of Science - Traditional (M.Ed./M.S.)
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Distance Learning Options

Yes [more information]

Program Faculty

Dr. Edna Brabham, Associate Professor
Dr. Bruce Murray, Associate Professor and Program Coordinator

Course Descriptions are available in the AU Bulletin.

Federal Teach Grant

The U.S. Department of Education recently released regulations regarding a new grant opportunity for students pursuing a degree in education. The program provides grant funds for postsecondary students who are completing coursework in a federally designated critical- need area of education and agree to serve for at least four years as a full-time, highly qualified teacher in a low-income school. Eligible students may receive up to $4,000 per year in TEACH Grant funds. Failure to complete the service agreement will result in the grant being converted to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford/Ford Loan in which you must repay in full, with interest. Eligibility requirements for the TEACH Grant at Auburn University may be found online. Since this opportunity is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, we encourage you to visit the Federal Teach Grant site for more detailed information concerning this opportunity.

Last Updated: Feb 12, 2011