Research & Projects

Teaching, Learning & Sociocultural Studies

We are a dynamic department with many projects and programs serving the community. Our faculty is committed to service and outreach. The following describes projects, institutes, services, including endorsements, and awards that involve educators locally and around the country and world.

American Indian Language Development Institute

AILDI provides critical training to revitalize and promote the use of Indigenous languages across generations. We engage educators, schools, Indigenous communities, and policy makers nationally and internationally.

AILDI

Borderlands Education Center

The center is an intellectual hub in the rural borderlands of Southern Arizona that expands learning and research opportunities for border teachers and communities.

Borderlands Education Center

Community Engagement and Youth Leadership through Science Education

Researchers and participants explore how science education can be a vehicle for community engagement, youth leadership, and social change, as they also seek to understand the educational opportunities, challenges, and learning outcomes.

Community Engagement and Youth Leadership through Science Education

​​​​​​​Communities as Resources in Early Childhood Education 

This innovative early childhood teacher education program focuses on family, community, and classrooms based on the principles of funds of knowledge, story, family literacies, and collaboration.

CREATE

Cooper Center for Environmental Learning

More than 130,000 students have experienced the Sonoran Desert through Cooper's programs over the past 50 years. Each year, more than 4,000 K-8 students from across Southern Arizona experience multi-night, single-night, and day programs to learn about the beautiful environment just west of Tucson.

Cooper Center for Environmental Learning

Graduate Student Colloquy

Each year, TLS graduates students organize and hold a colloquy to a) share their scholarship and b) invite and hear presentations from nationally acclaimed scholars.

Graduate Student Colloquy

Secondary Science Teaching with English Language and Literacy Acquisition

The primary goal of STELLA is to prepare novice secondary science teachers for effective and responsive science teaching in linguistically diverse science classrooms.

Secondary Science Teaching with English Language and Literacy Acquisition

​​​​​​​TRIO Student Support Services for Aspiring Teachers

This federally funded program by the U.S. Department of Education holistically supports our undergraduate students in order to increase graduation rates and teacher workforce.

​​​​​​​TRIO Student Support Services for Aspiring Teachers

Teach Arizona

Teach Arizona is designed for people who wish to become expertly trained middle or high school teachers. Participants begin classes in the summer, complete the coursework as a cohort, and graduate the following May with a master’s degree.

Teach Arizona

Teachers in Industry

We integrate paid summer industry work experiences in local businesses across Arizona together with either a focused Master of Arts in Teaching and Teacher Education or professional development credits. Open to all Arizona STEM teachers.

Teachers in Industry

Teachers Empowered to Advance Change in Mathematics

TEACH MATH prepares pre-K-8 teachers to connect children's mathematical thinking and community-based funds of knowledge. 

Teachers Empowered to Advance Change in Mathematics

UA STEM Learning Center

The center serves as a nexus where researchers and educators plus business and industry, community organization, and regional policy leaders join forces to realize an economic and civic future that holds at its heart the rich economic and human potential of STEM innovation. 

UA STEM Learning Center

WordCats and MathCats

These programs are designed to help develop young readers and writers. Studies show that sustained individualized attention and after-school tutoring help children learn these important life skills.  

WordCats and MathCats

Worlds of Words

WOW builds intercultural understanding through global children's and adolescent literature. WOW includes a special collection of global literature, literacy events for children and families, professional development for educators, and a website with many resources on global literature, including two online journals.

Worlds of Words

Kenneth S. Goodman Award: In Defense of Good Teaching

Our department seeks nominations for the Kenneth S. Goodman Award: In Defense of Good Teaching, given in honor of Kenneth S. Goodman. Dr. Goodman was recognized internationally as an advocate for teachers, political action and holistic education. The award was established to honor professionals at any level who have "stood up" in an extraordinary way and who have set an example of well grounded, humanistic, holistic education. Learn more about the nomination procedures and criteria.

Spanish Proficiency Exam

Learn more about the Spanish Proficiency Exam.

Courses to meet the requirements of an endorsement may be taken as part of a graduate program and count toward a degree OR the course work for meeting the requirements of an endorsement may be taken by students who are admitted by the Graduate College as non-degree seeking students. 

The Reading Endorsement available include K-6, 7-12 and K-12:

K-6 (24 units): LRC 505 Language & Literacy, LRC 520 Literacy Curriculum & Instruction for Children, LRC 522 Literacy in the Content Areas for Children, LRC 524 Literacy Assessment, LRC 525 Literacy Assessment, Instruction & Intervention, LRC 526 Curriculum Leadership in Literacy & Language, LRC 693 Internship, Elective.

7-12 (24 units): LRC 505 Language & Literacy, LRC 521 Literacy Curriculum & Instruction for Adolescents, LRC 523 Literacy in the Content Areas of Adolescents, LRC 524 Literacy Assessment, LRC 525 Literacy Assessment, Instruction & Intervention, LRC 526 Curricular Leadership in Literacy & Language, LRC 693 Internship, Elective.

K-12 (30 units): LRC 505 Language & Literacy, LRC 520 Literacy Curriculum & Instruction for Children, LRC 521 Literacy Curriculum & Instruction for Adolescents, LRC 522 Literacy in the Content Areas for Children, LRC 523 Literacy in the Content Areas for Adolescents, LRC 524 Literacy Assessment, LRC 525 Literacy Assessment, Instruction & Intervention, LRC 526 Curricular Leadership in Literacy and Language, LRC 693 Internship (6 hours).

Bilingual Endorsement (21 units)

State endorsement requirements:

LRC 504 Language & Culture in Education, LRC 510 Foundations of Language Minority Education, LRC 512 Educating Culturally Diverse Students in a Pluralistic Society, LRC 514 Reading & Writing in Bilingual and Second Language Settings, LRC 516 Structured English Foundations, LRC 528 Curriculum & Instruction in Bilingual and Second Language Settings, LRC 694a Bilingual Practicum, ENGL 508 English as a Second Language in Bilingual Education  (or ENGL 613 Methods of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) or LRC 517 Structured English Immersion Methods. Students must pass Arizona Classroom Proficiency Examination (SPE), contact the TLS Office. Proficiency in American Indian Languages is determined by designated tribal official. For other languages, consult advisor.

ESL Endorsement (21 units)

Choose one from each of these categories:

Linguistics: LRC 504 Language & Culture in Education, LRC 553 or LRC 554.

Foundations: LRC 510 Foundations of Language Minority Education or LRC 516 Structured English Foundations.

ESL Methods: ENGL 508 English as a Second Language in Bilingual Education, ENGL 613 Methods of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages or LRC 517 Structured English Immersion Methods.

Reading/Writing Curriculum and Assessment (6 units): LRC 527 , LRC 528 Curriculum & Instruction in Bilingual and Second Language Settings, LRC 514 Reading & Writing in Bilingual and Second Language Settings, or LRC 635 .

Culture: LRC 512 Educating Culturally Diverse Students in a Pluralistic Society. 

Practicum: LRC 578 Field Research in Communities and Schools or LRC 694a Practicum in ELL (English Language Learners) Settings

SEI Endorsement (6 units)

The following courses meet the state endorsement requirements: LRC 516 Structured English Immersion Foundations and LRC 517 Structured English Immersion Methods.