Beginning in the summer of 2016, Northeastern Illinois University’s Department of Special Education in the Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education will offer a Gifted Teacher Endorsement to students pursuing a Master of Arts in Gifted Education. Northeastern is the state’s first university to offer the endorsement.
The endorsement is designed for candidates who are interested in advanced preparation supporting, teaching and guiding gifted children and their families.
“We are delighted to be the first university in Illinois to offer the Gifted Teacher Endorsement,” Department of Special Education Chair Sandra Beyda-Lorie said. “This is an important and useful opportunity for our state’s educators.”
The endorsement requires 24 credit hours and is designed to supplement the expertise for individuals in a number of careers, including classroom teachers, gifted specialists and gifted child advocates. Coursework includes a solid foundation in the nature of giftedness, identification of the gifted (including underrepresented groups and students with multiple exceptionalities), program planning, gifted curriculum, differentiated educational strategies and program evaluation. Successful completion of the Gifted Teacher Endorsement content exam is also required.
Applicants must meet the general requirements for admission to the College of Graduate Studies and Research. A valid Illinois Professional Educator License is required for entry into the program.
Call (773) 442-5594 or email m-kane1@neiu.edu for more information.
