GW's special education and disability studies programs are dedicated to preparing knowledgeable, effective, and ethical special education professionals to serve diverse students with disabilities and their families. The programs are grounded in the philosophical position that teaching is an act of transformative social justice, operationalized and actualized through the practice of personalized teaching and learning. The graduate certificate in the science of reading for diverse learners prepares educators to develop deep knowledge in the science of reading and scientifically based reading instruction. The certificate prepares educators to understand and leverage the latest reading research to support reading acquisition and development, particularly for learners who are struggling readers and/or those identified with reading disabilities. Certificate students also develop skills to assess individual student reading developmental trajectories, design and deliver evidence-based reading instruction, effectively select evidence-based reading instructional approaches tailored to meet diverse students’ needs and hone their abilities to progress monitor student learning and reflect upon data to make decisions about instructional effectiveness and curricular and pedagogical adjustments.
The following requirements must be fulfilled: 12 credits in required courses.
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| SPED 6200 | Foundations of Reading Instruction | |
| SPED 6202 | Researching Current Trends in Special Education | |
| SPED 6203 | Research and Practice of Diagnostic Reading for Students with Disabilities | |
| SPED 6266 | Development of Language and Literacy | |
