Cognitive Impairment (SA)
Students wishing to obtain an endorsement to teach children with a cognitive impairment must possess a valid teaching certificate and complete or show a record of completion of the state mandated objectives addressed in the courses listed below.
Students teaching under a temporary/emergency permit must take a minimum of six (6) credits between September 1 and August 31 each year from the courses listed below to complete this endorsement. Additional courses for the Master of Arts in Teaching Degree in Special Education should only be taken after successful completion of the Cognitive Impairment Endorsement.
SUPPORT CORE [9 credits required]:
| PSYC 310 or PSYC 315 | Child Psychology Adolescent Psychology | 3 crs. 3 crs. |
| and PSYC 320 | Psychology of Learning (TE 505 is an acceptable substitute for this course) | 3 crs. |
| TE 516 | Classroom Management Techniques for Effective Instruction | 3 crs. |
SPECIAL EDUCATION CORE [13 credits required]:
| TE 430 | Introduction to Special Education | 3 crs. |
| TE 532 | Assessment and Planning in Special Education (Prerequisites: TE 342 or TE 430, TE 431 or TE 432 or TE 433, TE 516) | 3 crs. |
| TE 541 | Special Education Curriculum and Methods - K-12 (Prerequisites: TE 342 or TE 430, TE 431 or TE 432 or TE 433, TE 516, TE 532) | 4 crs. |
| TE 535 | Consultation/Integrated Programming in Special Education (Prerequisites: TE 342 or TE 430, TE 431 or TE 432 or TE 433, TE 516, TE 532, TE 541) | 3 crs. |
COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT CORE [11 credits required]:
| KINE 120 | First Aid and CPR for the Professional Rescuer | 2 crs. |
| TE 433 | Introduction to Cognitive Impairments | 3 crs. |
| TE 568 | Educating Youth with Multiple Disabilities (Prerequisites: TE 342 or TE 430, TE 433, TE 516, TE 532, TE 541) | 3 crs. |
| TE 569 | Advanced Theories & Methods for Students with: Cognitive Impairments (Prerequisites: TE 342 or TE 430, TE 433, TE 516, TE 532, TE 541) | 3 crs. |
CLINICAL EXPERIENCES [4-8 credits required]:
Candidates are required to complete a clinical experience at the end of their endorsement program. Candidates must file an application for Student Teaching or a Practicum with the Office of Clinical Experiences. Applications must be filed electronically during the month of November for the following Fall Semester clinical experience assignment and during the month of March for the following Winter Semester clinical experience assignment. Prior to submitting an application, students are required to attend an informational meeting for special education students held the month before. Dates for these meetings can be found within the Clinical Experiences website under "Important Dates." Application materials are located on-line and are only available during the months of November and March. Questions related to Student Teaching or the Practicum experience can be directed to the College of Education Office of Clinical Experiences at (989) 964-7109.
| TE 445 and TE 460 | Seminar in Special Education Student Teaching: Special Education (for students seeking initial special education endorsement) | 2 crs. 6 crs. |
| or TE 660 | Practicum in Special Education (for students seeking additional special education endorsement) | 4 crs. |
Questions related to any special education endorsement program may be directed to the SVSU College of Education Admissions and Certification Office, (989) 989-964-4057 (option #3) or 1-800-968-2540. Teachers interested in this course of study must make an appointment with an SVSU Certification Advisor to review previous transcripts and develop an individualized course of study. Students will complete approximately 36-40 credit hours for this endorsement.
K-12 Student Teaching
Students seeking an initial endorsement in special education must complete 14 weeks of student teaching in a special education classroom which includes an experience in an elementary, middle, and secondary school setting. Students will use what they have learned in academic coursework, psychology and education courses, and field experience to observe and develop their own style of teaching.
K-12 Practicum
Students who are already endorsed in a Special Education area and are seeking an additional endorsement in a Special Education area must complete a Practicum experience. The Practicum is a supervised structured assignment. Students will complete a 10 week experience in an elementary, middle, and secondary school setting. Students are required to demonstrate ability to assess needs, plan and implement instruction and evaluate the effectiveness of their instruction.
Student Teaching/Practicum Application and Registration Instructions
Candidates are required to complete a clinical experience at the end of their endorsement program. Candidates must file an application for Student Teaching or a Practicum with the Office of Clinical Experiences. Applications must be filed electronically during the month of November for the following Fall Semester clinical experience assignment and during the month of March for the following Winter Semester clinical experience assignment. Application materials are located on-line at http://www.svsu.edu/coe/clinicalexp/. Questions related to Student Teaching or the Practicum experience can be directed to the College of Education Office of Clinical Experiences at (989) 964-7109.
Candidates must register for Student Teaching or the Practicum during a regularly scheduled registration period. Students registering for Student Teaching must register for the Seminar in Special Education: K-12 (TE 445) and Student Teaching: Special Education (TE 460). Students completing a Practicum must register for the Practicum in Special Education: K-12 (TE 660).
Please note: Students who have taught in a Special Education classroom for two or more years, may be eligible to do their Student Teaching or Practicum experience in their own classroom. Please contact the Office of Clinical Experiences at (989) 964-7109 for more information.
Michigan Test for Teacher Certification and Endorsement Application Information
It is recommended that students take the Cognitive Impairment Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (M.T.T.C.) prior to or during their Student Teaching or Practicum experience. The M.T.T.C. test is given each year during the months of January, April, July, and October. M.T.T.C. Registration Booklets can be obtained by contacting the SVSU College of Education Admissions and Certification Office or by going on-line to www.mttcnesinc.com.
In order to be considered highly qualified to teach all subjects (K-12) within the special education endorsement area, secondary certified teachers seeking a special education endorsement must take the MTTC Elementary Education test. For complete information, please see your special education advisor.
Upon completion of all coursework requirements, Student Teaching or the Practicum, and the M.T.T.C. test, students must submit an application for the Cognitive Impairment Endorsement by filling out an Endorsement Application and submitting it with all required materials to the SVSU College of Education Graduate and Teacher Education Admissions Office.