The Education, Reading and Literacy Department at San Bernardino Valley College maintains a commitment to instructional innovations, and inter-divisional collaboration, that supports its mission to provide a diverse community of learners with a variety of effective instructional experiences, which strengthens reading comprehension, critical thinking, and study strategies. These skills are essential in the preparation of students who will transfer to four-year universities, enter the workforce by earning applied degrees and certificates, and to improve the quality of life in San Bernardino, the Inland Empire, and beyond.

Degrees & Certificates

Click on a degree or certificate to learn more about the requirements, view program maps and more.

Education, Reading, and Literacy Courses

EDUC 1003 Units
Introduction to Education Studies

Lecture: 54 contact hours

Departmental Recommendation: READ100

This course provides an overview of the field of education, education theory, and learning inside and outside the classroom and introduces public policy and a critical perspective on the ideological and social construction of schools in the United States. It also includes interpretations of learning conditions through student observations and experiences in varied educational and learning contexts.

Associate Degree Applicable

Transfers to both UC/CSU

EDUC 1013 Units
Principles of Learning Strategies

Lecture: 54 contact hours

Departmental Recommendation: READ100

This course introduces attitudes and behaviors associated with successful learning and achievement and compares learning theories and research-based learning strategies to school, home, and multimedia regarding different types of learners and topic areas.

Associate Degree Applicable

Transfers to both UC/CSU

EDUC 1023 Units
Introduction to Education Policy

Lecture: 54 contact hours

Departmental Recommendation: READ100

This course provides an overview of how federal and state education policy and practice, assessment theories, teaching practices and methodologies can exert a positive impact on teaching and learning outcomes frameworks governing public education. It explores the political dynamics of policy-making with an emphasis on centralized policy-making authority and on efforts to reform and improve public schools. It also explores competing values guiding policy debates and dilemmas of centralized policy control.

Associate Degree Applicable

Transfers to both UC/CSU

EDUC 1033 Units
Education, Society, and Culture

Lecture: 54 contact hours

Departmental Recommendation: READ100

This course introduces the history and philosophy of public education in the United States, how and why certain school-society issues first arose in this country, and how those issues have changed over time with an emphasis on critical social justice-oriented theories and principles that actively address the dynamics of oppression and privilege within the context of education, society, and culture. This course examines society as the product of historically rooted, institutionally sanctioned stratification along socially constructed group lines, including race, class, gender, sexual orientation, and ability. It also includes a survey of the political economy, dominant ideologies, and existing educational practices that have precedents in various historical eras with an examination of the history of education of girls and women, People of Color, minority groups and people of varying socioeconomic classes.

Associate Degree Applicable

Transfers to both UC/CSU

EDUC 2003 Units
Introduction to Elementary Education

Lecture: 54 contact hours

Departmental Recommendation: ENGL C1000 or ENGL C1000H

This course introduces students to the concepts and issues related to teaching diverse learners in contemporary public schools (K-12). Topics include historical and philosophical foundations of the American education system, education theory, multiculturalism, teaching as a profession and career, contemporary education issues, California Content Standards and framework, and teacher performance standards. In addition to class time, 45-hours of structured fieldwork are required at an approved public school elementary classroom with a certified classroom teacher and students that represent California's diverse population. Proof of a negative TB test and fingerprint clearance are required for classroom observations.

Associate Degree Applicable

Transfers to both UC/CSU

C-ID: EDUC 200

EDUC 2013 Units
Looking into Classrooms: Secondary Education

Lecture: 54 contact hours

Departmental Recommendation: READ100

This course has an emphasis on understanding the role of the secondary education teacher, instructional methods, curriculum as it relates to grade-level state standards, teacher preparation, educational theory, learning theory, teaching theory, cooperative relationships, and professional ethics of teaching. Students record and interpret their observations and compare them to published studies of classrooms. Designed for students interested in teaching middle school, grades 6-8, and high school, grades 9-12, including secondary education classrooms designated as Career Technical Education (CTE) and Special Education, this course involves classroom observations in local schools identified as having exemplary programs Proof of a negative TB test and fingerprint clearance are required for classroom observations.

Associate Degree Applicable

Transfers to both UC/CSU

READ 0154 Units
Preparation for College Reading

Lecture: 72 contact hours

Have you seen the movies IT or Doctor Sleep? They are based on Stephen King novels. How about The Hate U Give, Crazy Rich Asians, or Jurassic Park? These movies were also book-to-movie adaptations. If you re a fan of movies, read the books that inspired them! This course is designed to foster improvement in reading comprehension and vocabulary. Coursework includes reading texts from various genres and other assignments, while preparing students for college reading success across the disciplines. This course may also be offered for noncredit as READ615.

Associate Degree Applicable

READ 1003 Units
College Academic Reading

Lecture: 54 contact hours

This course is designed to improve reading and learning processes, reading comprehension, and critical thinking strategies as applied to all stages of academic reading. Emphasis will be on the integration and synthesis of academic text.

Associate Degree Applicable

Transfers to CSU only

READ 1023 Units
Critical Reading as Critical Thinking

Lecture: 54 contact hours

Departmental Recommendation: READ100

This course explores the relationship of critical reading and critical thinking with an emphasis on the development of critical thinking skills and the application in the interpretation, analysis, criticism, and advocacy of ideas encountered in academic reading.

Associate Degree Applicable

Transfers to CSU only

READ 1033 Units
Reading and Literacy for Lifelong Learning

Lecture: 54 contact hours

Departmental Recommendation: READ100

This course focuses on providing students with reading and information literacy strategies for college completion and lifelong success. These skills include identifying, evaluating, and applying practical reading and learning techniques utilizing social, physical, and psychological resources and tools.

Associate Degree Applicable

Transfers to CSU only

READ 1043 Units
Critical Reading, Thinking and Literacy

Lecture: 54 contact hours

Prerequisite: ENGL C1000 or ENGL C1000H

This course explores the relationship between critical reading and literacy to critical thinking. Instruction in methods of critical reasoning, inquiry-driven research, argumentative writing, and the strategies necessary for college reading application in interpretation, analysis, criticism, and advocacy of ideas encountered in academic non-fiction texts across disciplines. Emphasis on texts which explore contemporary issues, including cultural diversity, equity, and anti-racism.

Associate Degree Applicable

Transfers to both UC/CSU

READ 615Noncredit
Preparation for College Reading

Lecture: 72 contact hours

Have you seen the movies IT or Doctor Sleep? They are based on Stephen King novels. How about The Hate U Give, Crazy Rich Asians, or Jurassic Park? These movies were also book-to-movie adaptations. If you re a fan of movies, read the books that inspired them! This noncredit course is designed to foster improvement in reading comprehension and vocabulary. Coursework includes reading texts from various genres and other assignments, while preparing students for college reading success across the disciplines. This course may also be offered for credit, as READ015.