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Reading Teachers Chatboard

Want to be a reading specialist and need your suggestions

by LM

Nov 11, 2010

I taught 6th grade special education my first year and quickly realized that if you can't read well by 6th grade, it's pretty tough to make it through most classes. This led me to go back to early education in an attempt to see what kids were missing. I have loved teaching kindergarten for the last 6 years and am about to complete a Masters degree in Literacy for Special Needs. When completed, I can take a test that will give me a certificate of sorts to be a reading specialist. So far, I have really only taken one class that has given me more information I can really use to support literacy. Now what do I do? I am in a small private school with a great title one person (we team teach.) Together we do a lot of activities to support literacy, including writer's workshop, running records, hands-on activities and guided reading. This is really what I want to do full time, but don't know where to start. How can I possibly gain the skills/experience to really apply for such a position? Do y...See More

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Nicole S. LM,

Isn't it just awful that our graudate courses in reading don't help much in preparing you in becoming an effective reading specialist? I was in the same position as you when I started my first Title 1 teaching position ten years ago. Now I have two rooms in my house filled with reading instruction curricula that I have bought myself ov...See MoreLM,

Isn't it just awful that our graudate courses in reading don't help much in preparing you in becoming an effective reading specialist? I was in the same position as you when I started my first Title 1 teaching position ten years ago. Now I have two rooms in my house filled with reading instruction curricula that I have bought myself over the years. Much of my effective reading instruction has been strongly influenced by the Reading Reform Foundation ([link removed].

The wisdom that is shared on the RRF forum has given me much insight on reading acquisition. Many on the forum display impressive knowledge, experience, and articulation about effective reading instruction. This inspires, challenges, and motivates me to reach higher by learning more and reflecting consistently on my own teaching, so that I can do what it takes to create the most positive outcome for every student. I have spent some extra time reading the last 3-4 years of posts on the UK RRF forum. Instead of glaring at the computer screen, I printed most of it and filled about four binders. It was worth the ink and paper because I know that I will refer to it when need be.

I could give you a list of the top 20 resources that will best prepare you, but I would start with becoming a UK RRF forum member first. The most effective program that I have used for struggling readers is SRA Reading Mastery. 95% of my students reach grade level in a short amount of time and I find it almost vital to use if with kindergarten and first grade students. If they achieve reading success this early, then you will find that they no longer need remedial services again for the rest of their school years.

I don't know what state you are in, put the Reading Specialist Praxis can be a little tricky depending on your knowledge of current reading research. Each state has a different cut off score with what they consider passing. Their are practice tests online or you can buy one.

On a last note, keep an open mind when reading the posts on the RRF forum. Many of the members really know their stuff and it may actually be different than how you were taught to teach reading. Once you implement many of the research based strategies that are mentioned on the forum, then you will realize that this is the best and most effective way to teach reading. You mentioned that you use guided reading in your post. This is fine for most on-level readers, but not the best for your most struggling readers in the early grades.

As a beginning reading specialist, it can be a trial and error process when you are beginning to try out with what works best for you and your students. Sometimes you may not have much of a say in this if your school is pushing a certain reading instuction philosophy. There are ways around this. My last school forced the teachers to use Balanced Literacy. In fact, most schools in the US use Balanced Literacy. I did for awhile until I realized how similar it was to Whole Language instruction. Just because it is the current trend, doesn't mean it's the most effective. Through experience and knowledge of current research, you will find that it's almost toxic for struggling beginning readers. When the classroom reading instruction is failing the student, is so very important that the reading specialist use something different and more effective. Even if the school you work in uses a different program, they should approve the remedial reading program (although different) as long as the students are making great progress. I usually buy most of my reading instruction curricula myself so that I can use it any school (or district)I work in if I decide to transfer or move my family to a different location. Title 1 Reading has shaky funding, which means that you are always guessing whether you will have the same job next year. Positions like a Reading Coach are more stable, but not my preference. I hate telling other teachers what to do. It seems like the Reading Coach is the most hated person in school because she/he is eforcing changes, which means more work for the teacher. This is just what I have observed, it may not be like that in every school.

There are a few resource books that I consider my Bibles for effective reading instruction. The one that is most inexpensive and accessible is "Teaching Struggling and At- Risk Readers: A Direct Instruction Approach" by Douglas W. Carnine, Jerry Silbert, Edward J. Kame'enui, Sara G. Tarver, Kathleen Jungjohann. It is very well written and easy to use. Amazon sells a used copy for $13 at [link removed].

Good luck in your journey! Keep an open mind in your venture to find what works best to help a student become an independent reader. Join IRA and subscribe to journals like Reading Research Quarterly and observe effective reading specialists in action. My favorite reading guru is Debbie Hepplewhite (UK). She posts on the RRF forum quite often. She also is the creator of Phonics International ([link removed]

Nicole S. Reading Specialist, MO Grades K-6 [link removed]

On 11/11/10, LM wrote: > I taught 6th grade special education my first year and > quickly realized that if you can't read well by 6th grade, > it's pretty tough to make it through most classes. This > led me to go back to early education in an attempt to see > what kids were missing. I have loved teaching > kindergarten for the last 6 years and am about to complete > a Masters degree in Literacy for Special Needs. When > completed, I can take a test that will give me a > certificate of sorts to be a reading specialist. So far, > I have really only taken one class that has given me more > information I can really use to support literacy. > Now what do I do? I am in a small private school with a > great title one person (we team teach.) Together we do a > lot of activities to support literacy, including writer's > workshop, running records, hands-on activities and guided > reading. > This is really what I want to do full time, but don't know > where to start. > How can I possibly gain the skills/experience to really > apply for such a position? > Do you have any advice for me? > > thanks in advance, > LM

Nov 16, 2010

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Nicole S. One more resource: [link removed]

My READING GAMES (instructional) ONLINE MEGALIST is still a pretty good list of resources galore (not just games). There are a few broken links because I haven't updated in awhile. There are some instructional games here and there that should be deleted because they don't align with my reading instruction ...See More

Nov 16, 2010

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Nicole S. This document provides a good review of knowledge that is expected of a reading specialist. A past employer used it as a basis for interview questions when hiring another reading specialist for our department. The last quarter of the document is a test to determine your competency on the information presented. Many undergraduate and even graduate c...See More

Nov 20, 2010

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