Become a Reading Specialist

Learn how reading teachers open up worlds of imagination and creativity to students

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Reading specialists work closely with children to help them achieve reading skills that match their current grade level. Known as 'reading teachers' to their students, reading specialists strive to increase the reading capabilities of all students through school-wide reading programs, literacy materials and resources, and ongoing collaboration with classroom teachers, parents and administrators.

Reading Teacher Job Description

Using a diverse set of strategies and methods, reading specialists deliver the individualized lessons and support children need to learn to read and comprehend meaning from printed words. As a reading teacher, your day-to-day duties might include the following: Conducting assessments to determine student reading levels Creating individual reading plans to match student ability and learning style Guiding children through reading and writing activities that help them overcome their specific literacy struggles Consulting with parents and teachers to recommend at-home strategies for reading skill improvement Working with school librarians to include materials on literacy education Coordinating school-wide reading intervention and literacy programs

Reading Specialists at Work

In general, reading teachers work in classrooms where they help students who are struggling with reading on an individual or group level. They might also work with classes or grades as a whole to present special reading programs or promote particular books or authors.

Many reading specialists work full-time schedules, employed by a school district to manage reading programs and provide services at the elementary, middle or secondary levels. Some districts may also hire part-time reading specialists to cover morning or afternoon teaching sessions at a specific school or set of schools.

Reading Teacher Salary and Job Outlook

According to PayScale.com, full-time reading specialists working in the school system can earn a median salary of $52,000 per year. Current data from Salary.com shows that public school teachers in general earn average salaries between $43,194 and $57,731 per year.

While the need for reading teachers across the country continues to increase, state and local funding issues can impact the job market for this profession. Generally, teachers find more job opportunities in either central, urban or outlying, rural areas. A higher demand for specialized teachers like reading specialists may exist in fast-growing states that are experiencing large increases in student enrollment, such as Nevada, Arizona, Texas and Georgia.

Education and Training

Educational requirements for reading teachers vary from state to state. However, most state school boards require a bachelor's or a master's degree in reading and literacy with a focus on specialized reading. Course work in these programs typically covers essential reading specialist information and skills training, such as the following:

• Components of reading curricula and programs
• Techniques for teaching reading in the classroom
• Assessing students' reading progress
• Researching and evaluating reading and literacy data
• Identifying trends and issues in reading research

In addition to your degree, attaining a reading specialist job will also require student teaching experience, a current teaching license and possibly a reading specialist certification.

Reading Specialist Certification

Similar to the educational requirements for the profession, reading specialist certification requirements vary from state to state. Check with your state's Department of Education to see what the requirements are in your area. If you are looking for a highly transferable, comprehensive certification, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) offers national certification in literacy. Certification candidates who meet education and experience requirements must submit portfolio entries and complete assessment exercises to demonstrate knowledge in their field. The NBPTS estimates that its certification process can take up to three years to complete.

Because student literacy remains one of the most fundamentally important national education goals, reading teachers hold a highly important role in the future of our nation. Instilling confidence and capability in a child struggling to read and creating programs to expand literacy across a student population make a powerful impact not only on the generation you serve but on the generation to come. If you are interested in learning disability career information, see our special education resource center.