Standards for Reading Professionals: International Reading Association

These are the latest Standards, which were revised in 2010.

These are only a portion of the standards, those that pertain specifically to the
role of the reading specialist/coach. For a complete listing of the standards,
please refer to the webpage:
http://www.reading.org/resources/issues/reports/professional_standards.html

Standard 1. Foundational Knowledge.

Candidates understand the theoretical and evidence-based foundations of reading
and writing processes and instruction.
Evidence that demonstrates competence may include, but is not limited to, the
following Reading Specialist/Literacy Coach Candidates
1.1 Understand major theories and empirical research that describe the cognitive,
linguistic, motivational, and sociocultural foundations of reading and writing
development, processes, and components, including word recognition, language
comprehension, strategic knowledge, and reading-writing connections.
Interpret major theories
As a classroom teacher, I will interpret major
of reading and writing
theories of reading and writing processes and
processes and
development to understand the needs of all
development to
readers in diverse context. These theories
understand the needs of
determine how a teacher decides to assist
all readers in diverse
struggling readers and writers. The theories also
context.
help the teacher plan out all instruction for the
classroom as the theories used by the teacher will
determine the approaches taken towards
implementing the instruction. There are
numerous different theories out there that can be
applied in classrooms. One theory that I always
liked was the metacognitive theory. This theory
is all about thinking about ones own thinking.
This means that a reader is reflectively thinking
about the mental processes going on while they
are reading and writing. This allows a reader to
understand when they need to do things like read
a section of a passage to check for understanding
they may have missed. I like this theory because
it has students hold themselves accountable for

their thinking. It teaches students to monitor their

own thinking in order to determine what they
need to do in order to gain understanding. This of
course is just one of many, many theories that can
be applied into classrooms.
As a reading specialist, my job will be to help
teachers interpret these theories and decide which
one or ones they would like to incorporate into
their own classroom and teaching style. In order
to be able to help other teachers make these kinds
of decisions, I will have to make sure that I also
understand what the theories mean and be ready
to explain them to teachers if they need help or
ask questions for ideas. I would also work to
make sure that along with knowing the theories, I
could also give teachers ideas of skills and
strategies that can be sued with each theory so
they can get a better idea for what that theory will
mean once it is incorporated into their classroom.
As a reading specialist, the best way to do this is
to stay up to date with current information on
educational research and publications. Staying up
to date on this information will help me to help
teachers make better informed choices for their
classrooms and students.
Analyze classroom
environment quality for
fostering individual
motivation to read and
write (e.g., access to
print, choice, challenge,
and interests.)

As a classroom teacher, I will analyze my

classroom environment quality to foster
individual motivation to read and write. I will
look for many things when analyzing my
classroom environment. One of the most
important aspects is the students access to print.
I will not only make sure I have a print rich
classroom, but I will make sure that I have a
classroom library that is welcoming and student
friendly. Having a classroom library with
comfortable chairs, a nice rug, and maybe even
stuffed animals for students to read to is one way
to motivate them to want read. I would also like

to use an inflatable kiddy swimming pool and put

pillows in it for a place students can sit and read.
Students will be motivated to use the library if it
offers them somewhere to read that is not their
desk. In my classroom library, I will make sure
that I offer students a great deal of choice. I will
have a large selection of books on many different
levels and topics. That will allow students to find
a book that is on their reading level and a topic
that interests them. I will also offer students
choice in writing when able to. Allowing students
to decide what they can write about will allow
them to be more creative. Students will not feel
as restricted in their writing if they get to choose
what they are writing about. I also want to make
sure that my classroom environment motivates
students by providing them with the appropriate
amount of challenge. If the reading and writing
students are doing is too easy, they will become
bored. If the reading and writing students are
doing is too hard, they will become frustrated and
will begin to avoid reading and writing because
they feel as if they cannot do it. If students are
provided with material that challenges them to the
level where they are encouraged to think and
apply new skills, it will keep them interested and
motivated because it will allow them to apply
what they are learning and feel accomplished
when they finish.
As a reading specialist, I will help teachers
throughout the school analyze their classroom
environments to make sure they are providing a
motivating environment for reading and writing.
I can help teachers do this by going into their
classrooms and helping them arrange their
classroom library, giving them suggestions on
how to change or add to their classroom library,
give them tips on how to implement writing that
allows students choice, and give them tips on how

to provide students with challenge that keeps

motivated. Setting up and maintain a welcoming
classroom library can be difficult. Teachers need
to have a wide range of reading levels within their
library and also a wide range of topics. It can
take a lot of time and resources to set up a
classroom library. Teachers may need advice on
how to add t their library to make it more
welcoming and provide students with the
appropriate challenge and choice. Providing an
appropriate challenge can be hard for some
teachers. Teachers may be afraid the challenge is
too hard and not want to try it. As a reading
specialist, I can help teachers decide if their
challenges are too challenging and give them
advice on how to determine if the challenge is
appropriate in the future. Some teachers also may
have a hard time figuring out how and when to
allow students to have choice when writing. As a
reading specialist, I can help provide the teachers
with ideas on how to allow students choice when
writing, such as offering them two prompts to
select from or pulling a prompt from a hat and
being allowed to draw up to 3 times. As a reading
specialist, a key part of my job is helping
classroom teachers motivate their students to read
and write. One way I can help teachers do this is
to help them analyze their classroom
environments to make sure it is motivating
students to read and write.
Demonstrate a critical
stance toward the
scholarship of the
profession.

As both a classroom teacher and a reading

specialist, I will demonstrate a critical stance
toward the scholarship of the profession. The
goal of education is for students to learn and
grow. Students need to learn and make growth in
their progress each year throughout school. It is
important that classroom teachers and reading
specialists and any position within the school
understands that. As a classroom teacher and

reading specialist I will always strive to make

sure that students are receiving the correct support
they need. I will fight to make sure that students
who need extra help or support are getting in
through the correct resources and specialists
within the school. I will work my hardest each
day to make sure that I put my best effort into my
lessons and work. Teachers and reading
specialists have to understand that scholarship of
the position is important. Our goal is for students
to learn. We have to be willing to go above and
beyond in order to make sure we do everything
possible for our students so they learn. A critical
stance towards the scholarship of the profession
will ensure that as a teacher and reading specialist
I always give my students the support and
resources they need to learn, no matter what level
they are on or what kind of support they need.
This may mean being a proponent of change in
school among other teachers to make sure that the
school is changing in a way to promote the
education of the students.
Read and understand
the literature and
research about factors
that contribute to
reading success (e.g.,
social, cognitive, and
physical.)

As a reading specialist, I will read and understand

the literature and research about factors that
contribute to reading success. It is important to
understand that reading success is affected by
outside factors, including social, cognitive, and
physical factors. I need to read and understand
these effects so that when students are struggling
with reading, but the teacher cannot figure out
why, we can turn to outside factors that may be
affecting their school performance. The outside
factors may be things that the teacher can try to
improve for the student while they are in school.
They may also be things that the teacher cannot
do anything about and therefore will need to refer
the student for special assistance maybe from a
specialist within the school. As a reading
specialist, I need to understand all of these

options for reasons that students are struggling

because I will need to be able to identify them
within students in order to be able to provide
these students with the help and assistance they
need that also meets their needs of the factors that
are affecting their reading success.
Inform other educators
As a reading specialist, it is a big part of my job to
about major theories of inform educators about major theories of literacy
reading and writing
and support the information with evidence. It will
processes, components, also be a large part of my job to stay up to date on
and development with
the latest research about ESL students, the
supporting research
relationship between culture and native languages,
evidence, including
and the newest methods and information on literacy.
information about the
I will do this by having memberships with
relationship between
professional literacy organizations and receive
the culture and native
professional publications. This will allow me to
language of English
keep up with the latest research so that I can inform
learners as a support
educators of the information and provide the
system in the learning
research that supports the information. As a reading
to read and write in
specialist, knowing the most updated information on
English.
literacy is crucial for my job as I will be informing
classroom teachers on how to implement the ideas
and research into their classrooms to help their
students.
1.2 Understand the historically shared knowledge of the profession and changes
over time in the perceptions of reading and writing development, processes, and
components.
Interpret and
As a reading specialist, I will interpret and
summarize historically
summarize historically shared knowledge, such as
shared knowledge (e.g.,
instructional strategies and theories, that address
instructional strategies
the needs of all readers. As a reading specialist, I
and theories) that
will need to know which strategies work the best
addresses the needs of
for certain students. ESL students need strategies
all readers.
that allow them to rely on their knowledge of
their primary knowledge as they work on learning
a new language. These students also need a lot of
picture and language support as they work learn a
new language. Since a classroom is going to be
made up of students from all different
backgrounds and experiences. This means that

teachers need to make sure they use an

instructional approach that includes a before
section of the lesson in order to catch al students
up on some information before beginning.
Classrooms are also made up of students on a
variety of ability levels. This means that teachers
will need to use an instructional approach that
allows them to differentiate their instruction to
make sure that all students are receiving the
support they need. There are many different
instructional strategies, approaches, and theories.
As a reading specialist, I need to be able to
understand all of these things so that I can help
teachers find the approaches that they need to
implement in their classroom for the needs of
their students. As a reading specialist, I can help
teachers determine what type of students they
have in their classroom so that I can help them
locate and explore the information on strategies
and approaches for that type of learner. I can then
help the teacher adjust their instruction to make
sure they are implementing the strategies and
approaches correctly.
Inform educators and
others about the
historically shared
knowledge base in
reading and writing and
its role in reading
education.

As a reading specialist, I will inform educators

and others about the historically shared
knowledge base in reading and writing and its
role in reading education. As reading specialist, I
need to be able to share my knowledge with
teachers so that they are able to implement the
current best practices in their classroom
depending on the needs of their students. In order
to do this, I will have conversations with teachers
in order to share my knowledge with them. These
conversations will be productive so that I can
focus the information shared with them that will
help them with their specific classroom and group
of students. I will not only share this knowledge
with teachers, but I will also inform them of the
role it has in education. It is important for

teachers to not only have the information, but to

also understand why it is important and what role
it plays in education today. This allows teachers
to make better instructional decisions because
they understand they why behind what they are
doing. Knowing why they are doing something
allows them to improve their craft as a teacher
because it gives importance to their decisions and
will therefore lead to decisions that take into
consideration the importance of their decisions
for their students.
1.3 Understand the role of professional judgment and practical knowledge for
improving all students reading development and achievement.
Model fair-mindedness,
As a classroom teacher, I will model fair
empathy, and ethical
mindedness and ethical behavior by treating all
behavior when teaching
students with equality. All rules and procedures
students and working
will be looked at and applied for all students the
with other
same way. All students will be held to the same
professionals.
accountabilities and responsibilities during their
time in my classroom.

Communicate the
importance of fairmindedness, empathy,
and ethical behavior in
literacy instruction and
professional behavior.

As a reading specialist, I will also treat all students

with the equality they deserve. I want students to
be treated fairly and held to the same
responsibilities so that they know the expectations
that I hold them to. I want all students to be
comfortable enough with their treatment in my
classroom that they are never afraid to ask for help
when they need it, but I also want them to know
that I will do everything I can to provide them with
the help they need.
As a classroom teacher, I will communicate the
importance of fair mindedness and equality by
telling students the importance of giving everyone
the respect they deserve. I will talk to students
about the importance of treating their classmates
and peers with the level of respect that they want

to be treated with in turn.

As a reading specialist, I will work together with
the teachers in the school to become a part of the
team. I think that if the school staff can work
together and be a team that we will be able to talk
on a level of respect to make sure that we are
meeting all the needs of the students in the
school. I will work on getting to know the staff
throughout the school and building a working
relationship with them. This will allow me to
work with the classroom teachers and provide
professional feedback and information on how
they can improve their classroom and implement
changes to better meet the needs of their students.
Standard 2. Curriculum and Instruction
Candidates use instructional approaches, materials, and an integrated,
comprehensive, balanced curriculum to support student learning in reading and
writing.
Evidence that demonstrates competence may include, but it not limited to, the
followingReading Specialist/Literacy Coach Candidates
2.1 Use foundational knowledge to design or implement an integrated,
comprehensive, and balanced curriculum
Demonstrate an
As a classroom teacher, it is essential to my job that
understanding of the
I demonstrate an understanding of the research and
research and literature
literature that undergirds the reading and writing
that undergirds the
curriculum for all students. I need to make sure that
reading and writing
I am teaching my students the correct things and all
curriculum instruction
the things they are required to know before moving
for all pre-K-12
to the next grade. This means that I need to
students.
understand what the state SOLs say and what they
mean for my students. I need to understand what
information I am expected to teach to my students
each year. The SOLs for the state ultimately
determine what material is taught in schools. It
shows the teacher the outline for information they

need to give to their students. As a classroom

teacher, I will work very hard to gain a working
knowledge of the SOLs for my classroom so that I
make sure I fully understand what all I am going to
be teaching to my students throughout the year.
As a reading specialist, I will also need to be aware
of what the SOLs are for the students. However, as
a reading specialist I will be working with students
on many grade levels, and therefore I will need to
understand and know what the SOLs are for many
grade levels as well. In order to help teachers help
their students throughout many grades, I will need
to have knowledge of what each grade level is
required to teach. I will work hard to learn as many
of the SOLs for each grade as I can on order to help
teachers and students to the best of my ability. As a
reading specialist, I will also work to help teachers
understand what the SOLs are for their grade level
so that they are able to then fully teach that
information to the students. I think as a reading
specialist it is also a good idea to have a wide
variety of instructional tools available for teachers
to borrow and look through so that they can have
more options for implementing the SOLs into their
classrooms. As a reading specialist, I can help
teachers find SOLs they may not be as strong on
and work with them to improve their knowledge and
skills in order to benefit the students as well.
Develop and implement
the curriculum to meet
the specific needs of
students who struggle
with reading.

As a classroom teacher, I will develop and

implement curriculum to meet the specific needs of
students who struggle with reading. Differentiation
is the key to supporting students and meeting the
diverse needs in the classroom. This can be done in
a few ways. Continuously assessing students will
allow me to see the growth students are making and
adjust their instruction. Small group reading will
allow the students to specifically work on their
grade level on the skills they are ready for.

Struggling readers especially need the extra support

in order to make growth. Curriculum needs to be
designed with their needs in mind to make sure that
even if they are below grade level they are still
getting the support and practice on their level.

Support teachers and

other personnel in the
design, implementation,
and evaluations of the
reading and writing
curriculum for all
students.

As a reading specialist, I will help support teachers

to design and implement curriculum to meet the
needs of students who struggle with reading. As a
reading specialist I can help teachers find the
assessments to use with their students to determine
the areas of need. I can then work with the teachers
to analyze the assessments in order to help them
plan how they are going to design their curriculum
to make sure they can receive differentiated reading
instruction on their level. I can help teachers divide
their students into small groups for small group
reading as well. If teachers need the support to
implement lessons, I can model for the teacher or
help them write their lessons so that struggling
readers receive the instruction on their level that
they need.
As a reading specialist, I will support teachers and
other personnel in the design, implementation, and
evaluations of reading and writing curriculum for all
students. As a reading specialist, I will keep a range
of assessments and example lessons for teachers to
use. This will allow teachers to select the
assessments that work best for their students and
what they are trying to assess. I can help teachers
learn how to use new assessments if they are
interested in trying something new. After I have
helped teachers select assessments and implement
them, I can help them analyze the results in order to
determine the functioning level of the students.
Once teachers know the level their students are
working on, they can decide how to differentiate
instruction and what areas of instruction they need
to focus on with their students. I will also have
sample lessons on many topics and grade levels so

Work with teachers and

other personnel in
developing a literacy
curriculum that has
vertical and horizontal
alignment across pre-K12.

that teachers throughout the school can use them for

guidance when they need assistance with certain
lessons. I can also help the teachers come up with
ideas for lessons and how to implement them. The
instruction and assessments need to be aimed at
helping all students which may require the teacher
to differentiate through the use of small groups and
centers. I can help teachers set up and implement
centers in their classrooms as well.
As a reading specialist, I will work with teachers
and other personnel in developing a literacy
curriculum that has vertical and horizontal
alignment across the grades. Aligning curriculum to
be both vertical and horizontal across grades can be
very challenging for teachers, especially for teachers
who have never done this or seen this done. As a
reading, specialist, I can work with teachers and
help them accomplish this so that their curriculum is
aligned. Aligning the curriculum both vertically and
horizontally is a great way to ensure that the
information students learn is being built on year
after year as they progress through school.
Horizontal alignment means that in one subject area
in one grade level, the curriculum aligns to follow a
progression of information that builds on itself and
not only matches what the state standards say, but
also what the teachers decide they want their
students to learn in that content area during the year.
Vertical alignment means that the information is
building from grade level to grade level so that one
grade level starts teaching the information at the
place that the previous grade level ended their
instruction. Aligning the curriculum allows teachers
to have a clear view of exactly what information
they need to teach so that the next teacher knows
where to begin instruction the next year. This type
of curriculum really promotes cooperation among
teachers and helps make lesson planning easier. As
a reading specialist, I can work with the teachers to
help them understand what it means to align

curriculum vertically and horizontally. I can then

work with teachers in looking through state
standards and lesson planning in order to begin
aligning the curriculum in that manner.
2.2 Use appropriate and varied instructional approaches, including those that develop
word recognition, language comprehension, strategic knowledge, and reading-writing
connections.
Use instructional
As a classroom teacher, I will want to make sure I
approaches supported
use instructional approaches that are supported by
by literature and
research so that I know I am using material that will
research for the
benefit my students. Websites such as PALS and
following areas:
Reading A-Z offer many resources that can be
concepts of print,
implemented in the classroom that were designed
phonemic awareness,
based on research. Using a program with leveled
phonics, vocabulary,
readers is another way to teach these areas.
comprehension, fluency,
critical thinking,
As a reading specialist, it will be even more
motivation, and writing.
important for me to know what instructional
approaches are supported by research as the teachers
throughout the school are going to ask me for help
when they have students who are struggling or they
just do not know what to do. In order to stay up to
date with the information, it will be important to
continue to read research that is published on
literacy instruction. Reading Research Quarterly is
one source that can be used.
Provide appropriate inAs a classroom teacher, I will provide in depth
depth instruction for all
instruction for all students through the use of small
readers and writers,
groups and stations. Having students meet with the
especially those who
teachers in small groups is a great way to
struggle with reading
differentiate instruction for all students, across all
and writing.
levels of ability. Small groups can be designed to
provide remediation for students who are struggling
and to provide enrichment and extension for the
higher performing students.
As a reading specialist, I will mostly be working
with students who are struggling. I will use
assessments to determine the areas in which the
students need instruction before I begin to develop a

Support classroom
teachers and education
support personnel to
implement instructional
approaches for all
students.

As needed, adapt
instructional materials
and approaches to meet
the languageproficiency needs of
English learners and
students who struggle
to learn to read and
write.

plan for intervention. After I have identified where

to begin working with the student, I can come up
with an individualized plan of instruction to target
the areas in which the student needs help. This will
allow me to provide appropriate instruction
depending on what the student needs. Teachers
throughout the school may even ask what
assessments they can use or for some ideas to help
their small groups when trying to target certain
areas, and as a reading specialist I will need to be
able to answer these questions and have resources
available.
As a reading specialist, I will be working with
classroom teachers and education support personnel
to implement instructional approaches for all
students. I will work with the staff to help them
design instruction for all levels of students in their
classrooms. I will help teachers come up with ideas
and lessons when they are unsure of how to proceed
with an area of instruction. I will offer to even go
into the classroom and model teaching a specific
lesson so that classroom teachers can have a visual
guide to help them make decisions regarding
instructional approaches they want to try in their
classrooms.
As a classroom teacher, I will take the needs of
students into consideration when planning and
implementing instructional materials. All students are
different and learn different and have different needs
and abilities. The best way to make sure that students
are able to succeed is to make sure materials in the
classroom and approaches used are adapted to meet
their needs. ELL students especially will need help
with this as the language barrier can prevent them
from being able to actually communicate what they
know. For ELL students, providing them with
material and instruction in dual languages is a great
way to try to meet their needs and allow them to be
successful.

As a reading specialist, I will do everything I can to

not only help the students meet their needs, but also
work with the classroom teachers to help them find
materials and approaches that they can use in their
classrooms to help meet the needs of their students as
well. As a reading specialist it will be my job to work
with teachers and help them adapt their instruction for
the needs of all students in their classrooms. I will
also be able to work with them to give them new
knowledge of approaches and strategies that they
might not have heard of so they can expand their
resource base as well.
2.3 Use a wide range of texts (e.g., narrative, expository, and poetry) from traditional
print, digital, and online resources.
Demonstrate knowledge
As a classroom teacher, I will demonstrate a
of and a critical stance
knowledge of and a critical stance toward using a
toward a wide variety
wide variety of print. Technology today allows us
of quality traditional
to do so much more in the classroom than even I
print, digital, and
experienced throughout school. I think that using
online resources.
this technology in the classroom in a variety of ways
helps to expose all students to how much
information is available right at their fingertips.
Using online and digital resources for print is a
simple way to do this. There are many online
resources that can be implemented in the classroom
using technology such as iPads or SmartBoards.
The majority of students are very comfortable with
technology in their personal lives, so using it to
implement different sources of print is a great way
to engage students. Even though technology allows
the classroom to extend so much further, I think it is
still important for students to experience working
with traditional printed text. Students will
encounter printed text all throughout their life, so
learning to use printed texts is still a critical tool for
them. I think by implementing a variety of print
sources in my classroom is a great way to share my
knowledge with my students and show the
importance of using all types of sources.

Support classroom
teachers in building
and using a quality,
accessible classroom
library and materials
collection that meets
the specific needs and
abilities of all learners.

As a reading specialist, I will work with students

and teachers throughout the day. Working with
students will allow me to continue to implement a
variety of text sources and show the students just
how much information is available to them and all
the different ways they can find and interact with
that information. Working with teachers, I will be
able to share my knowledge of how to implement a
variety of text sources. Some teachers may not be
as familiar with using technology as others. These
teachers may need advice on how to use the
technology, how to implement it, and maybe even
ideas for different programs or websites. As a
reading specialist, I will encourage teachers to use a
variety of sources of print, but I will also explain the
importance of still allowing students the chance to
interact with printed texts on a very frequent basis.
As a reading specialist, I will support classroom
teachers in building and using a quality classroom
library that will meet the needs of students in their
classrooms. It is very important that classroom
teachers build a library that students have access to
at all times. This can be a source of books for
students to read for many reasons. As a reading
specialist, I can work with teachers to help them
build a library. One of the most important things
about the classroom library is that there needs to be
a variety of books on a variety of reading levels.
The reading levels of students in the classrooms will
range from below grade level to on grade level to
above level. Teachers need to have all of these
reading levels available so that all students have
something to read on the appropriate level for them.
Many schools participate in the Scholastic Reading
program. The pamphlets of books that go home
with students are great sources of books for teachers
to build libraries with as the pamphlets are arranged
by the grade level of the class and generally have
books ranging in the levels that surround that grade.
These books are usually offered at special prices as

Lead collaborative
school efforts to
evaluate, select, and use
a variety of
instructional materials
to meet the specific
needs and abilities of
all learners.

well. As a reading specialist, helping teachers

maintain and constantly add new books to their
library is something that I will enjoy, as I have
already started a large collection of books for my
own personal class library in a large range of
reading levels.
As a reading specialist, I will work with school
administration and teachers to evaluate, select, and
use a variety of instructional materials to meet the
needs of all students. One way I might do this to
help evaluate new textbooks when the school is
trying to decide which to use. I might also work
with grade levels of teachers when they are trying to
evaluate a new reading program. I can help them
evaluate if the reading program is the best for their
students and if it will meet the needs of all levels of
learners they have. I might also work with teachers
to help them implement new programs and materials
when they get them. I can help them decide how to
implement the new materials as they might not be
sure the best way to proceed with a new program.
When evaluating, selecting, and implementing new
materials it is very important to take into
consideration the levels of all students and making
sure that the materials will be beneficial for all
students regardless of ability level.

Standard 3. Assessment and Evaluation.

Candidates use a variety of assessment tools and practices to plan and evaluate
effective reading instruction.
Evidence that demonstrates competence may include, but is not limited to, the
followingReading Specialist/Literacy Coach Candidates
3.1 Understand types of assessment and their purposes, strengths, and limitations.
Demonstrate an
understanding of the
literature and research
related to assessments

As a reading specialist, I will demonstrate an

understanding of research related to assessments
by using research as evidence to support the
information I give to teachers and faculty

and their uses and

misuses.

throughout the school. I will stay up to date on

the latest research by subscribing to professional
publications, such as Reading Research
Quarterly and The Reading Teacher. I will also
maintain a collection of research on topics like
assessments so that when teachers ask me what
the research says about certain methods of
assessments I will be able to give them
information that is supported by research and
evidence.

Demonstrate and
understanding of
established purposes
for assessing the
performance of all
readers, including tools
for screening,
diagnosing, progress
monitoring, and
measuring outcomes.

As a reading specialist, teachers will often come

to me with questions about assessing the
performance of students in their class. Part of my
job will be to maintain a working knowledge of
the assessment tools available and how to use
them. I will also work on maintaining a
collection of the materials needed to administer a
variety of assessments so that classroom teachers
can have access to the resources they may not
have to give a particular assessment. The school
system itself may have a specific assessment
program used, such as PALS. But as a reading
specialist, I will maintain a collection of spelling
inventories, word recognition in isolation
assessments, word recognition in context
assessments, comprehension assessments, and
word study materials. This will allow me to show
the teachers the materials that go along with
administering the assessments so they can decide
which assessment will work best for their
classroom and what they are trying to assess. I
will provide teachers with my ideas and
recommendations for methods in which they can
progress monitor and measure student outcomes
throughout the school year. This will allow
teachers to see what areas they need to focus on
when working with their students, and what they
might want to include more of in their
instructional plans.

Recognize the basic

technical adequacy of
assessments (e.g.,
reliability, content, and
construct validity.)

As a reading specialist, I will recognize and

maintain my own understanding of the technical
adequacy of assessments by staying up to date on
the latest research available. I will use my
subscriptions to professional publications as
resources to access this information. I will also
work on using outside databases of research
articles to find information on assessment
adequacy so that I can keep the classroom
teachers within the school informed and answer
any question they might have for me. I will work
with classroom teachers to develop assessments
and look at results to see if the they are
maintaining a bell curve of results, which
suggests that the test is appropriate for the
students. I will review any assessments the
teachers ask me to in order to see if the content
and layout is appropriate for the students. I will
help classroom teachers analyze the results of the
assessments to see how reliable the assessment is
for testing the focus area.

Explain district and

state assessment
frameworks, proficiency
standards, and student
benchmarks.

As a reading specialist, I will work with school

administration in order to gain an understanding
of district and state assessment framework,
standards, and student benchmarks. As a reading
specialist, I will be working with struggling
readers and classroom teachers to help make sure
that as many students as possible, with a goal of
all students, meet the benchmarks and scores they
need to. I will need to keep up to date on what
the district and state assessments are and what
scores mean for the students. I will need to know
what types of information are on these
assessments so I can work with classroom
teachers to prepare students for the assessments
as best we can. But I will also need to know this
so that I can talk to classroom teachers about
what the assessments are, what the assessments

cover, and what the assessment scores mean.

Classroom teachers will look to the reading
specialist for assistance on how to analyze the
scores and how to use those scores to improve the
instruction in the classroom. The reading
specialist needs to be familiar with the
assessments in order to help classroom teachers
accomplish this.
3.2 Select, develop, administer, and interpret assessments, both traditional print
and electronic, for specific purposes.
Administer and
As a classroom teacher, I will administer tests in a
interpret appropriate
variety of formats for students so they are
assessments for
prepared for testing in a variety of ways.
students, especially
Standardized tests are generally conducted online
those who struggle with
now, so it is important for students to get used to
reading and writing.
taking tests on the computer, as well as taking
tests traditionally on paper. Students who
struggle with reading, may need assistance on
their tests. This could be having the test read to
them as to not allow their reading struggles to
affect the grade they receive on the material.
Some programs online now can be set up to read
the test to the student, which would be a good
option for students who struggle to tread as it
would not require the teacher to read the test to
the student, but would allow the teacher to be free
to monitor other students.
As a reading specialist, I will work with
classroom teachers to help them administer and
implement assessments that are appropriate for all
students. Classroom teachers may ask me to help
them determine the best way to assess students
who struggle in their classroom, and it will be my
job as a reading specialist to give the teacher a
few ideas so the teacher can pick the assessment
that best fits into their classroom and that
struggling student. As a reading specialist, I may
also work with struggling students and assess
them myself to see which types of assessments

Collaborate with and

provide support to all
teachers in the analysis
of data, using the
assessment results of all
students.

Lead school wide or

larger scale analyses to
select assessment tools
that provide a
systematic framework
for assessing the
reading, writing, and
language growth of all
students.

are the best for them to take. I would then pass

that information on to the classroom teacher so
they could implement those assessments.
As a reading specialist, working with all teachers
and analyzing the results of their assessments is
going to be a big part of my job. Classroom
teachers may not know what to look for in the
data, or may see things in the data but not know
what it means or what to do to address it. As a
reading specialist, I will be able to help them
analyze the data and determine what they can do
as teachers to better meet the needs of their
students and improve their data if need be. I will
help classroom teachers look at the data to
determine if any of their students are performing
at a level that means they need additional support,
such as with the reading specialist. I will also
help teachers use the data to find the strong points
of their teaching and assessments. I think that all
data should be looked at for positives and
negatives.
As a reading specialist, I will work with teachers
throughout the school and use my own
knowledge of reading and writing instruction to
come up with a framework that can be
implemented school wide to assess the reading,
writing, and language growth of students in all
grades. Having a framework will help all
teachers know what is to be assessed during their
grade, but it will help them look at the
assessments the students have had previously and
what kinds of assessments they will be taking the
next school year and after. The framework may
also include a program that can be used by all
grades that will translate the data into a consistent
set of data that can be compared across grade
levels. Some programs, such as iReady, can be
used so that all data are being measured the same
way for students and teachers.

3.3 Use assessment information to plan and evaluate instruction.

Use multiple data
sources to analyze
individual readers
performance and to
plan instruction and
intervention.

Analyze and use

assessment data to
examine the
effectiveness of specific
intervention practices
and students responses
to instruction.

As a classroom teacher, I will use multiple

sources of data to analyze individual students
performance and then plan instruction and
intervention. Using many sources of data will
allow me to make sure that a student is scoring
consistently, rather than just having one bad
performance on a specific assessment. I will use
formal and informal assessments. I will give my
students a variety of formal written assessments.
I will also use informal assessment such as
observation to make notes of the students
classroom performances. I will then use all of the
data combined to help me plan my instruction.
The combined data will show me what areas I
need to plan more instruction on. It will also
show me if some students need to be in
intervention for some areas.
As a reading specialist, I will use assessments
such as running records, comprehension, and
observations to help plan instruction and
intervention. As a reading specialist, I know that
I will be meeting with students who are
considered struggling. Assessment data will be
very important for me to know when to move
forward with instruction and when to plan more
targeted intervention for students.
As a classroom teacher, I will analyze assessment
data to examine the effectiveness of my
instruction and intervention. Looking at
assessment data will tell me a lot about my
instruction. The data will show me if the majority
of my students have mastered an area or if the
majority of my students are still struggling in an
area. This type of information is crucial in order
for me to know what I need to do as a teacher to
make my instruction more effective. I need to be
able to look at the assessment data and pin point

where my instruction needs to be stronger for my

students. This will allow me to modify my
lessons for the future so that I can give my
students the type of instruction they need to
succeed. This is also helpful during intervention.
I can use assessment from intervention groups to
see where my students are still struggling so that I
can continue to make my intervention stronger in
the areas they need it the most. It will also help
to show me when I no longer need to focus on
some areas in intervention once the students have
mastered the specific topic.

Lead teachers in
analyzing and using
classroom, individual,
grade-level, or
schoolwide assessment
data to make
instructional decisions.

As a reading specialist, I can always use

assessment data to improve my instruction. The
majority of my instruction is probably going to be
intervention, but as a reading specialist, I can always
look for ways to make my intervention stronger. I
can look at assessment data to see what worked for
struggling students and what did not work. This will
not only allow me to plan the next intervention in a
way that will meet my students needs, but it will
help me know for future students and interventions
what seemed to work better than other methods. A
big part of intervention is knowing when to move
forward and when to keep focusing on one area. But
a bigger part of being a teacher and reading specialist
is knowing how to change your instruction methods
to be an even stronger instructor.
As a reading specialist, I will help teachers
throughout the school learn how to look at their
assessment data and make instructional decisions
based on it. Being able to use assessment data to
plan instruction is very important in the
classroom. Teachers need to know what students
have already mastered and what students are still
struggling with. There is no need to spend more
instructional time on a topic if the students have
already mastered it. Instead, teachers should be
spending instructional time on the topics that

students are still struggling with. That way they

are maximizing instruction time and meeting the
needs of their students. Teachers have to
understand that the assessment data is to be used
for more than just filling out report cards. That
data shows the gaps in instruction and when to
move forward with instruction. Grade level
teachers can combine data to see if the data
throughout the grade matches up or if some
teachers can provide tips on instruction for certain
topics. Teachers have to learn how to use
assessment data for a variety of reasons. As a
reading specialist, this is something that I can
work with teachers on to help them learn to plan
instruction based on the assessment data.
Plan and evaluate
professional
development initiatives
using assessment data.

As a reading specialist, I will plan and evaluate

professional development initiatives using
assessment data. Looking into many different
professional development programs is important.
There are many options available, but as a
reading specialist I will want to ensure that the
professional development offered in my school is
going to be helpful for everyone who attends.
After I present a professional development I will
also have the teachers who attended fill out exit
cards that say what they liked, what they wish
they would have learned more about, and topics
for future professional development sessions.
This will allow me to make sure that I cover what
the teachers want to know about. But before I
implement professional development, I will want
to look at data that shows whether or not the
professional development will be helpful, based
on other schools that implemented it.
3.4 Communicate assessment results and implications to a variety of audiences.
Analyze and report
assessment results to a
variety of appropriate

As a classroom teacher, I will analyze and report

assessment results to a few different audiences.
Knowing how to report assessment results to

audiences for relevant

implications,
instructional purposes,
and accountability.

Demonstrate the ability

to communicate results
of assessments to
various audiences.

parents is very important. Parents of students

who are struggling do not want to meet with the
teacher and hear about how poorly their child is
doing in school. There has to be a balance so that
the parents understand that their child is
struggling but do not feel like the teacher is being
overly negative or harsh about the students
performance. As a teacher AI will also have to
communicate to parents about what they could do
at home to try and help their students grow more
and succeed. As a classroom teacher I will also
have to communicate with school administration
about the results of my students and how my
teaching practices can change to better suit the
students based on the data. I will also
communicate with reading specialists so that
students who are struggling can receive the help
they need.
As a reading specialist, I will analyze and report
assessment results to classroom teachers so that
they know how their students are doing and
understand what kind of instructional approaches
the can use with those students to help them. I
will communicate with school administration so
that they can see that the students I work with are
making progress. I will communicate with
parents and talk to them about the progress of
their student and what they can do at home to
help their student even more.
As both a classroom teacher and a reading
specialist, knowing how to communicate
appropriately with all audiences for any reason is
crucial to the job. Parents are going to want to
know how their child is doing, school
administration is going to want to see the data and
how my students are doing, and other teachers are
going to want to know what is happening with the
growth of their students who receive help from
the reading specialist. Showing them that I know

how to communicate results of assessments is

going to make a difference when all of these
audiences have questions. They want to know
that I can answer these questions but that I can
also speak to them appropriately and not only
focus on the aspects of the data that are bad.
Standard 4. Diversity
Candidates create and engage their students in literacy practices that develop
awareness, understanding, respect, and a valuing of differences in our society.
Evidence that demonstrates competence may include, but is not limited to, the
followingReading Specialist/Literacy Coach Candidates
4.1 Recognize, understand, and value the forms of diversity that exist in society
and their importance in learning to read and write.
Demonstrate an
As a classroom teacher, I will demonstrate an
understanding of the
understanding of the ways in which diversity
ways in which diversity
influences development by celebrating the diversity
influences the reading
in the classroom. I want students of different
and writing
cultures to feel comfortable in the classroom. I
development of
want to accomplish this by allowing them to share
students, especially
aspects of their culture with the class. I also want
those with reading and
to use multicultural books in the classroom that will
writing.
expose students to the different traditions and
names found in different cultures.
As a reading specialist, I will demonstrate the
importance of diversity by working with teachers to
help them incorporate the different cultures of their
students into their teaching. I will work with the
teachers to find books and materials that have
aspects of cultures other than our own in them so
that the students throughout the school will be
exposed to different cultures. I will work with the
teachers to help them find ways of asking students
to share their cultures without making students feel
uncomfortable for being different.

Assist teachers in
developing reading and
writing instruction that
is responsive to
diversity.

Assist teachers in
understanding the
relationship between
first- and secondlanguage acquisition
and literacy
development.

Engage the school

community in
conversations about
research on diversity
and how diversity
impacts reading and
writing development.

As a reading specialist, I will work with teachers

throughout the school to help show them examples
of materials that they can implement into their
classrooms that will promote diversity. I will
provide them with ideas and suggestions of books,
websites, and other materials that can be
implemented that are from a variety of cultural
backgrounds. I will continue to work with teachers
to help them with any questions they may have
about how to implement these materials and how to
come up with writing activities related to them.
As a reading specialist, I will communicate with the
teachers in the school so that they can gain a better
understanding of the relationship between first and
second language acquisition. I will work with the
teachers to explain to them the importance of
allowing students to use their first language when
they need to, as it can help them gain a better
understanding of new material, help them clarify
confusions, or feel more comfortable when learning
something new. I will talk to teachers about
allowing ESL students to communicate with other
ESL students in their first languages so that they can
rely on each other and help teach other in ways the
teacher cannot.
As a classroom teacher, I will work with my team
of grade level teachers to plan ways in which we
can communicate with the community about the
importance of using diversity in the classroom. As
teachers, we can do things such as send out letters
to parents and post information on class websites
that let the community know that encouraging the
use of diversity in the classroom benefits students
by allowing them to come to appreciate the
diversity they will encounter throughout their lives.
As a reading specialist, I can work with the
teachers throughout the school to plan activities
that are open to the public that show ways in which
diversity can be used in the classroom and

communicate to them about the importance of

allowing students to be exposed to a variety of
cultures and backgrounds. We can plan Diversity
Nights that are open to the students, their families,
and the community that involves the whole school
by having teachers demonstrate or share
instructional materials they use in their classroom
that provide diversity. Teachers can talk to the
people who show up about why diversity benefits
students and allows them to become more aware of
the diversity around them.
4.2 Use a literacy curriculum and engage in instructional practices that positively
impact students knowledge, beliefs, and engagement with the features of diversity.
Provide differentiated
As a classroom teacher, I know that providing
instruction and
differentiated instruction and materials is key to
instructional materials,
the success of all students in the classroom. As a
including traditional
teacher, I will make sure to include a variety of
print, digital, and
materials for all students, such as traditional
online resources that
books, allowing students to read materials found
capitalize on diversity.
online, and use resources such as IPads or laptops
to interact with text. Students will be more
engaged with print if they get the opportunity to
see it in a variety of formats. The students will
also be more motivated to interact with the text
when they get the chance to use a variety of
materials rather than the same traditional text
format all the time.
As a reading specialist, I will communicate with
teachers throughout the school to help them use
differentiated materials within their classrooms.
As a reading specialist I can work with the
teachers to help them find a variety of materials
that they can use in their classroom and give them
tips on how to implement it with their students. I
can also help answer any questions they may
have about why they should use differentiated
types of print with their students and how it
benefits the students and keeps them engaged.

Support classroom
teachers in providing
differentiated
instruction and
developing students as
agents of their own
literacy learning.

Support and lead other

educators to recognize
their own cultures in
order to teach in ways
that are response to
students diverse
backgrounds.

As a reading specialist, I will work with the

teachers throughout the school to help them learn
how to assess students in their classrooms and
determine what types of differentiation they
should incorporate for their students. I will help
teachers find the assessments and teach them how
to use them. I will then help teachers analyze the
results from the assessments in order to find the
types of instruction they can use to differentiate
the lessons for their students. I will also help
teachers find strategies and approaches they can
teach to their students so their students have an
understanding of what they can do on their own
as they read to help them gain understanding and
figure out unknown words, this will allow them to
be agents of their own literacy learning.
As a classroom teacher, I will support fellow
teachers in recognizing their own cultures and
backgrounds in order to teach in ways that are
responsive to the backgrounds of the students. As
teachers, we must understand our own
background in order to help students feel more
comfortable about their backgrounds. Students
will be more willing to work with a diverse
variety of backgrounds if the teachers are able to
show them the importance of accepting,
respecting, and learning about different
backgrounds.
As a reading specialist, I will help the teachers
throughout the school recognize their own
cultures. I will do this by asking them to share
information about their own backgrounds with
their students. Having teachers demonstrate to
students the importance of accepting your
background, students with diverse backgrounds
may feel more comfortable in the classroom and
may be more willing to share information about
their cultures. Having the teachers and students
talk about their diverse backgrounds will open the

Collaborate with others

to build strong home-toschool and school-tohome literacy
connections.

Provide support and

leadership to educators,
parents and guardians,
students, and other
members of the school
community to valuing
the contributions of
diverse people and
traditions to literacy

door for teachers to incorporate a variety of

multicultural materials that will respond to the
diverse backgrounds of students in the classroom.
As a classroom teacher, I will work with my
grade level team to come up with ideas in which
we can connect home and school literacy. One
way as teachers we can do this is to send home
books that students can read at home to make sure
they are getting access to books appropriate for
them when they are not in school. We can send
home letters to parents and ask them to work on
skills and strategies that the students have been
working on in class. We can also ask parents to
get involved by sending books to school with
students that might be books they enjoy reading
at home and can share with the other students in
the class.
As a reading specialist, I will work with the
teachers in the entire school to help them
understand ways in which they can connect home
and school literacy. I will work with them to help
them learn why connecting the two are important
for students and will help them come up with
ideas they can implement in order to accomplish
this. I will be able to provide materials and
resources for the teachers if they need further
assistance. I can also communicate with parents
about why working with their children at home
on literacy is just as important as it is to work on
literacy in school.
As a classroom teacher, I will help provide
support and leadership to value the contributions
of diverse people and traditions by implementing
multicultural materials into my classroom. If
students and other teachers can see me using
books, materials, and information that share
knowledge of diverse backgrounds, they will
begin to value diversity more as well. Students
will not feel as outcast among their peers if the

learning.

teacher brings in books that talk about the

diversity that student brings into the classroom.
Other teachers may end up following that lead,
and as a classroom teacher I would encourage my
grade level team and others to implement
multicultural materials.

As a reading specialist, I will work with all staff

and students throughout the school, as well as
reach out to families of the students and
encourage them to value the diversity around
them. I will encourage teachers to incorporate
multicultural materials into their lessons. I would
encourage teachers to ask their students to share
information about their unique backgrounds, such
as traditions or holidays they may celebrate. I
would reach out to families and encourage them
to ask their teacher if they can share any materials
from their cultures to assist with lessons or what
the students may need to learn.
4.3 Develop and implement strategies to advocate for equity.
Provide students with
linguistic, academic,
and cultural
experiences that link
their communities with
the school.

As a classroom teacher, I will provide students

with experiences that link their communities with
their school by talking about the different
resources they can find within their community. I
will talk to students about how those different
resources can help them. I may also get to take
the class on field trips to various educational
locations within the community so that they can
do a more hands on learning approach and
experience things in person rather than in the
classroom all the time.
As a reading specialist, I will work with teachers
and staff throughout the school to help provide
them with ideas to link the community with the
school. As a reading specialist, I could plan
nights at the school that invited the community to
come for certain events, such as a book fair,

Advocate for change in

societal practices and
institutional structures
that are inherently
biased or prejudiced
against certain groups.

Demonstrate how issues

of inequity and
opportunities for social
justice activism and
resiliency can be
incorporated into the
literacy curriculum.

literacy night, art showcase, and more. I would

work with teachers to make them more aware of
resources within the community that they could
talk to their students about. I could help teachers
think about ways they could have their students
get involved in the community nights hosted by
the school so they could take part in the activities
as well.
As a classroom teacher, I will work to change any
practices and institutional structures that are
biased and prejudice against any groups. As a
teacher, I will review the school policies and
procedures and make sure to uphold them in a
way that does not cause bias against any groups.
If I feel that a group is biased against due to a
policy or structure in place, I will work with my
administration to resolve the issue and clarify any
misunderstandings, and if need be amend the
structures to remove the bias.
As a reading specialist, I will work to maintain a
working knowledge of school policy and
procedures and the structures in place to make
sure that prejudice is not present within those
systems. If the time ever arises that I feel there is
a prejudice against any groups of people, I will
bring it to the attention of administration in order
to resolve the issue as fast as possible. I will
advocate against prejudice by being a role model
for treating all people with equality and respect
they deserve.
As a classroom teacher, I will try to keep inequity
out of the classroom. But realistically, students
will be exposed to this and face the challenges
associated with things such as discrimination. I
will explain to my students why discrimination is
wrong, and talk to them about accepting others as
peers. I will explain to them how discrimination
makes others feel poorly about themselves and
work on encouraging them to treat others he way

in which they want to be treated.

Collaborate with
teachers, parents and
guardians, and
administrators to
implement policies and
instructional practices
that promote equity and
draw connections
between home and
community literacy and
school literacy.

As a reading specialist, I will work with teachers

throughout the school to work on eliminating
inequity among the students. I will not only
encourage teachers to make sure they are treating
all students fairly, but I will encourage the
teachers to be aware of how their students are
treating the other students in the classroom. I will
work to speak with the school staff to promote
equality and give examples of things they
incorporate into the classroom that not only
promote treating everyone fairly, but give
examples of activities to demonstrate equality and
fairness among the students.
As a reading specialist, I will try my best to
communicate regularly with parents, teachers,
and administrators to draw connections between
home and school. I think that sending home
newsletters is a good way to keep parents up to
date on regular basis. Email is also a great way
of keeping everyone informed on what is going
on within the classrooms and school. I think that
having the teachers ask parents to provide input
and respond to questions is a great way to try to
incorporate aspects of student home life into the
school environment.

Standard 5. Literate Environment

Candidates create a literate environment that fosters reading and writing by
integrating foundational knowledge, instructional practices, approaches and
methods, curriculum materials, and the appropriate use of assessments.
Evidence that demonstrates competence may include, but is not limited to, the
followingReading Specialist/Literacy Coach Candidates
5.1 Design the physical environment to optimize students use of traditional print,
digital, and online resources in reading and writing instruction.
Arrange instructional
As a classroom teacher, I will arrange the

areas to provide easy

access to books and
other instructional
materials for a variety
of individual, smallgroup, and whole-class
activities and support
teachers in doing the
same.

Modify the
arrangements to
accommodate students
changing needs.

classroom in a way that best promotes learning

and allows students to have access to a variety of
instructional group settings and classroom
materials. Classroom arrangement is a key part
of the success of the learning environment. When
I design my classroom, I want students to have
access to a class library and a place they can sit
and read. I also want the classroom to be
organized in a way that is functional and allows
all students to succeed in whole group, small
group, and individual teaching sessions. I want
my classroom to be organized in a way that allow
me to have reading and math stations and a clear
path way to rotate through these small group
activities. I have a lot of ideas for how I would
like to arrange my classroom, but I think that it is
also important that the classroom stays organized
to a certain degree so that it can be a functional
learning environment.
As a reading specialist, I will help support
teachers in organizing certain aspects of their
classroom if they need it. I can help give teachers
advice on how to set up their classroom so that
they can run stations and small groups but still
see and manage the rest of the class as well. I can
help teachers to figure out a layout that will allow
them to have an open area for a classroom library
with a reading space. I can help teachers figure
out the best places in their classroom to set up
stations and how to rotate students through those
stations.
As a classroom teacher, I know that I will need to
modify arrangements as the needs of students
change. This means that I will need to adjust
classroom arrangements throughout the school
year. I may need to change things as simple as
the students within small groups or the way the
desks are arranged so that every student is getting
the instruction and setting they need to succeed.

But I may also need to modify things such as the

way assessments are given, the format of
assessments, and the instructional materials and
approaches used in the classroom. Being able to
modify the arrangements in the classroom is a
skill that I will need to master as a classroom
teacher so that I can make sure I am always
meeting all the needs of my students as they grow
throughout the school year.
As a reading specialist, I may need to modify the
arrangements for students I work with or help
classroom teachers come up with ways to modify
arrangements in their classrooms. As a reading
specialist, as the students I work with grow and
progress, I may need to modify the way I work
with them, the materials I use, and how I assess
them. As a reading specialist, I will also help
classroom teachers figure out ways to do this for
their students that best fits their classrooms and
needs of students. I may help teachers decide
how to adjust assessment formats for their
students as the year goes on. I may help teachers
determine how to group students and how those
groups can change throughout the year. Being
able to help teachers modify things within their
classroom is a simple way I can help teachers
continue to see success in their students,
regardless of ability level.
5.2 Design a social environment that is low-risk, includes choice, motivation, and
scaffolded support to optimize students opportunities for learning to read and
write.
Create supportive
As a classroom teacher, it is very important that
social environments for
the environment in the classroom is supportive
all students, especially
for all students, especially those who struggle
those who struggle with
with reading and writing. Students who struggle
reading and writing.
with reading and writing can sometimes be left
out of the social classroom environment that is
created during reading stations. Often, these
students spend so much time in small group with

the teacher that they do not get to participate in

the station rotations with their classmates. I think
that as a classroom teacher I will make sure that
all students get to rotate through stations and
work in groups with their classmates so that they
can experience the social aspect of the classroom
as well. I think that creating a classroom
environment that is supportive for struggling
students is also very important. These students
most likely already feel badly due to their
struggling performance. They need to be in a
classroom where there is a lot of positive
reinforcement and they are encouraged and
supported to do their best.

Model for and support

teachers and other
professionals in doing
the same for all
students.

As a reading specialist, I will still need to make

sure I am creating a supportive environment for
all students, especially students who are
struggling. Students working with reading
specialists are going to need a lot of
encouragement and support. As a reading
specialist, I will make sure to always encourage
the students to put forth their very best effort. I
will also give students a lot of positive
reinforcement. When I work with classroom
teachers I will make sure to always remind them
that having patience with struggling readers and
writers, and making sure to be supportive in
everything can make the difference in that
students succeeding or shutting down during
instruction. All students should feel support in
their classroom, this includes struggling students,
on level students, and above level students.
As a reading specialist, modeling for teachers is a
tool that I can use for many reasons that is very
beneficial. Allowing teachers to see me
interacting with students or various other
audiences could be a great way for them to see
how they can apply those strategies in their own
classroom with their students. I think as a

Create supportive
environments where
English learners are
encouraged and given
many opportunities to
use English.

reading specialist, allowing teachers to see that I

am always supportive of all students is a great
way to show them that they need to always be
supportive of their students, especially the
students who are struggling.
As a classroom teacher, I will work to create a
classroom environment in which English learners
are encouraged and give opportunities to use
English. Practicing with English will help them
develop their language proficiency. I will
encourage English learners to talk to me and to
their classmates, as well as encourage them to
write as much as they can to the best of their
abilities when completing assignments. I will
also work to encourage native English speaking
children to speak with the English learners to help
them as much as possible and get to know them.

As a reading specialist, I will create an

environment that encourages English learners to
use English. I will not only work with ESL
students providing intervention and work with
them on using English, but I will also work with
classroom teachers throughout the school to help
them encourage these students as well. I will
work with classroom teachers to tell them the
importance of having ESL students use English
daily in the classroom. I will help them come up
with ideas to provide these students with
opportunities to practice using English. I will
also work with the classroom teachers to develop
methods that motivate ESL students to use
English in the classroom, as they can be nervous
about trying out a language they do not know.
5.3 Use routines to support reading and writing instruction (e.g., time allocation,
transitions from one activity to another; discussion, and peer feedback.)
Understand the role of
As a classroom teacher, I know that maintaining
routines in creating and
routines in the classroom is a simple and
maintaining positive
structured way to implement classroom
learning environments
management. The students will grow accustomed

for reading and writing

instruction using
traditional print,
digital, and online
resources.

to the routines in the classroom and will be able

to understand the flow of the day and will be able
to spend more time learning rather than trying to
transition from one lesson to the next. Having
structured transitions in the routine will help to
promote a positive learning environment that
maximizes instructional time. Reading and
writing instruction is an extremely crucial and
busy part of the day. Putting routines into the
reading and writing instruction will help make
this time go more smoothly. Implementing a
routine using traditional print, digital print, and
online resources will not only help students be
exposed to all types of print, but it will also allow
them to know what is being done each step of the
lesson. They will know what the class does when
digital print is being used and this allows them to
easily follow the lesson and know what is
expected of them during the lesson, both
instructionally and behaviorally. Having these
routines in place creates a positive learning
environment very easily and also allows
classroom management to almost take care of
itself.
As a reading specialist, I know that having
routines during reading and writing instruction is
very important. Classroom teachers know that as
well. But some classroom teachers may need
assistance in implementing these routines and
defining what the routines for their classroom are.
As a reading specialist, I will help teachers
develop routines for their reading and writing
instruction that will allow them to maximize
instructional time in a way that best fits their
students and classroom. I may need to help
teachers figure out the order to organize their
routines, what kinds of classroom management
they want to include in their routines, and how to
set up their routines in the classroom and

Create effective
routines for all
students, especially
those who struggle with
reading and writing.

Support teachers in
doing the same for all
readers.

transition their students into the routine.

As a classroom teacher, I know that making sure
students who struggle with reading and writing
have a routine is very important. Often times,
these students are pulled out for time with the
reading specialist or a PALs tutor. They might
even spend more time with the teacher in small
group or independent intervention. This time
takes away from the time they spend in reading
stations and completing the work for the day.
Missing this station work could result in the
struggling students becoming even more
frustrated as they fall further behind. As a
classroom teacher, I will work with my struggling
students to come up with a routine for reading
and writing instruction that will allow them to
maximize the benefits from instruction without
missing out on the assignments they will need to
complete. For some students, this may mean
altering the assignments they have to complete in
order to assure they complete what is most
important for them to grow. It may also mean
allowing these students extra time to complete all
the assignments they have as well. Whatever the
solution is for struggling readers and writers, it is
important to remember that they need to have a
routine in place just as much as the other students
do. Having a routine will allow them to become
comfortable with what they have to get done so
they can put more energy into the instruction
instead of trying to figure out what they should do
next.
As a reading specialist, one of the most important
parts of my job is to help classroom teachers
throughout the school make their reading and
writing instruction the best it can be. There are
many ways that I can help teachers do this. One
way is to help them create routines for their
struggling students. Teachers may be confused
on how to set up routines for those students in

their classrooms who struggle with reading and

writing. Creating routines for these students can
prove to be a challenge because they may need
additional instruction and modifications to the
instruction in order to meet their needs. As a
reading specialist, I can help teachers figure out
modifications and routines for the struggling
students they have in order to allow those
students the instruction and support they need.
5.4 Use a variety of classroom configurations (i.e., whole class, small group, and
individual) to differentiate instruction.
Use evidence-based
As a classroom teacher, I will use evidence based
grouping practices to
grouping practices to meet the needs of all
meet the needs of all
students, especially struggling students.
students, especially
Differentiating instruction is easily done when
those who struggle with
students are placed in small groups and meet with
reading and writing.
the teacher during station rotations. This allows
the teacher to give different instruction for all
levels of students, from the highest to the lowest.
It also allows the teacher to progress monitor
more closely how well the students are adapting
to the instruction they receive and if they are
making growth. Instruction during whole group
should also include a variety of approaches that
allows all students to learn and grow. Students
who are still struggling after whole group
instruction and small group remediation may
need to meet individually with the teacher to
receive one on one support and attention.
Support teachers in
As a reading specialist, I will help teachers use
doing the same for all
different grouping practices to meet the needs of
students.
all students. The reading specialist may be able
to assist classroom teachers in organizing students
into small groups, incorporating a variety of
instructional strategies into whole group
instruction, and determining when a student may
need to meet with the teacher one on one for
more direct instruction. The reading specialist
may also be asked to lead the one on one
instruction for students who are struggling to that

point. As a reading specialist, it will be important

to know how to support teachers in doing this and
have a variety of ideas to share with classroom
teachers so they can find one that fits best with
their classroom and teaching style.
Standard 6: Professional Learning and Leadership
Candidates recognize the importance of, demonstrate, and facilitate professional
learning and leadership as a career-long effort and responsibility.
Evidence that demonstrates competence may include, but is not limited to, the
followingReading Specialist/Literacy Coach Candidates

6.1 Demonstrate foundational knowledge of adult learning theories and related

research about organizational change, professional development, and school culture.

Use literature and

research findings about
adult learning,
organizational change,
professional development,
and school culture in
working with teachers and
other professionals.
As a reading specialist, I
will use literature and
research about adult
learning, organizational
change, professional
development, and school
culture in working with
teachers and other
professionals. It is
important that I stay up to
date about schools culture
for working with adults as

a reading specialist will

sometimes be responsible
for working alongside
teachers. I need to be able
to work with adults in the
school as well as I work
with students. As reading
specialist I will also need
to understand how to
implement professional
development and
organizational change so I
can implement these into
the school. I can stay up
to date on this information
by joining professional
organizations and
subscribing to the
mailings for research
journals. This will allow
me to continuously have
access to the latest
information and research
that I can use to guide my
decisions within the
school and communicate
with teachers about.
Use knowledge of students
and teachers to build
effective professional
development programs.

As a reading specialist, I will use knowledge of students

and teachers to build effective professional development
programs. Knowing the teachers and students in the
school is the first step to establishing and implementing a
professional development program that will benefit the
teachers and ultimately the students. As a reading
specialist, I will look at data from the school to determine
areas in which teachers may need more help. I will also
talk to teachers to see if they have any concerns that I can
help them with. Providing professional development that
is aimed at the areas of weakness in the specific school is
the most effective way to begin improving the literacy
instruction and scores.

Use the research base to

assist in building an
effective, schoolwide
professional development
program.

As a reading specialist, I will use the research base to

assist in building an effective school wide professional
development program. I will use my membership in
professional literacy organizations to stay current in
research. I will also conduct my own research to find
information worth sharing in professional development
that will help improve the literacy instruction of the
school. A professional development needs to stay current
on research so that the students are receiving the best
literacy instruction they can. The professional
development program will also allow teachers to learn
more about literacy instruction that they can apply t their
own teaching.
6.2 Display positive dispositions related to their own reading and writing and the
teaching of reading and writing, and pursue the development of individual professional
knowledge and behaviors.
Articulate the research base As a reading specialist, I will articulate the research base
related to the connections
related to the connections among teacher dispositions,
among teacher dispositions, student learning, and the involvement of parents.
student learning, and the
Teachers need to be aware of how their disposition will
involvement of parents,
affect everything else in their classroom. The way they
guardians, and the
come off to students and parents is going to be a direct
community.
reflection of the effort put in by students and how much
parents are going to get involved. Teachers need to
always come off as positive and willing to help so that
students try their best and parents are willing to help
them. As a reading specialist, I will work to make sure
that teachers in the school understand this and practice
this daily in their own classrooms. I will provide teacher
with research showing the effects that disposition has on
student learning and parental involvement. The research
will help teachers understand that their disposition could
be the reason that parents are not getting involved and
students are not trying their best. I will work with
teachers to help them find ways they could improve their
dispositions if they need to.
Promote the value of
As a reading specialist, I will promote the value of
reading and writing in and reading and writing in and out of school by modeling a
out of school by modeling a positive attitude toward reading and writing with
positive attitude toward
students, colleagues, parents, and administrators. As a

reading and writing with

students, colleagues,
administrators, and parents
and guardians.

Join and participate in

professional literacy
organizations, symposia,
conferences, and
workshops.

Demonstrate effective

reading specialist, if I show that I love reading and

writing, it will make the teachers and students more
interested in reading and writing. My attitude towards
literacy will ultimately be the way they view literacy.
Because of this, I want to demonstrate an enjoyment in
reading and writing. One way I would like to do this is
to have a book swap shelf in my room as a reading
specialist that teachers can trade books with and suggest
books for each other. I would like to have an area for
students to borrow books as well. I think it would be a
great idea to start a reading program that encourages
teachers and students to read and earn points towards
different prizes, such as winning free books of their
choice. I also think that writing is important. I would
like to have students and teacher contests where they
write different genres and the winners get prizes like gift
cards. Promoting reading and writing in a way that is
fun will allow students and teachers to enjoy reading and
writing. The more that students see the staff reading and
writing and enjoying it, the more likely they will start to
enjoy reading and writing.
As a reading specialist, it is important that I participate in
professional literacy organizations, symposia,
conferences, and workshops. I am already a member of
VSRA and plan to keep that membership. I would like to
join the ILA as well. These organizations will keep me
up to date on the latest research and information so that I
can help relay that information to the teachers in the
school I am working with. These organizations also
offer professional development conferences and
workshops that are very beneficial to those who attend.
Some teachers may even want to attend these events as
well depending on what the topic is and how beneficial it
may be to them. This would also give me the
opportunity to present at some of the conferences and
workshops and share my knowledge and ideas with other
schools and teachers. I have presented at one research
symposia and one conference so far, and have enjoyed it
to the point where I would like to continue doing that.
As a reading specialist, have effective interpersonal,

interpersonal,
communication, and
leadership skills.

Demonstrate effective use

of technology for improving
student learning.

communication, and leadership skills is important.

Developing relationships with faculty throughout the
school is crucial to this position. Teachers need to feel
comfortable coming to me for help. I need to build
relationships with the teachers that make them feel
comfortable asking for help. They need to trust me and
feel like I will support them and not just evaluate them.
Part of building those relationships will be effective
communication. I need to be able to communicate
effectively and facilitate conversations that are going to
be productive. I need to have communication skills that
allow me to use correct terminology depending on who
the audience is. I also need to make sure that I use words
that will not cause misunderstandings. My
communication with teachers needs to be supportive,
honest, positive, and helpful. Leadership skills are also
important as a reading specialist. I need to be able to
lead students and teachers on the correct path. I may
also need to lead professional development sessions. A
reading specialist needs leadership skills in order to be
seen as someone who can help others, and not someone
who will look to other people for answers instead of
helping themselves.
As a reading specialist, it is important that I demonstrate
the effective use of technology for improving student
learning. Technology is becoming more and more
integrated into schools. Even though the technology is
there, it does mean that it is being implemented into the
classrooms in a way that will effectively promote
learning. As a reading specialist I will help teachers
evaluate apps and websites they might want to use and
help them determine if it will actually be an effective tool
to help students learn. I will also give teachers examples
of apps and websites that are known to be effective so
they have a starting point of what types of resources to
use in their classrooms. I can recommend to teachers
ways in which they can then implement the technology
into their classrooms and lessons. As a reading
specialist, I may even help the teachers learn how to use
the specific technology. Online tutoring via WebEx is a

great way for teachers to connect to other classrooms,

schools, and students when they go home. All the
students need is access to a computer with a webcam.
This would allow teachers to tutor students afterschool
without them having to try to find other ways to get
home or be embarrassed by staying for tutoring.
6.3 Participate in, design, facilitate, lead, and evaluate effective and differentiated
professional development programs.
Collaborate in planning,
As a reading specialist, I will collaborate in planning,
leading, and evaluating
leading, and evaluating professional development
professional development
activities for individuals and groups of teachers.
activities for individuals and Professional development is a very important aspect to
groups of teachers. Activities the field of education. There will always be new
may include working
information about best practice, teaching strategy, and
individually with teachers
current research. As a reading specialist, it will be
(e.g., modeling, coplanning, important for me to stay up to date on this information so
coteaching, and observing)
I can then relay it to teachers within the school as I aide
or with groups (e.g., teacher them. Modeling and co-teaching is a powerful tool for
workshops, group meetings, reading specialists. Allowing a teacher to actually see a
and online learning.)
lesson being taught is a great way for them to gain a
deeper understanding of what the reading specialist is
trying to help them achieve. Co-teaching then allows the
teacher to try out that strategy in the classroom while the
reading specialist is still there to help when necessary.
Observing teachers to provide feedback is also an
important role of the reading specialist. A reading
specialist can provide feedback to let a teacher know
their strengths and also areas to work on so that the
reading specialist can help the teacher improve.
Workshops and group meetings are an excellent
opportunity for reading specialists to help multiple
teachers at one time if multiple teachers are asking for
more help or clarification on a certain topic.
Demonstrate the ability to
As a reading specialist, I will demonstrate the ability to
hold effective conversations hold effective conversations with individuals and groups
(e.g., for planning and
of teachers and work collaboratively with teachers and
reflective problem solving)
administrators, including facilitating group meetings. I
with individuals and groups think that in order to demonstrate this, I will have to
of teachers, work
always model this in a way. As a reading specialist, I am
collaboratively with teachers going to have many conversations with teachers about

and administrators, and

facilitate group meetings.

Support teachers in their

efforts to use technology in
literacy assessment and
instruction.

the instruction and progress of their students. I want

these conversations to be effective. In order to achieve
this, I will make sure that the conversations cover
important topics, such as planning and reflecting on what
can be done to solve problems. If I can lead the
conversation in a way that keeps it on track, it will be
effective. Eventually teachers will get used to the routine
that is developed within the conversations and it will
ensure that conversations are effective as possible.
Working collaboratively with teachers and administrators
is important to the role of the reading specialist. When
working with struggling readers, it is important that the
reading specialist has collaborated with the teacher in
order to extend the instruction they are receiving. It is
also important to collaborate with teachers in order to
effectively lead group meetings. These meetings may
need to focus on things that teachers are concerned with
or need help with. If the reading specialist has not
collaborated with the teachers, it is going to be nearly
impossible to facilitate a group meeting that will be
helpful to the people in attendance.
As a reading specialist, I will support teachers in their
efforts to use technology in literacy assessment and
instruction. Using technology in the classroom is very
important. Students are immersed in a world full of
technology, and it is possible that the students will know
more about using the technology than teachers will. That
is okay! Allowing students to use this technology will
engage them. It is important that I as a reading specialist
encourage and support teachers in implementing
technology into their literacy lessons. Most classrooms
are now equipped with some sort of smart board. The
possibilities that can be done with those boards are
practically endless, as long as teachers know what
resources are available to them and what they can do
with them. There are many websites that have already
created lessons and activities that can be used. Teachers
can also design their own lessons and activities. Tablets
are growing more and more popular in classrooms as
well. Teachers can access many apps, both free and ones

that cost a few dollars, that are centered around literacy.

Students will enjoy getting to use the tablets and may not
even realize that they are actually learning something
from the experience. Online tutoring is another option
that teachers have. WebEx is an online system that
allows students and teachers to connect through the
internet. There is a camera feed and audio feed so they
can see one another and communicate. The program
allows the computers to share screens so that both the
teacher and student see the same thing even if they are
not in the same room. The shared screen is interactive
and can be written on, typed in, and used for
PowerPoints or Word and PDF files. This can be used to
tutor students from home if they are unable to stay for
after school tutoring or do not have time to tutor
individually during the day. The discreet setup allows
them to be at home, and even the teacher to be at home,
so they do not have to feel embarrassed about being
tutored outside of school, or have to have a parent
transport them somewhere special for the extra help they
need.
6.4 Understand and influence local, state, and national policy decisions.
Demonstrate an
As a reading specialist, it is very important that I
understanding of local, state, demonstrate an understanding of local, state, and national
and national policies that
policies that affect reading and writing instruction.
affect reading and writing
Through conversations I have with teachers and
instruction.
administrators, it will be very clear if I am
knowledgeable on the levels of policies, and therefore it
is important that I stay up to date with information.
There are a few ways I can do this. I will stay up to date
on the local policies of education, paying close attention
to those policies directly related to reading and writing. I
will communicate with school administrators about the
policies and changes as they occur to make sure that I
understand them and can help teachers understand them
as well. I will stay up to date on state SOLs and policies
in order to help keep teachers aware of any changes that
occur so they can adjust their instruction accordingly.
Finally, I will keep up to date on national policies for
reading and writing instruction so that I can keep school

Write or assist in writing

proposals that enable
schools to obtain additional
funding to support literacy
efforts.

Promote effective
communication and
collaboration among
stakeholders, including
parents and guardians,
teachers, administrators,
policymakers, and
community members.

administrators aware of any changes that may occur and

what the national policies mean. As a reading specialist,
it is important that I know all of the different levels of
policies for reading and writing instruction so that I can
help make sure the teachers within the school and the
school itself are following these policies. These policies
will ensure that the reading and writing instruction in the
school goes smoothly.
As a reading specialist, I will write or assist in writing
proposals that enable schools to obtain additional
funding to support literacy efforts. Additional funding is
very important in literacy instruction. Materials and
programs for literacy can be very expensive, and most
likely the school will not have room in the budget to
spend a lot of money on these types of things. However,
these programs and materials can be very important to
literacy instruction throughout the school. Knowing how
to write a proposal for extra funding can be the
difference in getting the materials or program your
school needs or not getting the materials and program.
As a reading specialist, I will stay informed on what
types of additional funding are available and which ones
my school would qualify for. I will work on staying up
to date on when the proposals are due and what all needs
to be included in the proposal. More importantly, I think
that as a reading specialist it is important to make time
for doing this. Looking for ways to help support literacy
efforts in the school while spending as little of the
schools money as possible is crucial.
As a reading specialist, I will promote effective
communication and collaboration among parents,
teachers, administrators, and community members.
Communication is key to making sure that everything is
going as planned. Parents want to stay informed on what
is happening with their childs instruction. Teachers and
administrators need to know what is happening with
instructional changes, ways to improve data, and
professional development opportunities. Mailing
information to homes is a great way to keep parents and
guardians informed. Sending emails on a regular basis,

Advocate with various

groups (e.g., administrators,
school boards, and local,
state, and federal
policymaking bodies) for
needed organizational and
instructional changes to
promote effective literacy
instruction.

maybe even monthly or bi-weekly newsletters, is a great

way to keep the faculty within the school informed. As a
reading specialist, I will work hard to make sure that I
keep as many people as possible informed on what is
happening with the instruction, changes, data, and all the
other things related to literacy instruction.
As a reading specialist, I will advocate with various
groups for needed organizational and instructional
changes to promote effective literacy instruction. As a
reading specialist, I will be working with the entire
school to view the data from their literacy instruction. I
will use this data to determine what areas of instruction
need to be focused on in order to improve the literacy
success of the students. I will work alongside the various
groups to promote the change we need in the school to
make this happen. This could include organizing a book
room, a literacy resource room, a data room, more
professional development, and a new literacy program
for the school. It could even include taking a closer look
at the standards set by the state to see how we can match
the instruction more closely to those goals. As a reading
specialist, I will always strive to advocate with various
groups in order to make the literacy instruction in the
school as organized and effective as possible.