In order to be a successful educator in today's sometimes volatile education system, you must be passionate, determined, quick-thinking, strategic, and hardworking.
So, whether you are still getting used to calling yourself a teacher or whether you have several years of teaching experience under your belt, it's fair to say that as an educator, you should be dedicated to equipping yourself with the tools that will help you to be the best possible resource to your students — both inside the classroom and beyond.
One fantastic way to boost your skills is with a Reading Specialist Certification in the context of a Literacy Education graduate degree.
Let's explore five ways that a Reading Specialist Certification can make you a better teacher, but first, let's define Literacy Education and acknowledge how West Virginia University's own Literacy Education program is preparing today's teachers to teach tomorrow's students.
What is Literacy Education?
West Virginia University offers a Master of Arts in Literacy Education. The Literacy Education (LE) program is an advanced certification and master’s degree program that leads to pre-K through adult learning Reading Specialist Certification in the state of West Virginia. Accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Education Preparation (CAEP), this graduate degree is designed for candidates who hold a valid teaching license and who are seeking to add a renowned Reading Specialist certification to their current achievements.
The instructional design of the Literacy Education program is grounded in the WVU Online Conceptual Model. This model aligns the Community of Inquiry model (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2000) with what is known about effective professional learning opportunities for in-service educators.
Citation: Morewood, A., Ankrum, J.W., & Swan Dagen, A. (2019). Conceptualizing characteristics of professional learning in an online environment. In Martin, C. L. & Polly, D. (Eds.), Innovative Approaches to Teacher Education and Professional Development. Hershey, PA: IGI Global Publishing.
Further, in Spring 2019, West Virginia University’s Literacy Education graduate program was awarded the International Literacy Association Certificate for Distinction for the Preparation of Literacy Professionals (ILA CoD).
Now that we've introduced West Virginia University's Literacy Education program, let's talk about five ways getting a Reading Specialist Certification will make you a fantastic teacher.
1. You’ll be qualified to tackle a nationwide literacy problem.
Illiteracy is a huge problem across the United States. In fact, a report from ProLiteracy reveals that over 36 million U.S. adults lack basic literacy skills. Further, according to the American Journal of Public Health, more than $200 billion in health care costs can be connected to limited literacy abilities because of errors connected to reading and understanding health-related information.
A respected Reading Specialist Certification program can provide you the information and strategies you need to tackle the glaring literacy gaps present throughout our country, whether or not you ever take on an official reading specialist position. However you interact with students, with the knowledge gained through Reading Specialist Certification courses, you will be able to help develop students’ reading skills more effectively.
2. You’ll make yourself indispensable to employers.
Reading specialists are key members of a team of educators as they provide specialized support to students with specific literacy-related needs. Many schools require that teachers have several years of experience and/or graduate-level coursework before becoming a reading specialist. So, whether you want to explore the specialty before pursuing a reading specialist position, or even if you simply want to pursue a certification that will make you a valuable member of your teaching community, you can pursue a Reading Specialist Certification to gain valuable and relevant skills that will help you to be a more efficient educator. The methods and strategies you learn in this type of certification program will help you to better support and equip students regardless of your role in the classroom.
Bonus point: A Reading Specialist Certification opens doors to careers beyond the classroom too, from one-on-one educational coaching to administration positions.
3. You’ll set yourself apart from other teachers.
Educators who hold a Reading Specialist Certification are recognized throughout the nation for their value and importance. When administrators and principals see a Reading Specialist Certification on your resume, they will not only see the official title but also the coursework and skill-building that went into receiving it.
The teachers who pursue and earn Reading Specialist Certifications are the teachers that students need and schools will want to hire. In short, this highly-specialized certification is also a Pre-K through grade 12 certification, which expands the scope and age range of students that reading specialists are equipped to work with.
4. You’ll have the skills to come up with innovative solutions.
There are countless reasons that a student may struggle to read. A Reading Specialist Certification will equip you to solve problems in innovative ways by teaching you how to address the different barriers to reading success that your students may be experiencing. You will find yourself challenged to help students overcome obstacles related to literacy, but as you jump these hurdles together, you will cultivate flexibility, creativity, and innovation to resolve the other challenges you encounter as a teacher.
Problem-solving will also involve building a team of supporters from among the larger school staff as well. As you gather resources far and wide within your school, you will find that your own communication abilities have the chance to grow. In striving to be the best reading teacher/specialist/coach you can be, you will be able to practice the same poise, writing, and speaking skills that you seek to pass on to your students.
5. You’ll learn how to teach based on individual needs.
Working to build students’ literacy skills is largely about meeting them where they are. A teacher, reading specialist, or coach must adjust their approach based on each student’s needs and challenges. In order to do so, they must assess a student’s ability, make creative plans to help a student reach reading goals, and communicate clearly with students, their parents, and fellow teachers. Further, participating in a Reading Specialist Certification program will allow you to study and master personalized teaching practices – and in doing so, will enhance any kind of teaching you do in the future.
Join a community of changemakers at WVU.
The benefits of receiving a Reading Specialist Certification are not limited to the five reasons described above. In addition, the skills you will cultivate as you pursue such a certification are not limited to the field of literacy. Instead, the problem solving, communication, and other abilities that emerge through your certification coursework will affect your entire teaching career.
A Reading Specialist Certification has the potential to not only open doors to new types of classroom roles and opportunities but also to make you a better educator starting exactly where you are right now. If you are ready to learn more about enrolling in a Reading Specialist Certification within WVU's M.A. in Literacy Education, we invite you to visit our website!
Are you passionate about the field of literacy education? Download A Guide for Literacy Educators Seeking a Reading Specialist Certification to learn more about boosting your career in education!
