Online Reading Master Science Teaching to Become a Reading Specialist
Do You Have a Passion to Teach Reading?
If you are like me, then the answer is clearly, yes! To some, there is no greater reward than to train a child to read his or her first words and sentences. Learning to read is almost like a rite of passage to a four to six year old child, and each time that “magical moment” occurs in a student’s life, the teacher just beams with joy as she exclaims, “you are reading!” Or, there is the struggling reader who you have spent countless hours providing him or her individualized reading strategies to practice. To master the skills required to teach a child to read takes practice and following your dreams to be a reading specialist are well within your reach with a master in teaching reading, and yes they are available online!
Advantage of Learning Online
The most obvious advantage to a busy teacher is time. Teachers are already occupied with lesson planning, creating classroom materials, organizing, and grading, so the freedom to study from home is highly appealing.
Course Requirements
Depending upon the bachelor degree in teaching one possesses, earning this master of science teaching degree should depend upon the grade level of your current undergraduate degree. It can be obtained to teach students, grades K-6, grades 6-12 or grades K-12. All of the degrees researched require at least 30 hours of coursework. Whatever the grade level, this graduate student will be qualified to support literacy in the classroom, use literacy assessments, successfully teach reading and writing, and help challenged readers.
Schools Offering an Online Reading Master of Teaching Degree
Marygrove College- Master in the Art of Teaching Reading and Literacy, Grades K-6
University of New England Online- Literacy Concentration Curriculum, Grades K-12
Grand Canyon University- Literacy Specialist, Grades K-12
Walden University- Literacy Specialist, Grades 6-12
Benedictine University Online- Reading and Literacy Curriculum (grade levels not specified)
Important Considerations before Deciding
Contact your local Department of Education or the university to see if the online literacy degree meets the requirements for the Reading Specialist licensure or certification exam in your state. You may also be required to have access to a classroom in the appropriate grade level to complete the practicum and program assignments, so be sure to inquire.
The program you choose should be based upon the nationally accepted standards for teaching reading by the governing body, the International Reading Association (IRA). Finding the best graduate program to meet your aspirations to become a reading teacher may take a little time, but will be well worth the effort.
