The gift of reading and literacy is one of the greatest achievements teachers can give to their students. Whether teaching phonics to a child, helping an adult master a new language or honing the comprehension skills of more advanced readers, those who work in literacy and reading careers do the important work of helping people understand everything from street signs to scientific treatises. Those who wish to foster greater understanding of literacy in their students often pursue a master's degree in reading and literacy so they can better assess their student's needs and design their curriculum to support their development.
Just as there are many literacy and reading careers, there are a variety of degree programs related to this field. Using data provided by the National Center for Education Statistics' Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), we have compiled a list of 10 notable colleges where working educators and graduate students can advance their competencies in literacy and reading online, making it easier to keep a current teaching post while still progressing one's career.
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With academic advising, resources for veterans, and an in-depth course transfer equivalency guide, SHSU is serious about helping online learners succeed. That includes those pursuing higher education in literacy and reading. The university's Master of Education in reading/ language arts program encourages proactive leadership in elementary and secondary school literacy. Designed for working professionals, this online master's program takes 36 credit hours to complete.
Other options at SHSU include a graduate certificate program in developmental reading, which requires 18 credit hours, and the reading specialist certification program, which requires 36 credit hours. Though cohorts for the certificate programs begin in the fall semester, some students might be accepted to start at other times during the year.
Distance learners at TTU are afforded 24/7 eLearning support, self-help articles and assistance by phone and online chat.
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A Jesuit university in the heart of Denver, Regis University offers a wealth of online literacy and reading programs to help build strong educators. The literacy graduate certificate, requiring 12 credit hours, can be completed in six to nine months. The Master of Education: Reading takes a bit longer at 30 credit hours; this is a non-endorsement program, available to teachers in any state. The reading teacher added endorsement is for those teachers who seek further endorsement in Wyoming or Colorado; the reading specialist added endorsement is specifically for licensed teachers in Colorado. The added endorsement programs require a teaching practicum, while the non-endorsement program requires a capstone project.
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A Catholic university founded in 1925, Gannon University's online degree programs include a Master of Education in reading. Students who have earned a bachelor's degree can apply for this online master's program, which can be completed entirely online. Interestingly, though the program is designed for working adults, students do not have to have experience in the classroom to apply.
Online Gannon students who already hold a master's degree can pursue a reading specialist certification by completing 27 credits. They must then pass the Reading Specialist Praxis Exam, which is one of the topics stated to be covered in the curriculum of the certification program.
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Chartered in 1949, Grand Canyon University was at a crossroads by 2003, unable to continue providing a proper education in the face of dwindling financial support. Enter online learning, which proved to be a boon for the school and students alike. Online students who are passionate about reading can find two literacy and reading degree programs at GCU, as well as two graduate certificate programs. The Master of Arts in reading allows for specialization at the elementary or secondary school levels; each require 32 credits earned in a series of 6-week courses. The graduate certificates also feature concentrations in elementary or secondary school learning, and take 18 credits to complete.
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University of Cincinnati is an urban institution founded in 1819 that offers numerous online programs, including the online master's in literacy and second language studies. Four concentration paths are available for this program: PreK-12, PreK-16, post-secondary learners, and adult/ international TESL learners. Each path requires 30 credits to complete, or about two years.
Alternately, students can pursue the K-12 Reading Specialist Graduate Certificate, which requires 15 credit hours of study. Each course is seven weeks long, and most students take two courses per semester. Graduates of the program who reside in Ohio should be eligible to sit for the Praxis Reading Specialist exam; those in other states should check their state guidelines to determine eligibility.
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With numerous online and on-campus options and a wealth of financial aid available to students each year, the University of Florida has established quite a reputation as a nonprofit research university. UFL "Gators" who are seeking a degree in reading education can pursue it as either a Master of Education or a Master of Arts in Education program. The M.Ed. requires at least 36 credit hours and can be completed within four to six semesters, depending upon the student's schedule. The M.A.E. requires 30 hours of credit as well as six hours of research culminating in a thesis. On the other hand, students who are already Florida-certified teachers may be more interested in the university's fully online reading endorsement program, which is five courses long.
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Through its online college, Georgia Southern University had students from all 50 states and 88 countries in 2016. This international hub of a college offers three online programs for reading educators:
Teachers interested in enrolling in the master's degree program at Georgia Southern University must have a bachelor's degree and a level 5 teaching certificate or higher to be considered for the program. The endorsement program requires a bachelor's degree and a level 4 teaching certificate. All three programs have three start dates per year, one each for the fall, spring and summer semesters.
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Brannen Hall, Room 2015, 2670 Southern Dr.Missouri State University at Springfield had a total enrollment of 22,273 students in fall of 2016, and more than 3,700 of those students lived outside the state of Missouri. Missouri State Online offers a Master of Science in education-literacy degree program that requires a total of 39 credits to complete. Students of the program complete 13 courses that provide in-depth exploration of a wide range of advanced literary concepts. The final course — research concepts in literacy — can be completed either as a thesis or as a research seminar with a detailed research paper. Students also must complete a six credit-hour clinical that can be done in their own district or under the supervision of MSU faculty. Admission to the M.S. literary program at MSU requires teacher certification by a state or national board and a minimum GPA of 3.0 in undergraduate studies. Impressively, Missouri State University-Springfield had both the second-highest admissions and graduation rate of any institution in this featured list.
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901 S. National Ave.Educating students since 1864, Concordia University-Chicago has a range of online programs at multiple degree and certificate levels, many of which are offered in accelerated formats. Among these online options are multiple literacy and reading programs. The Master of Arts in reading education (K-12 specialist) requires completion of eight courses, practicums at the elementary and intermediate levels, and a capstone experience. Students looking to go further can opt for the online doctoral program in leadership with a specialization in reading, language and literacy. This EdD/ PhD program requires between 61 and 67 credit hours, which can be taken entirely online.
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Founded in New York in 1950, this private, nonsectarian college has a mission: to supply traditional and nontraditional students alike with education. To help students from all walks of life access the education they need, Mercy connects to distance learners with multiple online degree programs, one of which is the M.S. in teaching literacy, birth to grade 12. Though students can complete the 33-credit program at their own pace, the college does require that it be finished within five years of enrollment (time in military service excluded). Students must be certified to teach when they enter the program.
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The role of the literacy and reading specialist is to provide extra assistance to struggling readers by slowing down coursework and trying different approaches, as well as addressing learning disabilities. Learning how to recognize and approach sources of difficulty for these readers takes place in online programs for literacy and reading. Here's a brief overview of what kinds of courses might be covered in these programs, as well as some of the important skills that might be learned from those courses.
Usually, literacy and reading programs are designed for graduate students who have earned undergraduate degrees and teaching credentials and wish to advance their study of reading education. Online education in literacy and reading emphasizes techniques for teaching reading to various age groups, and it helps educators learn how to spot, diagnose and address reading problems. Students in these online programs are expected to study how children learn to read and write, how to develop a curriculum that addresses these skills and how to conduct assessments to measure learning.
Though program specifics vary, online literacy and reading degree programs tend to offer similar coursework. Students are likely to encounter courses such as the following:
Students often will take courses that introduce them to good reading materials for specific age groups, then discuss methods for instruction and discussion about them. And as completion of the program draws near, students should expect to conduct their own research projects as part of capstone, independent study or thesis projects.
Literacy and reading specialists work with struggling readers on a one-on-one basis, and the work they do is crucial in preparing their students for the future. Being successful takes not only academic know-how, but also a certain set of character traits and skills — some of which can be learned, or at least refined, in an online program for literacy and reading.
In our increasingly international world, the audience of those who need to learn and refine literacy skills is slowly but steadily growing. Reading is a crucial skill, and as such the people who teach it are similarly crucial. For details about the different levels at which literacy and reading careers operate, read on.
Middle school literacy instructor careers are for educators who want to bridge the gap between the reading experience that young children already have with the expectations they will encounter when they progress to higher grades. These teachers work closely with students to make assessments about their needs and create plans for them to increase their reading capabilities. This position also requires them to coordinate with other teachers, parents, and school administrators in order to help their students be successful.
Daily activities of these professionals include evaluating and choosing textbooks based on the school's curriculum; creating lesson plans that are appropriate for adolescent learners; and writing and grading assignments and tests.
Teachers who prefer working with high school students can pursue secondary school literacy instructor careers and help teenagers improve their reading skills. In order to be successful, these educators must have strong English language, pedagogical, monitoring and assessment skills. Furthermore, instructors should possess a strong understanding of the psychological principles associated with learning, such as motivation.
The job duties of secondary school literacy instructors include providing support to readers who have higher needs than other students, regularly communicating with parents, and collaborating with other teachers on the best practices for teaching. In addition, these professionals must arrange for accommodations that students with special needs may require.
Adults who need remedial reading education can receive support from people in adult basic and secondary literacy instructor careers. These professionals assign and grade homework; create tests to measure student progress; maintain student records based on applicable policies; and prepare lesson plans. In addition, they help students prepare for the General Educational Development test.
Skills that adult and basic secondary literacy instructors need include speaking, listening, writing, problem solving and instructing abilities. Also, these teachers should have strong technology skills, as they may be required to use specific education software. In order to obtain this job, instructors are required to complete a bachelor's or master's degree, depending on the employer.