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As a future Reading Specialist, in which particular reading intervention should I be trained?

I am asking this question because there are several reading programs out there for struggling readers. School districts pay a lot of money to get reading teachers trained in reading interventions and I want to be trained in the most effective reading program for my students.

#reading #literacy

reading literacy
Thank you comment icon Hi Anna! I agree with Darla. The school district that you work for determines which reading program you will use. To truly, and authentically teach someone to read, doesn't require any kind of fancy curriculum that your district will change in five years. You have to utilize the training you received in graduate school. I attended Wayne State University, in Detroit. We utilized the QRI (Qualitative Reading Inventory), and the MRI (Reading Miscue Inventory). Both were hard core at getting to the root of reading comprehension issues. We also used audiotape, and videotape lessons. From there, we created inquiry- based activities for the individual groups of children that we worked with. There were even more steps to the process, but it really is the best method. It just takes time. Zazai Owens
Thank you comment icon I've been trained as a teacher and have experience teaching ESL reading skills, but every teacher should keep renewing and updating his/her teaching skills julie livingston
Thank you comment icon Absolutely Julie. I taught ESL as well for 11 years. The methodologies that I mentioned in my original post still continue to work. To use a physician as an example, he/she can learn about a new drug, but if there is a specific drug that works 90% of the time (acetaminophen) he/she will prescribe that first, versus a new drug that he/she may may paid or encouraged to prescribe. It's no different in education. Orton-Gillingham has been around a long time, but teacher's are "trained on new techniques." My colleagues and I note that alot of these "new techniques" are the same as previous programs, but reimagined. Overall, if you have a method that works, stick with it. Zazai Owens
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Darla’s Answer

Anna, Unfortunately, there are as many approaches to reading as there are students, e.g., Orton-Gillingham, Reading Recovery, Wilson, American Reading, IRLA, etc., to teach reading as there are students, and EVERY school district has a different approach. The school district usually dictates which approach you will use with your students, and programs change depending on the flavor of the day, i.e, which program is currently in vogue and being pushed by publishers. Being trained in a specific program is not a guarantee of being best able to help your students. Also, where you get your graduate degree will also determine how you are trained--my program at Providence College used the Reading Recovery model.

As a literacy/reading specialist you need to be knowledgeable about how to determine the students' reading strengths and weaknesses regardless of the program the school uses. You need know how to build upon the strengths and work to improve the weaknesses. Learning and using various reading/writing strategies (reading and writing are reciprocal processes which mean they work together) to help your students improve their skills. This is training that you will receive during your graduate degree fieldwork. Good luck!
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Ogechi’s Answer

Teaching a child to read is quite easy all you need to do is to assess what the child knows and build upon it.
There are lots of methods you can use to teach kids read. One is the synthetic method, the whole language and the analytical methods.
But the synthetic method has been shown to be the best method and this is the method a lot of reading programs are using like Reading recovery, Jolly phonics, Readland, etc.
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Sarah’s Answer

Hi Anna,

I have been a reading teacher for almost 20 years at the middle school level. I have been trained in many programs, Wilson and Lindamood -Bell LIPPS for phonics and decoding, Read Naturally and Great Leaps for fluency, Project Read and Visualization and Verbalization for comprehension. I have used all of them in some way for different students. My best advice would be to go where the school is willing to send you and is willing to purchase the necessary supplies for you to work with students. One thing I would caution you against is using the program for all students. Each of these programs has benefits but they are not for all students. Every student has different types of struggles with reading and you need to make sure the interventions you use fit the student.

On a personal level, if you are looking to use those skills as a tutor privately I would go with Wilson Language, it is the most popular tool used for one on one or small group tutoring for students with issues with decoding. At least around here in Massachusetts where I am.

Hope this helps!
Sarah Fennelly, M.Ed
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Bonnie’s Answer

There are many things you could do. You mentioned school districts....It may be a good idea to follow the programs that the "most successful" districts are utilizing. Also, become a member with Reading Professional Magazines such as International Reading Association.

Bonnie recommends the following next steps:

Become a member with Reading Professional Magazines.
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Stacy’s Answer

A few of my favorites are Lexia, which is a computer program, but if done right this program can really assist the students in some powerful learning.

Another favorite is Reading Recovery, this is an intervention for students with dyslexia as well as any other reading disability. This program is a scripted program by Haughlin Mifflin Harcourt. You defiantly need training by one of the representatives, but it's a great program if you like something that is structured and scripted.

My all time favorite intervention program for students with dyslexia or a reading disability is Orton Gilliangham. This is a program that is done through the Scottish Wright Hospital in Austin and San Antonio and is a certification. This program once you are trained can be brought to any district or state because it's not a scripted program it's best practices for students that struggle in reading. It includes all modalities of learning (<span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">kinesthetic (moving), visual (seeing), auditory (hearing), and tactile (touching). This one is by far my favorite as has a lot of success. </span>

<span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">I hope this helps and you find one that you are successful in. </span>
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Eva-Lise’s Answer

You don't list the options you have to choose from, but my advice is that any approach that is based in the Orton-Gillingham model is currently considered best practice. I recommend the Wilson Reading System in particular, which is what I use, but I also borrow materials and exercises from Primary Phonics and Linguistic Remedies, depending on a child's specific nerds.
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Sasha’s Answer

There are many programs out there and honestly, it's often up to the school and/or district what programs or curriculum they use. However, I'd suggest looking into: Reading Recovery, Wilson, and Orton-Gillingham. These are programs often used in many NYC schools I've worked with.

Sasha recommends the following next steps:

Look for upcoming trainings
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SARAH’s Answer

I'm a reading specialist and dyslexia Designee. Certified special education. I have a proven record of getting high school students reading and writing in grade level within 1-3 years

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Marie’s Answer

Hi Anna,
While the school usually determines which reading program they choose, your skills are invaluable as far as being trained to used different programs. The best in my opinion is the phonics-based Wilson Program that is used for the lowest struggling readers. Also, the Orton-Gillingham Approach is a direct, explicit, multisensory, structured, sequential, diagnostic, and prescriptive way to teach literacy when reading, writing, and spelling does not come easily to individuals, such as those with dyslexia. It is most properly understood and practiced as an approach, not a method, program, or system. This is a powerful tool of exceptional breadth, depth, and flexibility for those that get trained.
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Dr Marlene’s Answer

My strong advice is to learn how literacy happens across the grades. That will better position you to be a strong decision maker in the classroom. There is no one technique, program or approach that works for all students. Learn all the components of reading, writing, listening, speaking, and representing. Look for a program that prepares you to think and solve problems rather than one that only offers a packaged model of teaching. Look to see how many of the full-time faculty have EdD or PhD degrees. Look to see what the program's success rate is in preparing students to pass any required state or certification tests.
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Eileen’s Answer

The Reading Recovery program is one of the most well respected reading intervention programs in the United States. Teachers who get trained in Reading Recovery are a valuable asset to any school district. The problem is that the training is expensive and many school systems do not want to spend the money for the classroom program. However, it is one of the most effective reading intervention programs for K-2 students. I have a Master's degree from Miami of Ohio in diagnostic and remedial education. This degree enabled me to get a reading specialist certificate in Ohio, California and Georgia. To understand how to provide quality instruction for struggling readers, a teacher must be able to diagnose what problem the student is experiencing and what approaches can be used to remediate the reading issue. An undergraduate degree in early childhood or elementary education is not sufficient for becoming a reading specialist.
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Kelly’s Answer

Hello Sarah, My name is Kelly and I received my Reading Specialist certificate while in a language and literacy program at UPenn. Different university programs and schools have varying beliefs about this. Foundationally, you do not need to know or memorize any assessment, but do need to be able to research an assessment to understand if it is valid, reliable, and what the specific skills it is or isn't looking for. The most common assessments that shed light on what school systems are trying to monitor are Dibels (preschool to K) , Fountas and Pinelles (K-4), DRA (middle school), state assessments (high school). If you are trying to get your footing, it may be wise to read thru all of the CCSS from K-High since they align really well with teaching reading foundational skills and more.
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