Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 11, August 30, 2024
(1)
Rationale. The reading
specialist is an advocate for school-wide literacy. The reading specialist has
a depth of knowledge regarding the science of reading, why some children have
difficulty reading, and how to most effectively assess and teach reading,
thereby improving students' outcomes through prevention of and intervention for
reading difficulties. Additionally, the reading specialist understands how to
use evidence to inform how proficient reading and writing develop, and how to
work with adult learners as partners. The reading specialist serves as the
catalyst for developing effective reading practices in a school or school
system by equipping colleagues to improve teacher knowledge and skill in the
science of reading, guide instructional practices, select high quality
instructional materials, use evidence-based strategies, and increase student
learning about the reading process and working with adult learners as partners.
Alabama standards for the preparation of reading specialists are aligned with
standards from the International Reading Association and State initiatives for
reading.
(2)
Unconditional
Admission to a Reading Specialist Program.
(a) Requirements for unconditional admission
to the Class A reading specialist program shall include
one of the following:
1. A valid
bachelor's-level professional educator certificate in early childhood
education, elementary education, or collaborative special education teacher
(K-6) and two full years of full-time classroom teaching experience;
or
2. A
valid bachelor's-level professional educator
certificate in any area of education, two full years of full-time classroom
teaching experience, and a passing score on the Praxis Teaching Reading test
validated for use in Alabama.
(b) In addition to meeting the criteria in
Rule 290-3-3-.45(2)(a)1. or 2., if an individual is unconditionally admitted to
an Alabama Class A program based on a valid
bachelor's- or valid master's-level professional
educator certificate from another state, completes a Class A program, and
subsequently applies for Alabama certification at the Class A level, then the
individual must hold at least a Class B certificate before applying for Class A
certification.
(3)
Program Curriculum.
(a)
Foundational Knowledge. Candidates understand the theoretical and
evidence-based foundation of reading and writing processes and instruction and
understand how it relates to the science of reading. Prior to program
completion, prospective reading specialists shall demonstrate that they:
1. Understand major theories and empirical
research that describe the cognitive, linguistic, motivational, and
sociocultural foundations of reading and writing development, processes such as
strategic knowledge, and components including phonological and phonemic
awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, sight language
comprehension, and reading-writing connections.
2. Understand the historically shared
knowledge of the profession and changes over time in the perceptions of reading
and writing development, processes, and components.
3. Understand when to make reasonable
adjustments based on what is known about the science of reading and the
development of children to improve all students' reading development and
achievement.
4. Understand the
components and expectations of the Alabama Reading Initiative related to
effective early reading instructional practices, effective reading instruction
for all students, intervention instruction for struggling readers, and
strategies for motivating accomplished readers.
(b)
Curriculum and Instruction.
Candidates use instructional approaches, materials, and an integrated,
comprehensive, evidence-based curriculum to support student learning in reading
and writing. Prior to program completion, prospective reading specialists shall
demonstrate that they:
1. Use foundational
knowledge to design or implement an integrated, comprehensive, and
evidence-based curriculum.
2. Use
appropriate and varied instructional approaches, including those that develop
word recognition, language comprehension, strategic knowledge, and
reading-writing connections.
3. Use
a wide range of texts (e.g., narrative, expository, and poetry) from
traditional print, digital, and online resources.
(c)
Assessment and Evaluation.
Candidates use a variety of assessment tools and practices to plan and evaluate
effective reading and writing instruction. Prior to program completion,
prospective reading specialists shall demonstrate that they:
1. Understand types of assessments and their
purposes, strengths, and limitations.
2. Select, develop, administer, and interpret
assessments, both traditional print and electronic, for specific
purposes.
3. Use assessment
information to plan and evaluate instruction.
4. Communicate assessment results and
implications to a variety of audiences.
(d)
Diversity. Candidates create
and engage their students in literacy practices that develop awareness,
understanding, respect, and a valuing of differences in society. Prior to
program completion, prospective reading specialists shall demonstrate that
they:
1. Recognize, understand, and value the
forms of diversity that exist in society and their importance in learning to
read and write.
2. Use a literacy
curriculum and engage in instructional practices that positively impact
students' knowledge, beliefs, and engagement with the features of
diversity.
3. Develop and implement
strategies to advocate for equity.
(e)
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. Prior to
program completion, prospective reading specialists shall demonstrate that
they:
1. Design the physical environment to
optimize students' use of traditional print, digital, and online resources in
reading and writing instruction.
2.
Design a social environment that is low risk and includes choice, motivation,
and scaffolded support to optimize students' opportunities for learning to read
and write.
3. Use routines to
support reading and writing instruction (e.g., time allocation, transitions
from one activity to another, discussions, and peer feedback).
4. Use a variety of classroom configurations
(i.e., whole class, small group, and individual) to differentiate
instruction.
(f)
Professional Learning and Leadership. Candidates recognize the
importance of, demonstrate, and facilitate professional learning and leadership
as a career-long effort and responsibility. Prior to program completion,
prospective reading specialists shall demonstrate that they:
1. Use foundational knowledge of adult
learning theories and related research about organizational change,
professional development, and school culture.
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.
3. Participate in,
design, facilitate, lead, and evaluate effective and differentiated
professional development programs.
4. Understand and influence local, state, or
national policy decisions.
(4)
Requirements for Certification as a
Reading Specialist. Readiness to serve as reading specialist shall
include:
(a) An official transcript from a
regionally accredited institution documenting an earned master's
degree.
(b) A survey of special
education course is required unless that course was taken for prior level
certification. [See Rule
290-3-3-.01(51)] . An individual who completed a survey of special education course prior to
the semester when the individual met meeting requirements for unconditional
admission to a Class A program July 1, 2017, and thereafter, must take a course
focused primarily on one of the following categories: methods of accommodating
instruction to meet the needs of students with exceptionalities in inclusive
settings, multicultural education, teaching English language learners, rural
education, or urban education. A diversity course used to meet this requirement
for one level of certification may not be used to meet the requirement for a
higher level of certification.
(c)
Satisfactory completion of a State-approved program with a minimum GPA of 3.0
on all courses in the Alabama State Board of Education approved educator
reparation program. Effective for candidates unconditionally admitted to a
Class A reading specialist program July 1, 2017, and thereafter, satisfactory
completion of a State-approved program with a minimum GPA of 3.25 on all
courses in the Alabama State Board of Education approved program.
(d) Competence to serve as a reading
specialist as demonstrated in an internship of at least 300 clock hours that
complies with Rule
290-3-3-.42(5)(e).
(e) A valid Class B
Professional Educator Certificate in a teaching field.
(5)
Testing for Certification as a
Reading Specialist. Applicants for initial certification as a reading
specialist through the completion of a Class A program must meet the assessment
requirements of the Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP)
as a precondition of certification.
(6)
Faculty Qualifications for a
Reading Specialist Program. The faculty specialist for the reading
specialist program shall possess an earned doctorate in reading. Additional
information is provided in Rule
290-3-3-.01(33).
The faculty specialist shall be currently involved in conducting research
related to learning to read and the teaching of reading; shall understand the
Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI); shall teach courses required in the program;
and shall advise candidates seeking certification through program
completion.
Previous Rule.45.01 was renumbered.45 per certification
published August 31, 2021; effective October 15,
2021.
