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forgrad@plymouth.edu
Tel: (800) FOR-GRAD or
(603) 535-2636
Fax: (603) 535-2572
Plymouth State University
MSC 11
17 High Street
Plymouth, NH 03264-1595
Reading and Writing Specialist
Program overview
The Reading and Writing Specialist program is based on a broad foundation of courses and experiences in a comprehensive and balanced approach to literacy learning and development. The program is aimed at helping prepare classroom teachers, special educators and other educators for the role of reading teacher, specialist and literacy leader at the elementary, middle, high school, school district and adult learning levels.
The Reading and Writing Specialist program integrates into the coursework the five curricular components identified by the National Reading Panel (2000) of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.The program is designed to provide educators the opportunity to study a comprehensive and balanced literacy curriculum that includes knowledge about print and sounds, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, reading and writing across the curriculum, and independent reading and writing.
The role of the Reading and Writing Specialist is to provide specialized instruction in reading and writing, conduct assessments in cooperation with other professionals and diagnosis of students at the early childhood, elementary, middle and high school levels. The Reading and Writing Specialist, according to the draft standards for the International Reading Association, may work in the following roles:
- Serve as a resource in the area of literacy education for paraprofessionals, teachers, administrators and the community
- Work cooperatively and collaboratively with other professionals in planning programs to meet the needs of diverse populations of learners
- Provide professional development opportunities at the local, regional and state levels
- Provide leadership in student advocacy.
The Reading and Writing Specialist program is a K–12 certification program designed to provide educators the opportunity to study the effective teaching of English/ Language Arts, the diagnosis and assessment of reading and writing difficulties, reading and writing across the curriculum, literature-based teaching, Reading Recovery and special education strategies, curriculum, the role of the specialist across grade levels and research in literacy. The program follows the guidelines for certification as a Reading Specialist K–12 in the state of New Hampshire. Two years of classroom teaching experience are required for candidates to apply for educator certification at the completion of the program.
Related Programs and Facilities
- English Education M.Ed. Program
- Plymouth Writing Project
- Writing Center at Plymouth State University
- Lamson Library and Learning Commons at Plymouth State University
Contact Information
Program Coordinator:
Dr. Dennise Maslakowski, - e-mail the coordinator
Associate Vice President, College of Graduate Studies
Plymouth State University
MSC 11
17 High Street
Plymouth, NH 03264
