When you hear that a normal fourth grade child in your school can't read, what do you do? If the child's parents have asked for help, and the fourth grade teacher tells you that she has at least five students in her class who can't read, what do you do?
These are not idle questions, because these problems are staring us in the face all across the country. At least 20 percent of our nation's fourth graders can't read, according to a recent study by the University of Oregon.1 The cumulative deficit that is building in those nonreading children will soon seem insurmountable to them. These fourth grade children will be doomed to continuing failure unless they receive immediate help.2
If you are a principal, to whom do you turn? Who is your leader in reading instruction who can answer the significant questions:
? Why can't these children read? They are normal kids who have spent four full years in school, the very years when learning to read ranks as the top priority.
? What must we change to ensure fluent, independent reading for all children in the middle grades?
? Who will rebuild a child's inadequate foundation?
? Who will guide the staff in creating a preventative curriculum and in providing tutorial services?
These and similar questions are racing through the minds of many American school principals. They are searching among their teachers for leaders in reading instruction, searching for lead teachers who can guide the staff in building a reading curriculum that prevents fourth grade failures--a balanced curriculum with benchmarks for success. Principals are also searching for a teacher who can restructure a child's program when a child does not reach established benchmarks for reading.
? How can these leaders be identified?
Leaders in reading need advanced education in how to build the reading curriculum, in the analysis of reading problems, in the application of learning strategies, and in the use of library books and technology. A reading specialist with these competencies has the knowledge base to guide program development, a program that develops fluent readers and prevents long-term failure.
Some states have certification programs for reading specialists, usually requiring a master's degree with specialized courses.3 That's one place for a principal to look for a reading leader--find a person with a reading specialist certificate. The other tack, of course, is to identify a teacher who has high enthusiasm for reading and the personality for prodding others into action. Perhaps other staff members will recommend an individual who is ready for the job. Encourage that person to get the appropriate education and to step forward with the plans that benefit the children in the school.
With today's emphasis on site-based management and performance standards and with the growing concern over cumulative reading problems, now is the perfect time for principals to look for reading leaders. Schools need bright, energetic teachers who have the knowledge and the human care to make sure that children with reading problems receive appropriate attention. These are the teachers who believe so intensely that every child deserves to read fluently that they will work to provide them with success and will work with other teachers to accomplish excellence in the reading program of the school.
1) Refer to the Office of Special Education Programs report by the National Center to Improve the Tools of Educators, University of Oregon,1996.
2) For a free bulletin on Underachievement in Reading, call ERIC (1-800-759-4723) and ask for that specific report.
3) For a list of states that have reading specialist certificates, call ERIC (1-800-759-4723) and ask for User Services Department.