The Master Reading Teacher applies knowledge of the interrelated components of reading across all developmental stages, including oral language, phonological and phonemic awareness, the alphabetic principle, word analysis, fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, written language, and concepts of print, and has expertise in reading instruction at the primary, intermediate/middle, or high school level.
Standard 1 describes the foundational knowledge about reading that the Master Reading Teacher should possess. Reading is a multi-faceted written language process that reflects and builds upon oral language. Learning how to read involves becoming adept at utilizing the sounds, symbols, and meaning of both written and oral language. The Master Reading Teacher knows these discrete elements of language and their interactive nature. The MRT also understands the stages of development that a reader passes through as s/he is learning how to manage these elements in order to extract meaning from text
Through the process of writing my Parent Newsletter, I realized that I was personally experiencing what I previously knew only as theory described by Frank Smith. I created new knowledge from old as I thought through my amalgam of ideas about literacy gleaned from past and present and wrote them down. What I started out understanding and thinking during the beginning stages of writing my philosophy of literacy instruction expanded, deepened, corrected and further expanded as I worked at putting it all together in coherent, written form. The result is that I have an even deeper appreciation of reading and writing as language processes and I have a much clearer understanding of how the various components of reading fit together to compliment one another.
Though I�ve had an appreciation for using real books and lots of writing during literacy instruction for a long time, I�ve struggled with how to appropriately work at the word level. This has been an area of great growth for me as I did deeper investigation into the Four Block framework by Patricia Cunningham after being introduced to it via a ListServe posting and our Book Club reading. In reviewing an article that analyzed the errors of struggling spellers, I concluded that the most productive approach to spelling instruction includes teaching multiple spelling strategies, with different strategies applying to the various orthographic quirks of English.
I reviewed 5 journal articles and participated in 7 article discussions that significantly broadened my appreciation for how using various genre promotes literacy development in various ways.I�ve been challenged again to consider the role of critical thinking and multiple literacies in developing comprehension skills. As students listen to, interact with, and read various types of text and media their comprehension levels increase.
I�ve expanded my conception of literacy to include symbolic language of all kinds by including visual arts and application of semiotic theory to the language arts classroom.
I�ve extended my definition of literacy to include aspects of the internet, pop culture and mass media.
In addition, I�ve increased my understanding of the interplay between reading, writing, and oral language through reviewing articles about note taking during reading and using non-fiction in Literature Circles
Parent Newsletter
LSD � learning 2 re: Four Blocks
Book Club 4 � Focus on Reading
Article Review - Supporting Challenged Spellers
Article Review - Anime & Graphic Novels
Article Discussions - picture books, multiple genre research
Article Discussion: test prep
Article Discussion - Questioning
Article Discussion � Critical Thinking
Article Review - Cycles of Inquiry w/ the Arts
Article Discussion - semitotic theory
Review � What do we mean by Literacy?
Review � Making notes/meaning
Review - Using Non-Fiction in Literature Circles
