Literacy Expertise

I am responsive to the needs of my students by implementing instruction based on student data. Instruction should be relevant to a student’s needs. In my role, I take both formal and informal assessments of a student's strengths and weaknesses. By analyzing students’ abilities, strategies, skills, and motivations, we can assess and build up the whole reader (Fliippo, 2014). Using data, I plan instruction to target the reading skill the student is showing readiness to learn. Instruction is not about filling an empty vessel. Every student comes to us with existing knowledge and skills. Through assessment, we can identify these areas of existing knowledge and areas of need. Then we build the student’s knowledge and help them grow in their journey to be a successful reader.

In my role as a literacy leader, I utilize multimodal literacies to engage all learners. When you think of reading and writing, the first things you think about are paper and pencil, and bound books. Speech and writing used to be considered the only modes of communication, but that is changing. There are many modes of communication, images, sound, video, etc…. It is all of these modes of language and communication that leads to multimodal forms of literacy (Kress & Van, 1996). Today’s 21st century learner is exposed to many different kinds of texts. Students are exposed to graphic novels, websites, blogs, illustrations, videos and so much more. As a literacy leader, it is my responsibility to expose my students to all the different mediums out there. I also believe you know a student’s full knowledge of a subject if you allow them to express their learning in their own way. This is why we must embrace multimodal literacy.

As a literacy leader I use research to guide my instructional practices. An educator must use instructional practices that have been proven to be effective for students. In the beginning of my career, I did what I saw other teachers doing or was told by my superiors. Now, I know that when I am trying to reach all learners I must find practices that have been tested and proven effective to best help all students be successful in reaching their reading potential. Through the course of my master’s program, I have been challenged to find research to back my practices and beliefs. Sometimes I found research to support what I already thought, but I also had my mind changed by the research I found. When I become a reading specialist, I can not just state my opinion, but instead must have research to back up my ideas, interventions, and initiatives. When I have research behind my thinking, I am able to more effectively lead my school and other literacy team members towards doing what is best for students.