Standard 2 - Curriculum and Instruction

Candidates use instructional approaches,

materials, and an integrated, comprehensive,
balanced curriculum to support student learning in
reading and writing.
Evidence that demonstrates competence may
include, but it not limited to, the following:
Reading Specialist/Literacy Coach
Candidates
2.1 Use foundational knowledge to design or
implement an integrated, comprehensive, and
balanced curriculum

2.2 Use appropriate and varied instructional

approaches, including those that develop word
recognition, language comprehension, strategic
knowledge, and reading-writing connections.

2.3 Use a wide range of texts (e.g., narrative,

expository, and poetry) from traditional print,
digital, and online resources.

Review and analyze current reading curriculum

for validity. Research current reading programs
that provide a balanced literacy program that
addresses all of the necessary components of
reading such as, comprehension, writing, word
recognition and analysis, and vocabulary. Collect
data through formal and informal observation and
assessment in order to determine and provide
statistical analysis for support in developing and
implementing a research-based program that will
address desired needs.
Providing support for teachers in using
instructional approaches that support the
development of word recognition, language
comprehension, strategic knowledge, and readingwriting connections. For example, formal
instruction in phonemic awareness as a
prerequisite for phonics (i.e., rhyme recognitions,
sentence and syllable segmentation, onset-rime
blending and segmenting, blending/segmenting
phonemes, etc.), instruction in phonics (teaching
unfamiliar words by analogy, teaching how to
analyze letter-sound relationships, teaching
phonics during shared reading, etc.), fluency
instruction (i.e., guided oral repeated reading),
vocabulary instruction (exposing students to a
variety of words in multiple contexts), and
comprehension instruction (i.e., answering
questions, forming questions, summarizing, and
teaching explicit strategies). Furthermore, to assist
ESL/ELL students, a foreign language phonemic
awareness program could be implemented.
The concept of power, freedom, and privilege in
our culture depends on being literate. Literacy has
come to mean so much more than it did in the
past. Now literacy refers to the ability to negotiate
different environments, different cultures, and
various media. Literacy is so much more than

academic literacy. It now includes being able to

process information found in the digital world and
the ability to use and interpret visual medias for
the purpose of communication.
Furthermore, technologies are constantly
changing and have an increasing impact on
communication, therefore, our classrooms should
reflect the culture. In addition, teachers need to be
familiar with and teach using these technologies.
As a practicing reading specialist, I need to be
competent in these digital literacies in order to
support the classroom teacher in appropriately
implementing the use into the classroom
curriculum. Furthermore, providing teachers with
text-sets that include print and digital components
(i.e., videos, websites, podcasts, etc.) is a great
way to supplement instruction.