Standards for Reading Professionals (International Reading Association, 1998, pp. 21-22)
The reading professional will:
16.2 reflect on one’s practice to improve instruction and other services to students.
16.3 interact with and participate in decision making with teachers, teacher educators, theoreticians, and researchers.
16.6 promote collegiality with other literacy professionals through regular conversations, discussions, and consultations about learners, literacy theory, and assessment and instruction.

Materials
A spiral-bound notebook or composition book for each participant to use as a reflection journal
Chart paper or a blackboard for the Collaboration Group meeting
A 3-ring binder that will serve as the Collaboration Group Notebook

Estimated Time
2.0 hours independent work
1.5 hours Collaboration Group meeting

Lesson 1.2: Personal Literacy Narrative and Philosophy Statement
Focus: Write a personal literacy narrative and a philosophy statement regarding your beliefs about the teaching of reading.

Standards for Reading Professionals (International Reading Association, 1998, pp. 21-22)
The reading professional will:
16.2 reflect on one’s practice to improve instruction and other services to students.
16.3 interact with and participate in decision making with teachers, teacher educators, theoreticians, and researchers.
16.6 promote collegiality with other literacy professionals through regular conversations, discussions, and consultations about learners, literacy theory, and assessment and instruction.

Materials
Reflection journal
Chart paper or a blackboard for the Collaboration Group meeting

Estimated time
2.0 hours independent work
1.5 hours Collaboration Group meeting

Lesson 1.3: Cultural Considerations
Focus: Examine ways to teach in a culturally responsive manner so that your students can further develop their ethnic identity while becoming proficient readers.

Standards for Reading Professionals (International Reading Association, 1998, pp. 9-11, 21)
The reading professional will:
1.2 understand, respect, and value cultural, linguistic, and ethnic diversity.
1.4 recognize that literacy can be a means for transmitting moral and cultural values.
1.7 understand the impact of physical, perceptual, emotional, social, cultural, environmental, and intellectual factors on learning, language development, and reading acquisition.
3.1 recognize how differences among learners influence their literacy development. 16.2 reflect on one’s practice to improve instruction and other services to students.

Materials
Reflection journal
Chart paper or a blackboard for the Collaboration Group meeting

Estimated Time
3.0 hours independent work
1.5 hours Collaboration Group meeting

Lesson 1.4: Key Elements in Reading
Focus: Examine the key elements in reading – phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Review the findings of the National Reading Panel (NRP) and the key elements of reading.

Standards for Reading Professionals (International Reading Association, 1998, pp. 9, 21)
The reading professional will:
1.6 understand the major theories of language development, cognition, and learning. 16.2 reflect on one’s practice to improve instruction and other services to students.

Materials
Reflection journal
Chart paper or a blackboard for the Collaboration Group meeting
Text: Put Reading First: The Research Building Blocks for Teaching Children to Read

Estimated Time
3.0 hours Independent work
1.5 hours Collaboration Group meeting

Standards for Reading Professionals (International Reading Association, 1998, pp. 12, 21)
The reading professional will:
4.1 understand the nature and multiple causes of reading and writing difficulties.
4.2 know principles for diagnosing reading difficulties.
16.2 reflect on one’s practice to improve instruction and other services to students.

Materials
Reflection journal
Chart paper or a blackboard for the Collaboration Group meeting
Text: Starting Out Right: A Guide to Promoting Children’s Reading Success

Estimated Time
2.0 hours independent work
1.5 hours Collaboration Group meeting

Lesson 1.6: Evaluation and Literacy Talk
Focus: Share your learning with other participants, and evaluate the module.

Standards for Reading Professionals (International Reading Association, 1998, p. 21-22)
The reading professional will:
16.2 reflect on one’s practice to improve instruction and other services to students. 16.3 interact with and participate in decision making with teachers, teacher educators, theoreticians, and researchers.

Materials
Access to the Internet (if available) to complete the module evaluation, post a reflection journal entry, and participate in the online Literacy Talk discussion.

Estimated Time
2.0 hours of independent work
1.5 hours Collaboration Group meeting