Course
PK12-READSP
Reading Specialist
In Reading Specialist, candidates who are actively pursuing or assuming instructional leadership responsibilities in Reading & Literacy will explore and develop strategies to drive school-based and board-based improvements to literacy programs and student outcomes.
Candidates will be guided through professional practice exercises to cultivate learning cultures in their school community to develop pedagogical capacity and foster growth mindsets among school staff. Candidates will explore how teacher inquiry can be used to investigate inequitable literacy outcomes and develop evidence-informed strategies for students' most urgent literacy learning needs linked to problems of practice. Candidates will develop a theory of action, or school-based inquiry plan, to address a specific literacy goal in their school community. They will explore multiple measures and categories of meaningful data and reflect on how this data might be used to develop and advance school improvement plans. In order to drive school-wide improvements, candidates will examine leadership models and collaborative inquiry models, and in doing so, identify and develop contextualized solutions for common barriers to professional learning and development for literacy instruction in their school community.
Notes
This course has been recently redesigned in alignment with the new Ontario Curricula (2023) which has been informed by Right to Read and the Science of Reading.
Teachers holding qualifications in technological education are also eligible to take this Three-Session Qualification course.
Prerequisites
Prerequisites for Specialist:
- Completion of Part 1 and Part 2:
A current Ontario College of Teachers' Certificate of Qualification showing successful completion of Part 1 and Part 2 of the three-session qualification. - Certificate of Teaching Experience – 2 Years:
Evidence of at least two (2) years of successful teaching experience, including one (1) year of experience in the subject in which the qualification is being sought. This experience must be certified by the appropriate Supervisory Officer on the OISE Certificate of Teaching Experience Form.
Please Note:
Any exceptions and additional requirements are noted below.
- We do not have the authority to determine whether or not candidates meet the teaching experience prerequisite for Part 2 and Part 3 AQs. We are responsible only for collecting the Certificate of Teaching Experience once it has been signed by the appropriate authority. Please direct all inquiries regarding teaching experience to your employer.
Recommendations
Upon successful completion of the course, a recommendation will be sent to the Ontario College of Teachers.
This course has moved from letter-based grading to competency-based rubrics which are applied across course performance tasks. Learners must demonstrate a minimum proficiency across all tasks in order to successfully complete the course. Course performance tasks balance professional reflection, professional inquiry, and tangible instructional, assessment, and resource planning.
- Performance tasks apply competency-based rubrics which outline specific criteria for proficiency. Ratings across course rubrics include:
- Developing: You are developing professional capacity and capability commensurate with this professional qualification.
- Proficient: You have achieved professional capacity and capability commensurate with this professional qualification.
- Advanced: You have achieved professional capacity and capability commensurate with this professional qualification and have demonstrated expertise in this area of professional practice.
To complete this course successfully and gain your qualification, all performance tasks will demonstrate criteria associated with the Proficient or Advanced ratings.
Full Course Details
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DEADLINE TO REGISTER: July 3, 2025 AT 11:59 P.M. EST - LATE REGISTRATION BEYOND THIS DEADLINE MAY BE AVAILABLE IF SPACE PERMITS.
This session will run intensely for 3 weeks. Your learning will take the form of in-depth online discussions, readings, videos as well as group and/or individual assignments in a facilitator paced asynchronous course.
- 100 hours online learning (asynchronous, but facilitator-led and paced into modules)
- 25 hours assignments and independent study
Once registered, please visit the Learner Portal to submit your course application and any related documents by the registration deadline (we recommend doing so from a computer for the best user experience)
Requests for withdrawal, transfers and refunds must be made ahead of course start dates. You can find our withdrawal, refund and transfer policy under Policies & Guidelines
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