Complexities in the Roles of Reading Specialists

As public schools have changed, so have the roles of reading specialists who work within schools. This article describes the findings of a study that examined the challenges of 12 reading specialists from elementary to high school level in both urban and rural schools. The researchers found that reading specialists work in a variety of instructional models, and their roles are misunderstood by administrators and classroom teachers. Additionally, they have limited contact with parents and deal with behavior problems from students, but are not necessarily provided with support systems for dealing with many of the complexities inherent in their work. 

As public schools have changed, so have the roles of reading specialists who work within schools. This article describes the findings of a study that examined the challenges of 12 reading specialists from elementary to high school level in both urban and rural schools. The researchers found that reading specialists work in a variety of instructional models, and their roles are misunderstood by administrators and classroom teachers. Additionally, they have limited contact with parents and deal with behavior problems from students, but are not necessarily provided with support systems for dealing with many of the complexities inherent in their work.