Becoming a Reading Specialist with a Master's Program
Online master's in reading programs help teachers specialize their skills and advance their careers by emphasizing leadership, assessment, and organization within classrooms. Graduates can advance their careers as teachers or pursue other educational roles in areas like curriculum development.
For example, these online reading programs may qualify graduates for instructional coordinator positions. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that instructional coordinators earn a median annual salary of $66,490 and projects jobs for these professionals to grow 2% between 2022-2032.
This guide ranks the top online master's in reading teacher education programs in the country. It also covers other important information for prospective students, such as common courses and potential careers and salaries for graduates.
What Is an Online Master's in Reading Degree?
Online master's in reading programs explore literacy development concepts and teaching techniques. Candidates learn efficient teaching strategies and how to adapt lesson plans for students with different learning needs. Programs may also address special education and culturally diverse learners to prepare for inclusive classrooms.
Degree-seekers develop communication skills and learn to work in teams so that they can effectively engage with parents, students, faculty, and administrators. Online reading programs also give students leadership, organization, and problem-solving skills. Some programs may require current teaching certification for admission.
Choosing an Online Program
Students should consider several factors when researching prospective online master's in reading programs, such as cost, available concentrations, and delivery format. For instance, working professionals may prefer the flexibility of asynchronous programs, which do not require set login times.
The Best Online Master's in Reading Programs 2022
Best Online Masters
Reading Teacher Education
2023
Online Master's in Reading Teacher Education Programs Ranking Guidelines
We ranked these degree programs based on quality, curricula, school awards, rankings, and reputation.
What to Expect From a Master's in Reading Program?
Online master's in reading programs include coursework in literacy development and assessment, as well as research and teaching strategies for reading education. Programs may also explore second language acquisition, cultural diversity, and teaching students of different age groups. Additionally, many programs include practicums, giving students field experience.
Reading Curriculum
Comprehension Strategies
These courses present techniques for helping students understand written materials. Courses may explore types of writing, such as narratives and technical pieces, and factors that influence meaning, like paragraph format, vocabulary, perspective, and context. Degree-seekers may also study different reading modes, including oral and silent reading.
Teaching Literacy
These classes cover literacy concepts, like phonics and word recognition, and introduce teaching strategies that reflect current research and theories. Students learn how to assess learning needs and create teaching plans that cater to specific classrooms and learners. Courses may also incorporate state regulations on reading education or focus on age groups, such as elementary or secondary students.
Classroom Management
This course addresses classroom organization and management. Candidates learn to build productive environments for students and encourage learning through lesson plans and motivational tactics. Learners may also study psychological and behavioral issues that may arise in classrooms.
Education Careers
Master's-level online reading programs can lead to a variety of education-related careers. For instance, graduates can teach postsecondary courses in reading education or work as reading coaches or specialists. They may also research and write scholarly articles or textbooks on reading education or work as recreation workers or social and community service managers. The following list outlines several other common careers for graduates.
