Questions About Who Makes Literacy Decisions

Classroom teachers, reading specialists, and principals make or influence many important educational decisions. The following questions can help them assess their role in influencing decisions about the school literacy program. (The words in parentheses indicate specific areas of influence.)

• Do I determine if individual students are ready for reading instruction in my class or school? What decisions am I likely to make? (Readiness and Screening)

• Do I determine what kind of reading instruction an individual student should receive? Do I ever change that instruction? What decisions am I likely to make? (Reading Instruction)

• Do I communicate with parents about the quality of their child's progress in reading? What am I likely to report? (Diagnosis and Remediation)

• Do I ever determine the reading curriculum that I will be using? What decisions am I likely to make? (Curriculum)

• Do I ever select instructional materials for the reading program? (Instruction)

• Do I ever help to determine the resource level that my school or school district will devote to the reading program? (Management)

• What changes in the reading program am I currently helping to determine? (Improvement of Instruction)

• Do I ever refer students with reading problems for special help? What decisions am I likely to make? (Diagnosis and Remediation)

In answering the first question, for example, a first-grade teacher might respond by noting that he or she decides if a child will begin to learn to read immediately or instead receive further readiness work. The teacher also may decide if the child will start at the beginning of the program or move into the program at his or her skill level. In addition, the teacher may find that for children who are not yet ready to start formal reading instruction, a decision must be made as to the nature of further readiness experiences.

Answering such questions helps educators make professional decisions. A teacher may decide to do something new, to change something that is currently being done, to continue what is being done, or to wait until additional information is available.