Master Reading Teacher Certification
Department of Curriculum and Instruction – College of Education
A master reading teacher teaches reading and acts as a mentor to other teachers of reading and content areas within a school or district.
Role of a Master Reading Teacher
Master reading teachers are crucial assets to school systems. According to the Texas Education Agency, a master reading teacher can benefit a campus by:
- Enhancing what a campus already does well in reading instruction
- Improving students’ reading achievement significantly
- Increasing students’ achievement in content areas related to reading
- Learning from the reading expertise of a fellow teacher
- Mentoring and receiving feedback in a collegial environment
- Offering ongoing staff development from a colleague who knows the strengths, needs, culture, faculty, students, and community of the campus
How to become a Master Reading Teacher
There are two ways to become a state-certified master reading teacher in Texas: by completion of a preparation program or by exam. Each method requires different preparation. To earn either of these certifications, you must have competed your bachelor's degree and be eligible for master's level coursework.
- Certification by preparation program
If you are already certified as a reading specialist, you can complete a state-approved series of courses to become certified as a master reading teacher. TAMUCC's master's program in reading is a state-approved program that fulfills this requirement.
- Certification by exam
To take the TExES exam for your master reading teacher certification, you must have a valid Texas teacher's certificate and at least three years of teaching experience. You also must complete a state-approved master reading teacher preparation program. After completing this program, you must take and pass the TExES master reading teacher examination.
