IRA Standard and Element

4.1  Assist the classroom teacher and paraprofessional in selecting materials that match the reading levels, interests, and cultural and linguistic background of students.

4.4  Use methods to effectively revise instructional plans to motivate all students.  they assist classroom teachers in designing programs that will intrinsically and extrinsically motivate students.  They demonstrate these techniques and they can articulate the research base that grounds their practice.

SU/SOE Proficiency

3.2  Demonstrate four ways to select materials that match the reading levels, interests, and cultural and linguistic backgroun of students, and to assist the classroom teacher and paraprofessional in doing the same.

3.4  Demonstrate four methods to effectively revise instructional plans to motivate all students, and to assist classroom teachers in designing programs that will intrinsically and extrinsically motivate students, demonstrate these techniques, and explain their research base.

Four ways a Literacy Specialist or Coach can select materials:

1. Generate and provide Interest and background inventories of teachers and students, then maintain a library that allows for lending, inquiry and further study.

2. Maintain membership to professional organizations such as the International reading association and read literature reviews and organize lists for teachers based upon interests, reading level, curriculum, and instruction.

3. Facilitate working relationships with Library Specialists in schools and in the community and communicate literacy and content needs.

4. Review American Library Association website and awards and communicate/share materials with classroom teachers.  

Four methods to effectively revise instructional plans:

Literacy Specialist or Coach in collaboration with classroom teachers will:

1. Participate in "walk throughs" in which they generate written observations of strengths and recommendations.

2. Review student material using resources such as lexile.com, Jacobs & Tunnel (2004), etc. and determine if materials are leveled appropriately and then revise and/or suggest changes/additions to present materials.

3. Participate in literacy audits that review through observation and research to generate recommendations and determine accountability.

4. Review assessment data to determine strengths and weaknesses of materials and communicate via one-on-one conferences the results and recommendations.

Through literature, children can begin to develop a sense of their humanness, they can develop new insights into the behavior of others and themselves.  Literature can add a new dimension to life and create a new awareness, a greater sensitivity to people and surroundings.  It an educate the heart as well as the head (p. 262).  Charlotte Huck (1989)