Complexities in the Roles of Reading Specialists

Abstract

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.