Reading Specialist Certification is required to serve as a reading specialist in elementary and high school. Reading specialists are professionals who aim to improve reading achievement in their district or school by serving as teachers, coaches, or leaders of school reading programs.  The reading specialist is authorized to teach reading and to provide technical assistance and professional development to teachers.

Certification generally involves completing literacy-related coursework after one has obtained a bachelor's degree. Each state has different criteria for obtaining reading specialist certification. Some states require general teacher certification, and some require at least one year of teaching experience in a general classroom, before obtaining reading specialist certification. It may be issued as a full certificate or as an endorsement on an existing teaching certificate. Some states require applicants to pass a reading specialist content area examination.

In the State of Florida, there is no certification that can be acquired that will give you an official title to teach reading to preschoolers, other than an AA or BA degree. However, there are many strategies that you can learn to assist you to implement appropriate instruction in the areas of Emergent Literacy.

The United Way Center for Excellence in Early Education, in collaboration with The Early Learning Coalition Miami Dade Monroe/Quality Counts, provides county-wide trainings to early care and education Preschool teachers, including workshops in Emergent Literacy. All trainings are free, and participants receive college level or in-service credits for participation. To register for Quality counts trainings please, visit http://www.qccareers.org/calendar

For additional information please follow links below:

Reading Endorsement Application information from Florida department of Education
information
http://www.justreadflorida.com/endorsement/instructions.asp  

VPK Instructor requirements
http://www.vpkhelp.org/for-vpk-instructors/vpk-instructor-requirements.html
http://www.fldoe.org/earlylearning/credentials.asp

Emergent Literacy for VPK Instructors

http://www.flvpkonline.org/elInfo.htm

Vivyan Sanchez Master Teacher for United Way Center for Excellence in Early Education

When looking at a child's development during the preschool years it can be divided into four areas: Social/Emotional development, Physical development, Cognitive development, and Language development. In the area of social emotional development, preschool children are learning about themselves and how to relate to others. Children's physical development is changing as they gain more control of their gross motor & fine motor muscles. Their movements are more fluid when running, jumping, hopping, and skipping.  They are also practicing physical manipulations such as throwing, kicking, and catching. Children are able to perform self-help skills and manipulate small objects such as scissors and writing tools as their fine motor skills develop. Cognitively, preschool children are learning to think logically and solve problems.  They are learning to represent & think symbolically. As children learn to use spoken language to communicate with others, they are expanding their vocabulary. Also, it is during this period that children begin to understand the purpose of print and how it works. They are gaining knowledge of the alphabet, writing letters and words.

In regards to memorization vs. comprehension, research has shown that the ability to memorize facts does not necessarily mean that you have understood a particular concept. Although children may be capable of naming letters in a  rote memorization manner, they may fail to acquire the long-term goal— an understanding of how the letters function for reading and writing and the ability to use what they know to make sense of the print in their environment. Children learn about particular concepts through hands-on experiences and by making connections to their real-life experiences.  When we teach children for understanding they are developing problem solving skills and the ability to think critically when information is presented to them.   
 
Appropriate and effective instruction in all pillars of emergent literacy is an essential element of early education for all children to be successful readers. Through emergent literacy children will construct knowledge about the functions of print.  There are five pillars, basic components, of emergent literacy – oral language, vocabulary development, alphabet knowledge, phonological awareness and print awareness.

- Oral language begins to develop at a very young age as children and parents interact with one another in the natural surroundings of the home environment. It involves both speaking and listening, or expressive and receptive language. The more words a child knows, the more words he or she will be able to recognize when seeing them in print.

- Vocabulary is very important to reading comprehension. The more exposure children have to a word the easier it will be for them to read that word later.  Comprehension improves when you know what the words mean.

- Alphabet knowledge is naming the letters of the alphabet and recognizing the letter symbols in print. Being able to recognize the differences among letters is an important first step in recognizing words.

- Phonological awareness is the ability to recognize that spoken language can be broken into smaller units of sounds. Phonological awareness is the foundation for the development of decoding skills. Part of phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, refers to the ability to listen to, recognize, and manipulate the smallest pieces or individual sounds of language.

- Print awareness is being able to see the connection between written language and it relates to oral language. Children understand that when adults read a book, what they say is linked to the words on the page, rather than to the pictures. It includes knowing that print carries meaning, knowing how to handle a book, and noticing print all around.

To promote early literacy, there are a number of activities you can practice at home to build oral language, vocabulary development, alphabet knowledge, phonological awareness and print awareness skills. Visit the following website for audio books and activities to do with your child http://www.rif.org/kids/readingplanet.htm, United Way Center for Excellence in Early Education Parents.

Teresa Correa Infant Toddler Master teacher for United Way Center for Excellence in Early Education

According to Early Literacy Theory, the natural development of skills will emerge through enjoying books and positive interactions between young children and adults which model the critical role of literacy-rich experiences.

Sharing stories and books with young children can be the most treasured time. With so many books to touch, look, and listen to, infants and toddlers will grow to love them. Even young infants, who do not yet understand the message found in books, learn from exploring them.

Sitting closely with an adult makes story and book experiences enjoyable for young infants. One key action is to find a comfortable position for both parent and the baby, preferably on the adult's lap, and read only a couple of pages, letting the child turn pages if s/he can. Focus child attention by pointing to and naming pictures on the pages.

Mobile infants start to listen for longer periods as the adult reads very simple stories; they recognize and point out pictures in books. It is important to identify cues from the children's gestures, sounds, or words.

Reading with toddlers is relatively more interactive. Toddlers can become caught up in the rhythm of the words and the flow of the plot. Parents and adults will soon learn which books capture children's attention and which children are ready to listen to an entire story.

Most two-year old children can sit and be part of a small group of 2-4 during a more formal, but brief, story time. They decide how long they want to stay with the group. It is important to set the stage for story reading by talking about the book cover and helping children focus their attention as they begin to predict the story.

No matter which stage the child is in, reading and story time are keys to strengthening relationships, since they are at the heart of language and literacy learning. Reading aloud is one of the best ways to help children become successful readers.

Thank you for this question. Below are three responses from community experts.

The following response was provided by Dr. Elizabeth Leight, psychologist and chair of the CFE committee.

Dr. Leight Psychologist, CFE Committee Chair Teresa Correa Infant Toddler Master teacher for United Way Center for Excellence in Early Education Paula Moujalli United Way Center Director for Center for Excellence in Early Education Miriam Altman Special Education, Social-Emotional Development and the Pyramid

While there is tremendous consensus among parents that children need to be toilet trained, among children there is a lot of variability in what the process looks like, and among highly regarded professionals there are differing opinions as to the age a child should become toilet trained.

Most children will be trained by 3.5 years, when children have difficulties that continue into their fourth birthday, it is recommended that parents explore help from their pediatrician to discuss the possibility of physical issues and dietary issues that may be interfering with toilet training, and discuss if consultation for further assistance is needed. (Taubman and Benson, page 363).

Part of the reality is that most parents feel intense pressure for their children to be toilet trained.  Most often it is not just being toilet trained in and of itself as being the goal, but, for many families today,  in order for children to go to pre - school, or to an outside of the home  early care,  children need to be toilet trained for acceptance.

Additionally, toilet training is one of the developmental milestones that is intimately tied to the parent-child relationship, and often provides a window into parent-child relational issues (for better or for worse). It is not unusual for conversations about "will" and "power struggles" to occur alongside the conversation about toilet training difficulties.  It is for this reason that many professionals recommend taking a child-oriented approach to toilet training. Toilet training is a milestone that can reflect a family's' social-emotional climate, and can set the stage for relational patterns down the road, (for better or for worse).

A child-oriented approach pays special attention to the child's emotional and physical readiness, and implies by definition that the caregiver is sensitive enough to the child to pick up on the child's cues, and begin the toilet training process, rather than impose the process on the child. Additionally, the child-centered approach recognizes that certain physical milestones and a maturity of the child's central nervous system needs to be obtained, before toilet training can begin.

Despite the difference in opinion as to when a child should be toilet trained, there is agreement among professionals as to the signs of readiness for toilet training.

A child ready for toilet training will, during the day on her or his own go to the toilet as needed, wear underwear during the day without accidents, and will remain dry at night.  However, it is accepted that pre-school children who are toilet trained may have an occasional "accident" during the day.  Such children are still accepted as toilet trained (Taubman and Benson, p. 361).  

Also, it is accepted that parents, teachers or early care providers will, and should "suggest" a trip to the toilet before a car trip, or when going somewhere where access to a toilet will be limited.  In determining expectations for toilet training, adults need to consider the environment and circumstances surrounding their child, i.e. are toilets accessible or not?  The environment and environmental constraints play a role in deciding at what age to begin toilet training, and how to establish expectations for how the process should go.

The child-oriented approach to toilet training pays attention to readiness signs (which can present themselves from 18 months up) for training from the child. While there is great variability in when children demonstrate these signs, and in the order in which the readiness skills are revealed, the following are typical signals that indicate toilet training readiness. These skills do not need to be demonstrated all at once or in any sequence, they just need to occur;  "An ability to follow directions, a child who imitates parents or other important adults, a child who wants to please his or her parents, demonstrates an independence by saying no, tells parents when he/she has to use the toilet shows, an interest and awareness of the toilet, which he/she reveals to parent, can stay dry during the day for two to two and a half hours or longer, sits and walks in dependently and can pull pants up and down." (Taubman and Benson, p 359)

The child-oriented approach put forth by Terry Brazelton is recommended in the US and supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

References

Encyclopedia of Infant and Early Childhood Development. Eds Haith, Marshall and Benson, Janette B. vol 3, 2008 pgs356-364.

Toilet Training by B Taubman and NJ Blum, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphiam PA, USA. 2008 Elsevier Inc. page 356 – 364.

The following response was provided by Teresa Correa, Infant Toddler Master teacher for United Way Center for Excellence in Early Education:

There is not a set age at which potty training or toilet training should begin; the right time depends on your child's development and readiness, as well as your own beliefs and values about toilet training.

It can be helpful to think of potty training as a process in which both you and your child have your own "jobs" to do. Finding a toilet training method that works for your family is the key; remember that no matter how you do it, this is a learning process that takes time, with many accidents along the way. Being patient is the best way you can support your child as s/he learns.

Most children develop control over their bowel and bladder by 18 months. This skill is necessary for children to physically be able to use the toilet.  How ready a child is emotionally to begin learning to use the potty depends on the individual child, some children are ready at 18 months, and others are ready at 3 years.

The signs a child shows for potty training are:
• Staying dry for at least 2 hours or after naps.
• Recognizing that s/he is urinating or having a bowel movement. For example, a child might go into another room when s/he has a bowel movement.  
• Developing physical skills that are critical to potty training—the ability to walk, to pull pants up and down, and to get into/off the potty (with some help).
• Copying parent's toileting behavior.
• Following simple instructions.

The following response was provided by Paula Moujalli, United Way Center Director for Center for Excellence in Early Education.

From the cognitive aspect there are some signs parents and care givers need to pay attention to. These signs include: How the child follows simple instructions, if the child has the words to express his/her needs, if the child is understanding the physical signals that mean he or she  has to go potty and can tell you about his/her needs or even hold it until the care giver takes him/her to the potty. This usually happens when the child is between two or three years of age.

Miriam Altman, adds:

While the generally expected time-frame for potty-training ranges from 18 months to 3.5 years, it is important to note that this timeframe may last longer for some children who have developmental delays or special needs. In other words, developmental readiness is a more important consideration than chronological age.

Thank you for your question. The following response was provided by Dr. Elizabeth Leight:

Children's' first teachers are their parents, and the individuals comprising their family. Children learn how to treat others with respect, compassion and empathy, as well as how to set boundaries for themselves from their own life experiences. Children's day-to-day experiences become what is "known," expected, even anticipated from family, friends and over time generalizes to people outside of family.  

It is very hard to teach compassion, respect, and consideration of others to someone (a toddler, adolescent, teen or even an adult) if that individual himself/herself does not have experience being treated by others with compassion, respect and empathy.

Empathy can be taught by consistently encouraging a child to consider the "point of view" of another individual. For example, saying something like, "how do you think Tommy feels when you leave him out of the game?" and "How do you feel when you are left out of a game?" This simple step in a conversation introduces a child to the idea that there are many different reactions/points of view/feelings a person can have to an event or situation.  

The first step towards your child developing empathy is demonstrating the capacity to take someone else's feelings into consideration, not just one's own. This is a skill that parents can develop with their children by taking the time to share the reasons why they react as they do. For example, "mommy is very tired, I am not angry with you, I am tired, so I just need a little quiet time now." A simple statement like this, not full of too much detail, introduces a child to the idea that his or her mother has her own needs and experiences that impact how she treats her child.  This type of response is a very important and healthy way to introduce children to the idea that people have feelings, thoughts, and needs that may be different than their own thoughts, feelings and needs.  This is the beginning of teaching children how to become empathic. A parent, caregiver, or teacher who takes the time to share their own state of mind with their child is the process required to teach a child that other people have feelings, thoughts and needs. A child armed with this understanding, will then transfer this awareness to people he or she interacts outside of his/her family. It is developmentally appropriate until object permanence is achieved that a child believes his/her point of view is the only point of view. (Object permanence is typically established within the second year of life).

A child learns to set boundaries and become assertive as well from his/her parents, teachers or caregiver.  The same process outlined above will enable your child to learn how to establish healthy boundaries with people inside and outside the family. You, as parent are teaching these skills every day, by sharing in your own thoughts, feelings and needs, you are teaching your child how to do so, and expressing that it is OK.  If you as parent have a hard time setting limits for yourself, your child is will most likely have a hard time setting limits and boundaries, and may feel that it is not OK to set limits, as you did not do so.

Children very often believe that if their parent does not want to play with them, says no to them, or even has a blank facial expression that their parent is angry with them. One of the best things a parent can do to promote empathy and healthy boundaries is to share their thoughts and feelings with their child. This exchange over the course of time has another positive impact- it helps to establish a secure parent-child relationship over the course of time.