This course is designed to deepen your expertise in fostering literacy excellence and leading evidence-based reading initiatives. You will explore how reading develops across a range of contexts, examine the progression of both foundational and disciplinary literacy skills, and strengthen your understanding of how learners acquire and apply literacy over time.
Throughout the course, you will engage with advanced, research-informed instructional approaches, including targeted strategies for intermediate and senior learners, as well as assessment practices that support responsive, data-informed instruction. You will also explore ways to cultivate engaged and motivated readers through inclusive, community-centered practices.
By the end of the course, you will be equipped to lead literacy learning with confidence, applying an equity-focused lens to support students, collaborate with colleagues, and contribute to effective school-wide literacy initiatives.
Program Information
What you’ll learn and do in Reading, Specialist:
- Apply ethical professional identity, leadership, advocacy and collective practices to inform program planning.
- Integrate Indigenous histories, perspectives and knowledge systems in teaching and learning processes.
- Analyze policies, processes and practices that foster innovation, culturally inclusive pedagogies and the democratization of knowledge.
- Implement equitable program planning that responds to learner needs, including the curation of evidence-based resources.
- Advocate for resources, services and communities of support that address the cognitive, social, emotional, physical and contextual needs of learners.
- Design inclusive learning environments that foster learner agency, voice, choice, diversity and social justice.
- Explore program design and implementation that align with Ontario curriculum principles, processes and related policies.
- Integrate environmentally sustainable policies, pedagogies and practices that promote ecological justice.
- Foster research, professional learning communities and interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance knowledge, collective efficacy and innovation.
Prerequisites
- OCT MEMBERSHIP showing completion of Part 2
- CONFIRMATION OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE FORM
Signed by a Supervisory Official from your School Board confirming that you have two years (388 days) of teaching experience since becoming a certified teacher, one year (194 days) of which is in the subject area of this course
Note: A new form is always required for a Specialist course as experience is course/subject specific.
Materials
There are no additional resources required for this course.
Technology
- Laptop/PC: Windows 10 or higher or equivalent operating system with recommended 8 GB of RAM and at least 16 GB of free hard disk space and Wi-Fi capabilities.
- Access to reliable high-speed broadband internet access (Cable, DSL, LTE) with a minimum bandwidth of 15 Mbps is recommended.
- Included integrated webcam and microphone recommended.
This is an asynchronous, cohort based, instructor-led course with defined start date, end date and specific module due dates. Learners are not expected to be online at a certain time of day, but they are expected to work through the material alongside other learners. Learners should expect to spend 16-18 hours on coursework throughout each week to stay on track.
To successfully complete your program, you will complete all assignments, activities and discussions by the posted deadlines in the program.
Your progress will be continuously evaluated using a variety of formative and/or summative assessments to receive a final mark. Information about these assessment methods will be provided in the Learning Management System on the first day of the program.
| Course Detail | Course Info |
|---|---|
| Course Code | EDUC 9N523 |
| Course Name | Reading, Specialist |
| Category | Three-Part AQs |
| Price | $725 |
| Delivery Mode | ASY - Asynchronous Online |
| Duration | 8 weeks |
| Registration | More Info |
| OSAP Eligible | Yes |
In partnership with
Important dates:
| EDUC 9N523 | Spring | Late Spring | Summer | Late Summer | Fall | Late Fall | Fall-Winter | Winter | Late Winter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0. Availability | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| 1. Start Date | Mar 23, 2026 | May 4, 2026 | Jun 22, 2026 | Jul 20, 2026 | Sep 14, 2026 | Oct 19, 2026 | Nov 16, 2026 | Jan 18, 2027 | Feb 22, 2027 |
| 2. End Date | May 17, 2026 | Jun 28, 2026 | Aug 16, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | Jan 24, 2027 | Mar 14, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 |
| 3. Withdraw deadline 100% | March 29, 2026 | May 10, 2026 | June 28, 2026 | July 26, 2026 | September 20, 2026 | October 25, 2026 | November 22, 2026 | January 24, 2027 | February 28, 2027 |
| 4. Withdraw deadline 50% | April 12, 2026 | May 24, 2026 | July 12, 2026 | August 9, 2026 | October 4, 2026 | November 8, 2026 | December 6, 2026 | February 7, 2027 | March 14, 2027 |