Montessori Reading Resources: American Montessori Society Reading Certificate

Montessori reading instruction is at the top of many teachers’ minds these days. Many educators report a larger gap in reading achievement since Covid. Also, new Science of Reading legislation has created mandates for public schools and generated questions around best practice for reading instruction in private schools. Read more about Montessori and the Science of Reading in our last Let’s Talk Reading post.

The Science of Reading and Montessori

The Science of Reading is well-summarized infographic called the “Reading Rope” (pictured below). Skilled reading, for many students, requires explicit instruction in:

• Language Comprehension
  • Background knowledge
  • Vocabulary
  • Language Structures
  • Verbal Reasoning
  • Literacy knowledge
• Word Recognition
  • Phonological Awareness
  • Decoding
  • Sight Recognition of Words

These skills work together to build strategic thinking and fluency for readers (required for comprehension). To help you navigate reading instruction in the Montessori classroom, this post will discuss one Science of Reading professional development option designed to help Montessori educators understand the complexities of literacy and feel confident and well-resourced as they support their students.

https://www.reallygreatreading.com/scarboroughs-reading-rope

Reading Certificate Program

The American Montessori was one of the first Montessori organizations to respond to the national need for Science of Reading professional development rooted in Montessori pedagogy. They offer reading certificate programs at both the Early Childhood and Elementary levels. I have taken the Elementary Reading Certificate program and found it to be a valuable resource with high-impact information that can transform teachers’ literacy instruction and understanding of literacy development. This led me to recommend the program as a PD for every classroom at the school I serve. Within the next couple of years, we hope to have at least one (and preferably all) teacher per classroom hold the AMS Reading Certificate for their age level.

The course is online and includes both synchronous and asynchronous components. AMS estimates a 36-40 time commitment. It is designed for Montessori teachers wanting to apply the science of reading to their classrooms and teaches pedagogy and classroom application.

(https://learn.amshq.org/Elementary-Reading-Certificate-Program)

Strengths

• Truly designed with Montessori at the forefront, the course is rooted in high-fidelity pedagogy.
• To me, the AMS Reading Certificate embodies the adage, “If you give a man a fish, he eats for a day. Teach him to fish and he eats for life.” While you might not leave with scripted lesson plans for what to teach to your class next Tuesday, you will understand reading instruction at a deep level and be able to develop more responsive, informed lessons than a script could provide.
• Affordable compared to some programs, especially for members. There are also bulk registration discounts available.

Considerations

• It is a significant time commitment for already-busy classroom teachers (though I believe it pays off over time!)
• For newer teachers or teachers looking for something they can implement quickly without a lot of planning, the Science of Reading is more of a pedagogy than a curriculum. Significant planning time for high-fidelity implementation is still required (especially the first few years while you’re developing content and structures).

Recommendation

Overall, I highly recommend the AMS Reading Certificate programs to help empower all teachers as reading experts. Research supports that the best investment we can provide to close achievement gaps for our students is high quality instruction, and this happens through high-impact, practical professional development to offer confidence and inspiration to teachers.