Reading Endorsement

Reading Teacher Endorsement Information

YES, you can take courses at UIUC for The Reading Teacher Endorsement

The Reading Teacher Endorsement (RTE) requires 24 hours of specified course work, passing the Reading Teacher or Reading Specialist test, and allows one only to teach reading at the level of the certificate that they hold (early childhood, elementary, or secondary). It does NOT require a master's or two years of prior teaching experience.

Even though the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign does not have a Reading Specialist program, it does offer courses for the Reading Teacher Endorsement. If coursework for a RTE is completed at the same time an individual is being recommended for certification, UIUC will also recommend that the individual receive a RTE (i.e., someone who is being recommended for an elementary certificate and has also met the requirements for the endorsement). Otherwise, individuals who complete the endorsement by taking UIUC courses must apply to have the RTE added by transcript evaluation through the Regional Office of Education. 

Course Numbers and Titles for Reading Teacher Endorsement

• CI 475 Teach Elem Rdg & Lang Arts I
• One of:
  • CI 471 Princ Prac Foster Indep Rdg
  • CI 472 Tchg Reading in Grades 4-12
  • CI 473 Literacy in Content Areas
  • CI 582 Rdg and Wrtg Across the Curr
• CI 575 Assess/Diag Reading Problems
• CI 576 Support Students Reading Prob
• One of:
  • CI 467 Princ Tchg Lit to Child Youth
  • CI 499 Multicultural Childrens Literature
  • CI 567 Child Lit in the School Curr
  • CI 568 Cont Classics in Child Lit
  • CI 585 Informational Children's Lit
• CI 577 Clinical Practicum in Reading

Additional courses to bring the total hours to 24 may include CI 465, CI 468 and additional choices from the groups where there are options.

To obtain a Reading Teacher Endorsement for middle grades 5-8, the teacher must also complete the requirements for the Middle Grade Endorsement, which consist of the following courses: 

EPSY 430   Early Adolescent Development
CI 410         Middle School Instruction
EPS 427      Philosophy of Middle School