It is difficult to measure the importance of literacy, yet every teacher who has ever helped a student learn to read knows the joy of being part of that learning process. Literacy truly opens up the world of ideas, history, knowledge and understanding that would otherwise be inaccessible.
For educators who want to deepen their expertise in this vital field, advanced graduate study offers a meaningful path forward. Eastern Washington University’s online Master of Education in Literacy program prepares teachers and instructional leaders with the skills to identify and address literacy challenges across grade levels and content areas. Graduates are equipped to serve as reading specialists, literacy coaches and curriculum designers who can make a lasting difference in their students’ academic lives.
What is Literacy?
Literacy is more than the ability to read and write, although reading and writing are essential skills for success in life. Literacy also encompasses listening, comprehending, understanding context and thinking critically. Children who lack these skills or have weak literacy skills are more likely to fall behind their classmates, which could jeopardize their success in school. Young adults with weak literacy skills usually have trouble finding jobs, and, if they become parents, they may be unable to assist their own children with learning.
Improving literacy skills helps to increase students’ self-esteem and confidence, which in turn encourages them to learn more. Teachers who work with students struggling to read, write and comprehend are helping improve their students’ lives, not just in school but for life beyond school. A master’s degree in literacy equips teachers with key tools to contribute to their students’ overall development through the effective teaching of reading and comprehension.
Literacy Teaches More Than Reading and Language Skills
Literacy extends far beyond decoding words on a page. According to UNESCO, literacy is a foundation for people to acquire broader knowledge, skills, values and attitudes — enabling active participation in civic life, economic opportunity and lifelong learning. Despite global progress, nearly one in ten young people and adults lacked basic literacy skills in 2023, and four in ten students do not meet minimum reading proficiency levels by the end of primary school.
Research consistently demonstrates that literacy development supports more than reading and writing. Strong literacy skills help students pay attention, set goals, control impulses and regulate their level of activity. The International Literacy Association (ILA), a global organization of more than 300,000 literacy educators and researchers, emphasizes that literacy encompasses not only foundational reading and writing skills but also critical thinking, digital literacy and informed civic participation — key competencies for navigating a complex world.
Benefits of Earning an M.Ed. in Literacy
Eastern Washington University’s online M.Ed. in Literacy program provides teachers with the skills they need to boost student literacy. In addition to supporting the diverse learning needs of a P–12 classroom, this advanced degree can enhance your effectiveness across the curriculum and help to develop and improve your assessment skills.
Besides the increased salaries teachers with a master’s degree in education can command, this advanced degree also opens a number of career options. In addition to qualifying for roles that enable you to teach reading and writing in P–12 classrooms, you can become a Reading Specialist, Title 1 Specialist or a District Reading Curriculum Specialist.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage for instructional coordinators — the category that encompasses reading and literacy specialists — was $74,720 in May 2024, with about 21,900 job openings projected each year through 2034. You can also teach undergraduate courses in literacy at community colleges or serve as an adjunct at a university.
Learn more about the EWU online M.Ed. in Literacy program.
