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Literacy specialist vs first grade teacher

The differences between literacy specialists and first grade teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a literacy specialist has an average salary of $59,520, which is higher than the $49,757 average annual salary of a first grade teacher.

The top three skills for a literacy specialist include instructional strategies, school administration and assessment data. The most important skills for a first grade teacher are classroom management, math, and social studies.

Literacy specialist vs first grade teacher overview

Literacy SpecialistFirst Grade Teacher
Yearly salary$59,520$49,757
Hourly rate$28.62$23.92
Growth rate-6%4%
Number of jobs2,56270,517
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Average age4342
Years of experience4-

What does a literacy specialist do?

A literacy specialist ensures accurate and correct recording reporting and document keeping. These professionals manage literacy support by organizing staff instructions and schedules. Besides providing and supporting data analysis and literacy assessment, a literacy specialist also acts as a useful resource for families, administrators, assistant teachers, and teachers. They promote professional development by supporting, coaching, and guiding teachers with instructional practices and literacy programs. Moreover, literacy specialists oversee the learning institution's literacy program.

What does a first grade teacher do?

First-grade teachers are the first instructors of children after they finished the kindergarten level. They play an essential role as children aged six to seven move to more structured learning. Generally, they set an exciting tone of learning for the fundamental skills in writing, reading, and math. These teachers create and give effective learning activities to the children to enhance their physical, emotional, intellectual, and social development. They have to effectively manage the classroom and ensure that all students are safe. Also, they give regular assessments to children to evaluate if their teaching method is effective and to determine the learning style of each child. Additionally, they need to communicate with parents, guardians, and principals on the progress of the children.

Literacy specialist vs first grade teacher salary

Literacy specialists and first grade teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Literacy SpecialistFirst Grade Teacher
Average salary$59,520$49,757
Salary rangeBetween $45,000 And $77,000Between $37,000 And $65,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYNew York, NY
Highest paying stateNew YorkNew York
Best paying companyExcel Academy Charter SchoolsShady Side Academy
Best paying industryRetailEducation

Differences between literacy specialist and first grade teacher education

There are a few differences between a literacy specialist and a first grade teacher in terms of educational background:

Literacy SpecialistFirst Grade Teacher
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Most common majorElementary EducationElementary Education
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Literacy specialist vs first grade teacher demographics

Here are the differences between literacy specialists' and first grade teachers' demographics:

Literacy SpecialistFirst Grade Teacher
Average age4342
Gender ratioMale, 16.0% Female, 84.0%Male, 7.5% Female, 92.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 5.4% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% Asian, 3.7% White, 69.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage12%9%

Differences between literacy specialist and first grade teacher duties and responsibilities

Literacy specialist example responsibilities.

  • Assist children on the autism spectrum academically and socially to achieve integration into a mainstream educational environment.
  • Coordinate family ESL classes with childcare.
  • Tutor and periodically assess multiple small groups of students of varying ages and abilities in science, mathematics, and literacy.
  • Used manipulatives to teach basic fundamentals in mathematics.
  • Plan and organize public awareness events to promote dyslexia awareness and ascertain the needs in the community for individualize instruction.
  • Provide daily intensive data-driven literacy instructional support and intervention for at-risk students.
  • Show more

First grade teacher example responsibilities.

  • Used technology such as scanning documents, creating hyperlinks and PowerPoint to document student progress for student lead conferences.
  • Prepare and plan literacy and math centers daily to encourage student achievement and socialization skills.
  • Develop standards-based curricula including a balance literacy program, math and writers' workshops and after school intervention program.
  • Implement the PBIS social emotional development program.
  • Employ PBIS to reenforce positive behavior among students.
  • Focuse on ESL students using methodical scaffolding, with an emphasis on citizenship and literacy.
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Literacy specialist vs first grade teacher skills

Common literacy specialist skills
  • Instructional Strategies, 11%
  • School Administration, 8%
  • Assessment Data, 7%
  • Staff Development, 6%
  • Curriculum Development, 5%
  • English Language, 5%
Common first grade teacher skills
  • Classroom Management, 29%
  • Math, 13%
  • Social Studies, 5%
  • Professional Development, 4%
  • Classroom Environment, 4%
  • Language Arts, 3%

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