Why a reading specialist?

I am an English Language /English Literature teacher for the past nineteen years at all levels of the secondary school system. As such, I am exposed to the myriad of problems - physical, psychological, social, mental, emotional, financial - which students experience ,and which have a profound negative impact on their learning abilities. Students are frustrated with the school system and may choose various negative channels to vent their frustration . Quite too often, students may tend to "drop out" of the school system.
My extensive and varied interaction with students clearly reveal that too many times , students encounter problems in reading. In fact, various surveys conducted in my school reveal that students are operating at the frustrational level in reading. Clearly this will impact negatively on their learning abilities.
The opportunity to read for the Masters in Education (Reading), and, by extension, be trained as a Reading Specialist seemed the obvious panacea to make that meaningful, significant, and positive difference in the lives of the students. I clearly anticipate that I will be exposed to the various tools /strategies to become competent and confident in working with students , thereby contributing to a more functional, literate society.