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 |  | "Coaches" were once found only on the athletic field, yet currently coaching for effective instruction is rapidly increasing in elementary, middle, and high schools across North America. Effective literacy coaches support teachers in becoming more thoughtful and knowledgeable about their instruction and help significantly improve student outcomes. This collection of on-line resources showcases literacy coaching as part of an ongoing professional development process through which classroom teachers deepen their literacy understandings, instructional methods, and assessment strategies. Approaches to coaching and literacy models embraced by schools and districts are quite varied, as are the challenges. The resources included here can support both coaches and districts considering a coaching model, as well as the policymakers who legislate and fund such professional development efforts. |
about the issue
Standards for Middle and High School Literacy Coaches
| Collaborating with other associations to create Standards for Middle and High School Literacy Coaches is one way that NCTE is working to fulfill its mission to improve the teaching of English language arts. These standards for literacy coaches provide leadership expectations and address the literacy needs of several subject areas. |
School-Based Coaching: Revolution or Fad?
| After years of disappointing results from conventional PD efforts and under increasing accountability pressures, many districts are hiring coaches to improve learning. To be effective, scores of researchers say, PD must be ongoing, deeply embedded in teachers' classroom work, specific to grade levels or academic content, and focused on research-based approaches. Russo, A. Harvard Education Letter, July/August 2004.
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Literacy Coaches: An Evolving Role
| The concept of literacy coaching dates back to the 1920s and the role has always varied from site to site. The Carnegie Corporation of New York shares literacy educators’ concern with increasing the number of qualified coaches, particularly as coaching is increasingly embraced as a means to help improve adolescent literacy and to reduce dropout rates.
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Coaching Isn't Just For Athletes: The Role of Teacher Leaders
| Coach contributions to a school—demonstrating classroom teaching strategies, spearheading collaborative engagement in evaluating student work, connecting staff to the most recent research on best practice—turn out to be an invaluable tool in a district's commitment to improving student achievement. From Phi Delta Kappan, June 2001.
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Coaches Build Strong Teams
| The success of literacy coaching in Boston public schools can be attributed to the work of dedicated and capable teams, both among the district’s educators and between educators and their community and foundation partners, notes researcher Lisa Gonsalves. In addition to being knowledgeable and skilled, coaches "must also be able to manage individuals and groups, pushing when appropriate and backing off when necessary." Richardson, J. Results, September 2004, NSDC.
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The Literacy Coach: A Key to Improving Teaching and Learning in Secondary Schools
| Many secondary schools and districts are beginning to implement programs designed to improve adolescent literacy. These programs recognize that effective, continuing, and supportive staff development—for teachers, administrators, and key district-level personnel—is critical to success. Key players in the change process are literacy coaches—master teachers who provide essential leadership for the school's overall literacy program. Alliance for Excellent Education.
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Distilling Principles for Success: Use These Six Keys To Open Doors To Literacy
| The National Staff Development Council and National Education Association studied staff development programs that demonstrated increases in student achievement. In studying dozens of such projects focused on language arts, a few consistencies emerged.
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The "Promises and Practicalities" of Coaching
| Neufeld and Roper offer a guide for district and school leaders who are considering adding coaching to a battery of PD support. They detail what coaches do, what knowledge and skills they need to have, and what districts need to do to establish conditions to make coaching effective. Commissioned by the Aspen Institute Program on Education and co-published by the Annenberg Institute for School Reform.
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resources and services
The South Carolina Reading Initiative: NCTE’s Reading Initiative as a Statewide Staff Development Project
| This research suggests that research-based, statewide staff development programs can have a considerable impact on the beliefs and practices of teachers and on the students who learn from them.
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Literacy Coaching Clearninghouse
| Sponsored by NCTE and IRA, the Literacy Coaching Clearinghouse provides access to research and best practice, enhancing the knowledge base literacy coaches rely on as they work within schools and districts to create excellent reading instruction in all classrooms. Among the site’s features are professional standards for literacy/instructional coaches, issue briefs, a library, and a blog.
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NCTE Consultants Specializing in Literacy Coaching
|  Bring an experienced NCTE consultant to your school to help develop your literacy coaching program or to work alongside and inspire current coaches.
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Literacy Coach's Desk Reference, The: Processes and Perspectives for Effective Coaching
 | Cathy Toll offers practical information for pre-K–12 literacy coaches on conferencing with individual teachers and groups, as well as on providing demonstration lessons, services to entire schools, and services to students. |
Literacy Collaborative: A Multiyear Analysis
| The Literacy Collaborative is a comprehensive school reform project designed to improve the literacy skills of elementary students. School-based literacy coordinators/coaches implement research-based approaches in their own classrooms and provide on-site professional learning experiences for their colleagues. Fall-to-fall data collection since the program launch in 1993 is used to analyze the effects of the program on student achievement.
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Reading First Coaching Guide
| Literacy coaching is a professional development "delivery mechanism" recommended by the U.S. Department of Education (Guidance for the Reading First Programs, 2002). This detail-rich guide for coaches and Reading First leaders is a resource provided through the North Central Regional Education Laboratory.
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What IS a Literacy Coach?
| In the first of six columns that will appear in the NCTE middle level journal, Voices from the Middle, the role of literacy coach is defined by column editors and illustrated by experienced middle level coach Marie Crawford. Join NCTE and subscribe to Voices from the Middle.
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Separating Coaching from Supervising
| Veteran literacy educator Cathy Toll works with literacy coaches across the U.S. She is clear about the differences between coaching and supervising and offers strategies that can help coaches maintain trust with their teacher colleagues, at the same time that they create and maintain good communication with principals or supervisors. English Leadership Quarterly, October 2004.
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Recommended Texts on Literacy Coaching
|  Need a place to learn more about coaching or for new ideas to support coaches and teachers in your district? Experienced coaches and "coaches of coaches" offer a "best of the best" list of professional books.
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Getting Started with Literacy Coaching
| The approaches that schools and districts embrace as they hire literacy coaches vary. Here are stories from three large urban districts, a medium-sized suburban district, and a statewide project in the southeast.
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Join the NCTE Literacy Coaching Listserv
| Talk with other NCTE members interested in literacy coaching by subscribing to a listserv focused on the topic. Anyone can read the archives but must be NCTE members to post.
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Contribute Resources To This Collection
| This collection was compiled by NCTE leaders and staff Kathy Egawa, Leslie Froeschl, Marsha Riddle Buly, Tracy Coskie, LeAnne Robinson, and Cathy Toll. You are invited to submit suggestions for the collection or to share your needs in relation to this topic. Write to .
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