More Resources for "Spotlight on Literacy Coaching"

Besides the numerous direct links to rich resources found in the articles in this issue, here are some additional excellent professional resources for literacy coaches from the ORC collection. If you find a favorite or two (or three or four or . . .), be sure to save them in your “My ORC Collection” for easy access.

Literacy Coaches: An Evolving Role (ORC #6926)
The idea of literacy coaches is not new, but increasing the number of qualified literacy coaches in middle and high schools is a part of the overall adolescent literacy work of Carnegie Corporation of New York. The Carnegie model for literacy coaching is called Collaborative Coaching and Learning (CCL). As the name implies, the model encourages active collaboration between teachers and colleagues. Funding for literacy programs at the middle and high school levels is examined. Also discussed are two pieces of legislation that address the need for such funding. Literacy coaching by collaborative, knowledgeable professionals can be just the support system teachers need. A literacy coach can provide knowledge, consultation, collaboration, evaluation, motivation, and materials for classroom and content teachers.

The Literacy Coach: A Key to Improving Teaching and Learning in Secondary Schools (ORC #5832)
This professional development resource is a carefully researched and well-presented article about the need for 21st-century literacy coaches and the means by which to train secondary teachers for such leadership roles. An introductory executive summary provides a detailed overview of the need for improving literacy, and the subsequent sections—(1) What American Adolescents Need, (2) Foundation for Change, (3) Effective Literacy Strategies, (4) Why Change Is Difficult, (5) The Literacy Specialist as Coach, (6) Program Examples, (7) Pathways for Becoming a School-Based Literacy Specialist, (8) Next Steps, and (9) The Alliance for Excellent Education's Adolescent Literacy Initiative—delve into the specific research, strategies, and steps needed to train and equip literacy coaches. The References section included at the end of the article provides additional resources for training and developing secondary school literacy coaches.

Standards for Middle and High School Literacy Coaches (ORC #6928)
This professional resource, funded by the Carnegie Corporation and respresenting the collaborative efforts of IRA, NCTE, NCTM, NSTA, and NCSS, is a 60-page PDF comprehensive report on literacy coaching. The report is divided into three sections: (1) Leadership Standards, (2) Content Area Literacy Standards, and (3) What We Know and What We Need to Know About Literacy Coaches for Middle and High Schools: A Research Synthesis and Proposed Research Agenda. Each of the sections includes extensive documentation supporting the need for developing and describing proposed standards for content area literacy coaching. Suggested leadership and content area standards include the following: Standard 1: Skillful Collaborators, Standard 2: Skillful Job-Embedded Coaches, Standard 3: Skillful Evaluators of Literacy Needs, and Standard 4: Skillful Instructional Strategies.

NCTE Principles of Adolescent Literacy Reform: A Policy Research Brief (ORC #11859) 
This professional resource is a policy research brief by the National Council of Teachers of English. In it, the authors conclude that "reform in adolescent literacy requires a recognition of the seriousness of the problem as well as a reconceptualization of the role of secondary school teachers in all fields, including the introduction of new approaches to teaching, new forms of collaboration, and systematic assessment of results." Professional development is viewed as being the most promising productive area on which to focus reform efforts since research shows that "professional development yields the greatest improvement in student achievement." The importance of teacher quality is discussed at length.

The most effective form of professional development, according to research supplied in the brief, is offered by literacy coaches. Meeting the challenge of supplying "ten thousand literacy coaches" to help struggling adolescent readers will require the concerted and collaborative efforts of teachers, administrators, policy makers, higher education, and professional associations. To this effect, the article focuses on what adolescent literacy is, what strategies (motivation, comprehension, et al.) foster adolescent literacy, how to engage students in critical thinking, and the importance of formal and informal assessment.

Coaching: A Strategy for Developing Instructional Capacity (ORC #12215)
This professional paper thoroughly describes (1) the role of coaching in education, (2) how coaches are prepared, (3) what conditions support coaching, (4) what challenges coaching presents, and (5) the impact of coaching. Educators and administrators will find especially helpful “What is coaching and what do coaches do?”—a section that starts on page 4 (page 12 of 46 of the PDF document) and provides thorough information about different types of coaching roles and activities. Two appendices address coaching small groups and coaching the coaches. This paper is a valuable resource for the practical application of what coaching entails.

Coaching Isn't Just for Athletes: The Role of Teacher Leaders (ORC #12216) 
This professional article describes how change coaches and content coaches in Boston middle and high schools are offering ongoing, in-school, and high-quality professional development that is focused on instruction. The brief article includes sections that provide clear examples of coaching and teacher leadership, taking best writing practices schoolwide, getting assistance "over the shoulder," and a discussion of what happens next, especially in terms of coaching challenges. Educators will appreciate the classroom examples and hands-on nature of the shared stories from the students and teachers.

Into-Through-and-Beyond Lesson Planning Guide (ORC #12217) 
This short coaching tool is intended to help school literacy leaders work with teachers around lesson planning to ensure that a lesson moves beyond surface knowledge to deeper understanding. The tool can be valuable in helping teachers to frame lessons around big ideas. Three sections—into, through, and beyond—help teachers shore up their ideas for working with student learning. A graphic organizer is included to illustrate the four-part process of the coaching tool: (1) observe/clarify/question, (2) anticipate needs, (3) focus/strategies, and (4) additional focus/strategies.

Self-Assessment for Middle and High School Literacy Coaches (ORC #12218)
This professional document helps middle and high school literacy/instructional coaches determine those areas where they personally need further professional development. The document is divided into subject areas with self-assessment rubrics to guide literacy coaches: (1) foundations of literacy, (2) assessment, (3) content area instruction: reading, (4) content area instruction: writing, (5) differentiated instruction, (6) classroom coaching (working one-on-one with teachers), (7) facilitating adult learning, (8) building capacity within the school, and (9) working within a broader school reform context. 

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