Reading Coach & Reading Specialist

Abstract

To date, there has evolved varied overlap between the job duties for literacy coaches and reading specialists which sometimes makes these roles more confusing. Indications are that the duties and job titles of the literacy coach and reading specialist maybe determined by the size of the school and the school district.  Over time the duties of the literacy coach and the reading specialist within schools have progressed as a means of school improvement.  As a result moving schools towards school transformation inclusive of professional development. 

 

Reading Coach and Reading Specialist

Toll (2005) notes that the position of literacy coaching has become popular in schools only recently. Historically reading specialists have been working directly with students having reading difficulty, working with teachers to improve classroom instruction has been seen as a minor duty of the reading specialist.  ”In the short span of 10 years, literacy coaching has gone from a relatively unknown topic to a “very hot” topic."  While Guth & Lewis (2010) note that the concept of literacy coaching has been documented in the educational literature for at least the past 20 years. “It was with the advent of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), Reading First, and, more recently, the Striving Readers initiative that the term literacy coach came to prominence (Guth & Fartro, 2010, p. 4).  To date, there has evolved varied overlap between the job duties for literacy coaches and reading specialists, although, with this overlap comes relevant professional development for the schools leading to school improvement. 

Toll (2005) defines a literacy coach as someone who helps teachers to recognize what they know and can do with literacy instruction, and to assists teachers as they strengthen their ability to make more effective use of what they know and do and supports teachers as they learn more and do more” (p. 4).  Guth & Rarto (2010), in accordance with the international Reading Association (IRA), define a literacy or reading coach as;

“A reading specialist who focuses on providing professional development for

teachers by giving them the additional support needed to implement various

instructional programs and practices. They provide essential leadership for

school’s entire literacy program by helping create and supervised long-term

staff development processes that support both the development and implementation

of literacy programs over months and years” (p. 7).

To coordinate these more in-depth services of the IRA, schools must have reading specialists who can provide expert instruction, assessment and leadership for the literacy program. Toll (2005) also makes note that there is overlap between the duties of a reading specialist and a literacy coach which sometimes makes their roles more confusing. Indications are dependent on the size of the school. Larger schools may hire a literacy coach who works closely with the reading specialist and school administration.  Although, in many smaller school or school districts, the literacy coach and the reading specialist are the same persons (Guth & Rarto, 2010, p. 7). 

 Guth & Rarto (2010) view the professional expectations of the literacy coach as one who works with all teachers, suggest resources for teachers and demonstrates reading lessons.  On the other hand, the reading specialist is one who works with select students and provides resources for the students.  Their duties within this set-up include teaching reading strategies (p. 8). Toll (2005) emphasizes the major role of the literacy coach is to support teachers, mostly in response to teachers’ needs and concerns, which may include direct instruction to students when demonstrating a lesson for teachers. Literacy coaches spend much time working directly with teachers individually and in small groups and to provide an evaluation of students as a means to demonstrate for teachers in their instructional decisions.  

The role of the reading specialist involves supporting students, parents, and administrators as well as teachers.  Provide evaluations of students for a variety of reasons.  This may include curriculum monitoring, student diagnosis, and monitoring teachers and school effectiveness. They may work directly with teachers to an extent, although their assistance here maybe more directed to meeting the expectations of mandatory programs with their schools.  In comparison the work of the reading coach and the reading specialist correspond by providing advice for teachers, offers professional development, and interprets assessment data (Guth & Rarto, 2010, p. 8).       

According to Hall (2004) the approach to coaching within the school setting is not a new approach to professional development.  Variations of the coaching model date back to the 1930s which included many variances in traditional teacher workshops and sessions. Today many schools are moving towards school transformation inclusive of a professional development model which is job-embedded and meets the uniqueness of the challenges their teachers meet every day within their schools (US Dept. of Education, 2007).  The literacy coach model falls within this unique type of professional development.  Smith (2009) exclaims that a literacy coach enacts in a variety of ways as they interact with teachers adding to a professional development piece.  Burkins (2007) lays the foundation where a school's literacy coaches adopt the behaviors of effective coaching by: develop a relationship with the one being coached, develop the expertise so that you would know how to help them, plan for their success, communicate confidence in them and their potential, help them find their best, and then step out of the way so they could claim the change as theirs.  Smith (2009) identifies some elements of the work of the schools literacy experts align with the concept of mentor as a guide, by offering assistance and professional support over an extended period of time. 

Smith (2004) reminds us that the goal of literacy coaching is to affect teacher change and ultimately impact student learning. The role of being a teacher change agent to increase student learning, leading to school reform is a challenging task for the literacy coach and the reading specialist. Dependent on the unique school variances in student achievement and school culture, there is mixed overlap between the job duties for literacy coaches and reading specialists.    

Reference

Burkins, J. (2007). Coaching for balance: How to meet the challenges of literacy coaching. Newark, Del.: International Reading Association.

Coach Can Mean Many Things: Five Categories of Literacy Coaches in Reading First. (2007). Regional Education Laboratory at Northwest Regional Laboratory, (2005), 1-37.

Guth, N., & Fartro, T. (2010). Literacy coaching to build adolescent learning: 5 pillars of practice. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press.

Hall, B. (2004). Literacy coaches: An evolving role. Carnegie Reporter 3(1). Retrieved September 9, 2015, from http:// www.carnegie.org/reporter/09/literacy/index.html

Russo, A. (2004). School-based coaching: a revolution in professional development—or just the latest fad? Harvard Education Letter, 20(4), 1–4.

Smith, A. (2009). Considering Literacy Coaching Responsibilities in Terms of Teacher Change. Literacy Coaching Clearinghouse, 1-5.

Toll, C. (n.d.). The literacy coach's survival guide: Essential questions and practical answers (Second ed.).