Coaching Virtually to Support Professional Learning

Virtual coaching is emerging as a feasible method of providing ongoing, job-embedded, personalized professional learning to educators. This manuscript details how virtual coaching is different from on-site coaching in education. It describes field-tested strategies and technologies a coach can use to be successful when coaching virtually. There are key steps in the process for fully understanding an educator’s context, the students they support, building relationships, identifying locus of control, setting goals, choosing interventions, implementing change, tracking data, and engaging in reflection that are unique to coaching online. Specific technology tools can help facilitate each of these steps in the process. In this manuscript, we describe technology tools that virtual coaches used in their literacy coaching work. We organize these tools around a virtual coaching model, which was built specifically to coach educators in virtual spaces. We include a description of each phase, the technology that can be used to facilitate progress, a field-based example of its use, the time typically spent in each phase, and sample questions coaches may ask educators to support progression through the phases. In addition, we highlight current research on professional learning and virtual coaching.

Elementary Teachers’ Intervention Fidelity in Relation to Reading and Vocabulary Outcomes for Students at Risk for Reading-Related Disabilities

Teachers’ implementation of differentiated supplemental instruction is critical to help students with or at risk for reading-related disabilities acquire early reading and vocabulary skills. This study represents an initial investigation of whether classroom teachers’ intervention fidelity (exposure, adherence, and quality) of targeted reading instruction (TRI, formerly called targeted reading intervention), a professional development program with embedded student intervention and weekly webcam literacy coaching support, was related to spring reading and oral vocabulary gains for students at risk for reading-related disabilities. The study also examined whether teachers’ years of participation in TRI (1 year vs 2 years) moderated associations between intervention fidelity and students’ reading and oral vocabulary outcomes. Findings suggested that teachers’ adherence to TRI strategies was directly associated with students’ vocabulary gains as well as word reading skills for teachers in their second year of participation. Furthermore, when teachers provided students with more TRI exposure during their second year of participation, students made greater gains in word reading and reading comprehension.

“Confidence” problems and literacy coaching: How a suburban kindergarten divided “good” and “bad” teachers in the accountability shove-down

This paper explores the context of a Kindergarten team in a suburban P-3 school in Wisconsin developing literacy coaching support. Facing recent neoliberal accountability reforms that have greatly expanded teacher competition, dismantled teachers' unions, and added the role of the coach to the school, "confidence" is an issue that the coach and teachers struggle with as they seek to improve minority student achievement. Using a case study design and feminist sociological framework highlighting emotional labour, the affective economy, and the psychosocial possibilities of the work of Pierre Bourdieu , this research examines professional capital as a form of educators' experience. Ultimately, we see that the landscape of power and emotions is complex as it divides "good" and "bad" White and middle-class teachers. Possibilities for extending the uses of feminist sociological theory in early childhood literacy are discussed.

PENGEMBANGAN PROGRAM PEMBINAAN LITERASI MEDIA BAGI SISWA TUNARUNGU

This study aims to produce a media literacy development program for deaf students in schools. The deaferation behavior of deaf students at school so far has not been able to show their ability to use media as a tool for literacy, learning resources, and there is no follow up after the activity takes place. Media literacy is needed by deaf students because various information can be obtained from technology media. Development of media literacy is done with the aim that students with hearing impairment: (1) are able to utilize the media for positive activities and use media properly and appropriately, and (2) have provision in lifelong learning. The method used is Research & Development (R&D) with 10 stages. Instruments to determine the level of media literacy ability of deaf students and their activeness using daily reading journals are interviews, observation, and documentation. The results showed that media literacy coaching could increase student awareness of using media as a means of literacy. The results of the material validation state that the product developed is "feasible" to be used. Likewise, the results of the validation carried out by special education experts. Instruments for media literacy activities were provided to determine the level of (1) the ability of the media literacy of deaf students, and (2) the use of daily reading journals for the activity of deaf students in literacy activities. From the results of the study, it can be concluded that the media literacy development program is strongly recommended to be applied in every learning with the aim of being able to add to the learning experience of deaf students in collaborating language skills and technology media in each field. ABSTRAKPenelitian ini bertujuan untuk menghasilkan program pembinaan literasi media siswa tunarungu di sekolah. Perilaku berliterasi siswa tunarungu di sekolah sejauh ini belum mampu menunjukkan kemampuannya dalam memanfaatkan media sebagai alat untuk melakukan literasi, sumber belajar, dan belum adanya tindak lanjut setelah kegiatan berlangsung. Literasi media diperlukan siswa tunarungu karena berbagai informasi dapat diperoleh dari media teknologi. Pembinaan literasi media dilakukan dengan tujuan agar siswa tunarungu: (1) mampu memanfaatkan media untuk kegiatan yang bersifat positif dan menggunakan media dengan baik dan tepat, dan (2) memiliki bekal dalam pembelajaran sepanjang hayat. Metode yang digunakan yakni Research & Development (R&D) dengan 10 tahapan. Instrumen untuk mengetahui tingkat kemampuan literasi media siswa tunarungu dan keaktifannya menggunakan jurnal membaca harian adalah wawancara, observasi, dan dokumentasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pembinaan literasi media mampu meningkatkan kesadaran siswa menggunakan media sebagai sarana literasi. Hasil validasi materi menyatakan bahwa produk yang dikembangkan adalah “layak” digunakan. Demikian juga dengan hasil validasi yang dilakukan oleh ahli pendidikan luar biasa. Instrumen untuk kegiatan literasi media diberikan guna mengetahui tingkat (1) kemampuan literasi media siswa tunarungu, dan (2) penggunaan jurnal membaca harian untuk keaktifan siswa tunarungu dalam kegiatan literasi. Dari hasil penelitian, dapat disimpulkan bahwa program pembinaan literasi media sangat disarankan diterapkan dalam setiap pembelajaran dengan tujuan mampu menambah pengalaman belajar siswa tunarungu dalam mengkolaborasikan keterampilan berbahasa dan media teknologi di setiap bidang.

Design Principles for Coaching Toward Reflection and Transformation in Literacy Preservice Teacher Education

From 2014 to the present, we have engaged in a series of studies examining the features of coaching that support teachers in reflecting on practice and moving toward transformation in literacy teaching. In this report, we engage in an inductive analysis of the findings across this body of work to identify the evidence-based design features associated with these coaching practices. Our inspection of the body of work reported here traces the development and use of the Coaching with CARE—Critical, Appreciative, Reflective, and Experiential-model. These research studies draw on activity theory as a theoretical framework, design-development research as a method, and reflective coaching as a pedagogical stance. Literacy coaching, like teaching, is complex and nuanced. The design principles we have identified do not yield a formula for effective coaching but rather specify a set of principles that can guide decision making around coaching in complex spaces. In the conclusion, we identify areas for future research that can further inform the work of literacy teacher educators in support of preservice teachers.

Using critical discourse analysis to reflect on collaborative professional learning

PurposeThis article presents a case study of Kelly, a third-grade teacher enrolled in a literacy leadership course within a Master of Reading program. In this course, practicing teachers completed an assignment in which they implemented a literacy coaching cycle with a colleague, video-recorded their interaction, and conducted critical discourse analysis (CDA) of the interaction. The authors explore how engaging in CDA influenced Kelly's enactment of professional identities as she prepared to be a literacy leader.Design/methodology/approachData presented in this article are taken from a larger study of four white, middle-class teachers enrolled in the course. Data sources included the students' final paper and semistructured interviews. The researchers used qualitative coding methods to analyze all data sources, identify prominent themes, and select Kelly as a focal participant for further analysis.FindingsFindings indicate that Kelly's confidence as a literacy leader grew after participating in the coaching cycle and conducting CDA. Through CDA, Kelly explored how prominent discourses of teaching and learning, particularly those relating to novice and expert status, influenced Kelly in-the-moment coaching interactions.Originality/valuePrevious literacy coaching research suggests that literacy coaches need professional learning opportunities that support a deep understanding of coaching stances and discursive moves to effectively support teachers. The current study suggests that CDA may be one promising method for engaging literacy coaches in such work because it allows coaches to gain understandings about how discourses of teaching and learning function within coaching interactions.