States and Districts Send Literacy Coaches to the Rescue
But experts worry that some of them lack know-how to help teachers with reading.
In the movement to improve reading instruction, many states and districts are building an army of specialists to help teachers apply research to practice.
In districts from Florida to Utah, a growing cadre of literacy coaches is helping new and veteran teachers alike craft lessons, hone teaching strategies, select materials, analyze student data, and find relevant journal articles.
Cliffette Munson has availed herself of such a resource. The 1st grade teacher had little time to build skill or confidence in teaching a complicated writing lesson to her pupils at Farnsworth Elementary School outside Salt Lake City. Instead of winging it, though, Ms. Munson asked a more experienced colleague, Cheryl Thorup, to demonstrate it for her. Ms. Thorup, a literacy coach in the 66,000-student Granite school district, has helped teachers at the school build skill and confidence in...
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