Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2008 Apr 1;18(2):124-155.
doi: 10.1080/10474410802022423.

THE CHALLENGING ROLE OF A READING COACH, A CAUTIONARY TALE

Stephanie Al Otaiba  1 , John L Hosp  1 , Susan Smartt  2 , Janice A Dole  3
Affiliations

THE CHALLENGING ROLE OF A READING COACH, A CAUTIONARY TALE

Stephanie Al Otaiba et al. J Educ Psychol Consult. .

Abstract

The purpose of this case study is to describe the challenges one coach faced during the initial implementation of a coaching initiative involving 33 teachers in an urban, high-poverty elementary school. Reading coaches are increasingly expected to play a key role in the professional development efforts to improve reading instruction in order to improve reading achievement for struggling readers. Data sources included initial reading scores for kindergarten and first-graders, pretest and posttest scores of teachers' knowledge, a teacher survey, focus group interviews, project documents, and field notes. Data were analyzed using a mixed methods approach. Findings revealed several challenges that have important implications for research and practice: that teachers encountered new information about teaching early reading that conflicted with their current knowledge, this new information conflicted with their core reading program, teachers had differing perceptions of the role of the reading coach that affected their feelings about the project, and reform efforts are time-intensive.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Adams MJ. Beginning to read: Thinking and learning about print. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press; 1990.
    1. Adams MJ, Foorman BR, Lundberg I, Beeler T. Phonemic awareness in young children: A classroom curriculum. Baltimore, MD: Brookes; 1997.
    1. Al Otaiba S. How effective is code-based tutoring in English for English language learners and their preservice teacher/tutors? Remedial and Special Education. 2005;26(4):245–254.
    1. Al Otaiba S, Connor C, Lane M, Kosanovich ML, Schatschneider C, Dyrlund AK, Miller MS, Wright TL. Reading first kindergarten classroom instruction and students’ growth in phonological awareness, letter naming, and decoding fluency. Journal of School Psychology. 2007;46(3) - PubMed
    1. Al Otaiba S, Kosanovich-Grek ML, Torgesen JK, Hassler L, Wahl M. Reviewing core kindergarten and first grade reading programs in light of No Child Left Behind: An exploratory study. Reading and Writing Quarterly. 2005;21:377–400.

LinkOut - more resources