The Literacy Specialist: Leadership and Coaching for the Classroom, School, and Community

by Rita M. Bean PhD, Virginia J. Goatley PhD

Overview

The definitive practitioner resource and text for developing excellence as a PreK–12 literacy/reading specialist is now updated to reflect key changes in the field. Delving into the literacy specialist's multiple leadership roles, the book provides strategies for teaching children experiencing difficulty with reading and writing; supporting teachers through coaching and professional learning opportunities; designing curricula; conducting assessments at the student, classroom, and school levels; and building strong school, family, and community partnerships. Pedagogical features include vignettes from exemplary practitioners, questions for discussion and reflection, follow-up activities, and ideas for instructors and workshop leaders. Reproducible forms and worksheets can be downloaded and printed in a convenient 8½" x 11" size. Previous edition title: The Reading Specialist, Third Edition.
 
New to This Edition
*Broader view of literacy now encompasses reading, writing, oral language, and digital and visual literacies.
*Grounded in the International Literacy Association's updated Standards 2017.
*New or expanded discussions of multi-tiered systems of support, culturally responsive practice, uses of technology in instruction and professional learning, successful practices in middle and high school settings, and coaching.
*Extended case example that follows one literacy specialist through her entire first year in a school.
*Appendix with website resources.
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781462544554
Publisher:	Guilford Publications, Inc.
Publication date:	11/16/2020
Edition description:	Fourth Edition
Pages:	374
Sales rank:	108,592
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.62(d)

About the Author

Rita M. Bean, PhD, is Professor Emerita in the School of Education at the University of Pittsburgh, where she served as director of the Reading Center for 25 years. Prior to joining the university, she taught at the elementary school level and also served as a reading supervisor for grades K–12. Dr. Bean has developed elementary and middle school reading curriculum materials and has published numerous articles and book chapters on reading curriculum, assessment and instruction in reading, professional learning, and the role of reading specialists and literacy coaches. She served as a researcher on several large grants, including Reading First in Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania’s Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy Grant. She is a member of the Reading Hall of Fame, a former board member of the International Literacy Association (ILA), and served as chair of the ILA's Commission on the Role of the Reading Specialist. Dr. Bean also served as co-chair of the ILA committee that developed the Standards for the Preparation of Literacy Professionals 2017. She is a recipient of the University of Pittsburgh’s Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching and Distinguished Service Awards, as well as awards from the Keystone State Reading Association, the Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers, The ILA, and the Pennsylvania branch of the International Dyslexia Association.

Virginia J. Goatley, PhD, is Interim Dean of the School of Education and Professor in the Department of Literacy Teaching and Learning at the University at Albany, State University of New York. A former elementary teacher, she has collaborated on several federal research grants focusing on teacher preparation and professional development that supports effective literacy classroom practice. Dr. Goatley is a regular participant in national and statewide efforts for teacher education and preparation of literacy professionals. She served as coeditor of the Journal of Literacy Research, board member for the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation, co-chair of the New York State Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching, and lead writer for the ILA committee that developed the Standards for the Preparation of Literacy Professionals 2017. Dr. Goatley is a recipient of the Albert J. Kingston Service Award from the Literacy Research Association, the President’s Excellence in Faculty Academic Service Award from the University at Albany, and the Council Service Award from the New York State Reading Association.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 The Role of Literacy Professionals in Schools, Classrooms, and Communities 1

Where We Were: The Evolution of the Role 4

From Reading Specialist to Literacy Specialist 12

Where We Are Today: The Multifaceted Role of Literacy Specialists 13

Current Factors Affecting the Role of Specialized Literacy Professionals 16

Where We Are Going: A Crystal Ball? 19

Summary 23

Chapter 2 Teaching Students: An Overview of the Instructional Role 26

Response to Intervention and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support 28

The Instructional Role of the Literacy Specialist 34

Approaches to Collaboration 43

Supporting Classroom Instruction and Needs of Individual Students 48

Pullout or In-Class Instruction: Is That the Question? 50

Ideas to Foster Effective Collaboration in Instructional Roles 55

Summary 57

Chapter 3 The Instructional Role: Developing, Implementing, and Evaluating 66

Developing the Program 66

The Culture of the School and Classrooms 70

Working at Various Levels 77

Literacy Specialists at the Middle and High School Levels 82

Getting Feedback (Evaluating the Program) 84

Students Experiencing Literacy Difficulties: Who Are They? What Are Key Assumptions about Teaching Them? 84

Summary 91

Chapter 4 Leadership of the Literacy Specialist: What Does it Mean? 97

What Is Leadership? 99

Characteristics and Qualifications of Effective Leaders 101

Working with Groups 109

The Literacy Specialist as Leader 113

Serving as a Resource to Teachers 115

A Resource for Specialized Professionals 118

A Resource for Administrators 120

Summary 121

Chapter 5 Professional Learning: The New Professional Development 127

Revitalizing the Wasteland 129

The Status of Professional Development: What We Know from Research 129

What Is Professional Development? What Is Professional Learning? 131

Improving Professional Learning: Schools as Places of Learning 132

Standards for Professional Learning 134

Designing Effective Professional Learning Experiences: Time for Teachers 139

Guidelines for Developing, Leading, and Evaluating an Effective Professional Learning Program 140

Summary 147

Chapter 6 Coaching: Improving Classroom and School Literacy Instruction 153

Coaching: Why and What? 155

Variations in Definitions of Coaching 157

An Interactive Framework of Instructional Coaching 159

Comparison of Coaching at the Elementary Level versus the Secondary Level 171

Activities of Coaching 172

Summary 174

Chapter 7 Coaching Individual Teachers to Improve Literacy Teaching and Learning 181

The Literacy Specialist as Coach: Getting Started 182

Coaching Activities with Individual Teachers 186

The Reality of the School 209

Summary 213

Chapter 8 Developing a School Literacy Program: Facilitating School Change 219

Barriers to Creating Large-Scale Change 220

What Should We Do? 224

A Needs Assessment as a First Step for Developing a Comprehensive Literacy Program 225

Selection of Materials 239

Technology in the Literacy Program 243

Knowledge, Understanding, and the Impact of State and Federal Requirements 245

Summary 246

Chapter 9 Assessment of Classroom and School Literacy Programs 252

Directions in Assessment 254

What and Why? 254

Principles of Assessment 261

Issues in Assessment 268

Assessment at the Middle or High School Level 272

Summary 273

Chapter 10 School, Community, and Family Partnerships 275

Involvement with External Agencies 278

Collaborating with Families 287

Practical Ideas for Increasing Family Involvement in the Schools 290

Summary 292

Chapter 11 Making' Your Voice Matter: Contributions to the Professional Community 295

Writing a Proposal to Seek Grant Funding 296

General Guidelines for Proposal Writing 298

Elements of a Grant Proposal 301

Sources for Funding 305

Professional Decisions 306

Summary 306

Chapter 12 The Literacy Specialist as Lifelong Learner: Addressing Changes and Challenges 308

Professional Learning for Literacy Specialists 310

Local, State, and Federal Guidelines 313

Lifelong Learning: A Necessity for Literacy Specialists 314

Becoming a Literacy Specialist 317

Summary 319

Appendix A Coaching Summary Sheet: The Observation Cycle 321

Appendix B Observation Protocol for Content-Area Instruction 322

Appendix C Sample Observation Form 324

Appendix D Website Resources 325

Appendix E Preparation for Job Interviews 328

Appendix F Ideas for Course or Workshop Instructors 330

References 337

Index 361

Editorial Reviews

"This book has been a touchstone text for my students since the first edition. Current and future reading specialists, literacy coaches, and literacy leaders of every kind will appreciate the important updates in the fourth edition—a focus on technology, attention to the ILA's Standards 2017, an emphasis on culturally relevant instruction, and much more. The original content focusing on the roles and responsibilities of literacy leaders across all levels is more applicable today than ever. I will absolutely continue to recommend this book to all of my literacy and leadership graduate students and colleagues!"—Jacy Ippolito, EdD, Secondary and Higher Education Department, Salem State University

"The fourth edition brings this work up to date with a broader conceptualization of the role that literacy specialists play in improving learning across student, classroom, and organizational levels. The book is full of practical applications and engaging vignettes. With expanded attention to oral language development, multiliteracies, digital tools, linguistic and cultural diversity, disciplinary literacies, and secondary school contexts, the fourth edition is a page-turning instructional resource that both novice and experienced specialists will want to keep forever."—Dana A. Robertson, EdD, Executive Director, Literacy Research Center and Clinic, and Associate Professor of Teacher Education, University of Wyoming

"Comprehensive and far-reaching, this fourth edition both represents and expands current thinking about the ways that literacy specialists can make a real difference in improving instruction for all students. The authors present rich research from multiple disciplines and draw connections to optimal leadership and coaching practices. With vignettes written by practitioners and a case study that develops across the text, the authors provide situated and timely guidance. Questions and challenges facing literacy specialists are explored in a manner that deepens the reader's understanding of different perspectives while building a 'can-do' approach to problem solving. Especially appropriate for teacher educators is the fourth edition's alignment with the ILA's Standards 2017. I highly recommend this text."—Victoria J. Risko, EdD, Professor Emerita, Vanderbilt University; past president, International Literacy Association

From the Publisher