Standards for Middle and High School Literacy Coaches.

STANDARDS FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL LITERACY COACHES. International Reading Association, 2006.

In addition to IRA, four separate education organizations contributed to the writing of this publication (National Council of Teachers of English, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, National Science Teachers Association, and the National Council of the Social Studies), which outlines in great detail policies and strategies to be implemented in order to expand and maintain literacy beyond the primary grades through coaches. Once considered the sole domain of elementary school, the teaching of literacy skills is shown instead to be an ongoing, involved, continual process. This publication proposes standards for reading coaches that include a step-by-step proven methodology to be instituted and practiced in all content areas.

School districts have increasingly used literacy/reading coaches as an approach to literacy reform. First installed in primary grades, they have recently found favor in secondary grades as well. This specialized occupation was designed to address the large number of students whose literacy skills put them at a decided disadvantage in processing academic content.

Successful coaches must devote a large amount of time towards specialized training and continual professional development. Research has shown that literacy coaches who take into account the unique needs of each content area have far greater success at increasing student literacy rates. These results are particularly evident in the progress made by previously under-performing students who read below grade level prior to working with a literacy coach.

Duties are not limited merely to instruction alone. Coaches also are asked to perform administrative tasks that involve, but are not limited to, grant writing, participating in school-level planning, maintaining an expert knowledge of curriculum, and staying abreast of the latest research. Thus, the role of literacy coach (as proposed by this publication) is a hybrid occupation that requires no small degree of flexibility and resourcefulness.

Divided into three separate but interrelated sections, the publication first takes into account leadership standards, then lists specific goals for each content area. The final section defines the ideal qualities that a secondary literacy coach will hold, lists the potential on-the-job challenges he or she may face, and concludes by theorizing on what future standards will entail.