| Instructional coaching within school districts has become one way to support teachers. Research from Guskey and Yoon (2009) showed the importance of carefully planned and purposeful professional development; this professional development needed job imbedded follow-up and support. Instructional coaching allows for this. Literacy coaches focus on the English Language Arts aspects of the curriculum and specifically seek to improve classroom practice in those areas. With the implementation of the Common Core State Standards, literacy instruction is undergoing changes in the classroom. New materials, content, and methodologies need to be incorporated into the instructors' daily routines. Literacy coaches seek to help teacher navigate this change.;There are two research questions that guided this study: How do the roles and actions of a literacy coach support the adoption and implementation of new curricula based on the Common Core States Standards (CCSS) for English Language Arts (ELA) as perceived by teachers, administrators, and the literacy coaches themselves? and How do teachers feel the literacy coach fits in the cycle of change initiated by a new Common Core curriculum?;This qualitative study used a collective case study methodology. The goal of the research was to give voice to the key players in curriculum implementation: teachers, coaches, and administrators. These key players shared what they felt were the most supportive roles of a literacy coach. This was done through interviews and focus group meetings. Three common themes that emerged included: collaboration, communication, and the modeling of lessons. An additional theme of emotional support was integrated into these roles. |
