Yonkers Literacy Coach

The research problem evolved when there was a growth in the need of literacy coaches (Smith, 2012). More commonly, literacy coaches were utilized at the elementary level, but now they were being used at the middle and secondary levels too. The first concern arose because middle school coaches do not see themselves as teachers of reading. Common instructional elements found to support in the teaching of reading did not exist at the upper levels. Another concern presented deals with trying to figure out how literacy coaching aligns with the contexts of teaching the middle school grades. These concerns manifested the problem that was investigated in this study (Smith, 2012). This problem was not clearly stated, but once the first several paragraphs were reread, the problem becomes clearer.

The Yonkers Public School is located in Lower Hudson Valley and happens to be the fourth largest school district in New York State. The population of students consist of 19.9% Black, 18.4 % White and 54.5 % Hispanic. Lincoln High School is one of the seven public high schools in the city and has an enrollment of about twelve hundred students. The student body makeup is 53 percent male and 47 percent female, and the total minority enrollment is 89 percent. Since it’s a high school setting, we have Literacy Coach (one person). The Literacy coach is there to really help the English as a New Language (ENL), formerly known as English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) population but it’s open to all students who are struggling.

In the article, Complexities in the Roles of Reading Specialists, the responsibilities of a reading specialist are explained in great detail since the roles and responsibilities are so complex. Defining a reading specialist’s role and responsibilities is important because many teachers and administrators misunderstand the effectiveness of a reading specialist. Through this article’s results and findings, a reading specialist’s role become more defined and thoroughly explains how they can be utilized in the classroom in order to help students become successful readers.

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2000). Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. Report of the National Reading Panel. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved March 28, 2018 from http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/nrp/smallbook.cfm. In 1997

This session will share how one group of educators developed agency through co-constructed learning experiences utilizing inquiry and critical literacy, while creating spaces for ongoing social justice community movements. Participates will experience an interactive panel, and will discuss, reflect, and design new pathways to support education for social change.

Evidence provided by Bean (2015) suggests that the reading specialist has an important impact in all levels of students. RTI programs are a good example of the impact of the reading specialist on students' reading development. Either in classroom settings, or through more personal contact with students with reading difficulties, reading specialists have the responsibility to organize and arrange all the literacy material that will be suitable for the level of proficiency of each student who needs her/his help. To close this reflection, I would ask myself, am I ready to be a reading specialist? What are my qualifications? Am I willing to collaborate with other teachers? What should I need to know to help my students to overcome their reading difficulties? I would like these questions provoke a deeper analysis of my expectations and beliefs of what a reading specialist

Jeanne Chall,suggested, grades Kindergarten through second are learning to read. However, students in third grade and higher are reading to learn. Therefore, reading becomes an ever increasing important tool to help a student to expand their knowledge after third grade, because learning to read does come to an unexpected standstill at the end of the second or third grade. Therefore, Torgesen, Houston, Rissman, and Kosanovich (2007) found similar reading techniques to yield effective teaching for second and third grade students; Phonics/word analysis, fluency, vocabulary study and reading comprehension. Comparably, Torgensen, Rissman, and Kosnovich revealed similar effective reading techniques released by the National Reading Panel. The researchers, also suggested effective teachers must build upon reading skills, and third grade teachers must apply targets (Grade level appropriate reading techniques) and methods of instruction to include word analysis, fluency vocabulary and reading comprehension. However, in order for these reading techniques take place in the classroom, the effect of high quality teachers must deliver high quality reading instruction. Therefore, principals must ensure teachers receive effective training to support the growth of critical reading skills, along with the practice to ensure core reading programs affect classroom

In summary of chapter 5 Promoting Quality Education written by Joseph Murphy, I have discerned that Mr. Murphy has reviewed extensively the research conducted during the last 20 years on reading. In this chapter he discusses ways to improve reading skill and literacy based on this review of research. During his analysis he has supplied valuable information on how to evaluate literacy, how to teach literacy and the importance of having strong literacy teachers in the primary grades. (Murphy, 2004)

Issues in Facilitating Literacy Development introduced the reading specialist candidate to various Case Studies allowing the candidate to reflect and design a sequence of reading strategies to meet the specific needs of students. The reading candidate became familiar with the roles and responsibilities of the reading specialist by recognizing a literacy issue within the school, creating a survey for colleagues, and analyzing the data from the survey to provide teachers with meaningful professional development. The Case studies and Survey Design project prompted the reading candidate to learn and apply evidence-based research linked to reading strategies, techniques, observations, surveys, and reflections to improve literacy instruction for students and teachers.

There are many issues that arise in a school surrounding literacy and implementation of a literacy program. In order to ensure uniformity in the reading programs that are being employed at Takk Elementary, extensive research and review of successful reading programs will first need to occur. The literacy coach will present this information to the literacy team and school staff, showing success of the literacy program that has been chosen for the entire school. Once the effectiveness of the program has been shared, training will begin before full implementation of the reading program happens. Finally, of course, the literacy program will be put into place once our teachers are effectively trained and adequately prepared.

Vocabulary plays a crucial part in a child learning to read. A student that has limited vocabulary often prevents them from comprehending the text that he or she reads. Students that do not read well often times read less because they find that reading is tough and frustrating. Since these low level readers do not read enough their vocabulary does not improve. Unfortunately, as the student continues through school the gap between good readers and poor readers widens tremendously.

Learning to read is one of the most important and critical skills you learn in you're early years of elementary school. For some kids it clicks no problem, but for other such as myself it is one of the more difficult skills you learn through the your time in school. For me I was lucky enough to have a teacher who wanted to invest her personal time to help me grow and conquer my struggle with reading.

“The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more place you'll go” (Dr. Seuss). The wonderful world of literature is a brilliant concept, reading can transport one to a completely diverse world, or be the bearer of awful news. To ensure the highest level of reading skills, learning to read should be taught young, but how young? Parents can start teaching their children the basic sounds of letters before their children even start school. Early guidance at home paired with an experienced teacher should put children on a rapid track to reading. Although, it is not always that simple. Reading is an element of everyday life, although certain people might take that privilege for granted. Reading disabilities affect

Reading is fundamentally important for success. It opens the door to personal freedom or shuts the door of opportunity. Learning to read is a means to an end. If children have difficulty to read early, how can they be expected to excel in other subject as well? The best prevention of reading difficulties, therefor, is early intervention strategies at the pre-school/kindergarten level. Instead of heated debates on which approach is best suited for early reading success, educators should be discussing the most efficient method(s) that produces the best result (DeMoulin & Loye, 1999, p.43).

One of the things that I have learn and that are interested to me is to know how teaching children to read can be complex and challenging but, if you have the right tools and the skills you can prevent most reading problems and help children who has difficulties reading. Moats on the first chapter, mentions that reading problems can be improved through appropriate instruction; and according to findings, a classroom instruction that builds phoneme awareness, phonic decoding skills, text reading fluency, vocabulary, and various aspects of comprehension is the best antidote for reading difficulty. She also mentions a concern about how many teachers can be licensed with one course or a little background on reading methods and reading psychology, or language structure leaving the without the understanding and tools that enable instruction.