Literacy coaching: reading evolution, teaching revolution

East Stroudsburg University wants to help children become better readers—by helping their teachers get better at teaching them. This fall, ESU in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, is offering graduate courses in literacy coaching, which the faculty describes as a cutting-edge field. Literacy coaches keep abreast of the latest research and successful practices in reading instruction and then help teachers adjust their classroom plans.

"Literacy coaching is the latest evolution in reading specialist responsibilities," Maureen McLaughlin, professor and chair of ESU's reading department, said in a statement. She described the courses as relatively rare nationwide. "The theory behind it is I can impact more kids by working with teachers than I can with a small group of kids," said Jen Ramos, who took classes in literacy coaching at ESU and is now a coach for Allentown School District. She began as a classroom teacher and later specialized in reading.

Best practices have changed markedly over the past several years, as researchers have come to understand more about the developing brain, how children learn, and what our brains do when we read. Read more in The Pocono Record online.