Date of Award

8-25-2011

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education

First Advisor

Linda Dorn

Second Advisor

Angela Sewall

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationships between literacy coaching versus non-literacy coaching in six middle schools and the literacy achievement of middle school students. A secondary purpose was to identify the characteristics of effective literacy coaches. The study used a mixed method design to answer the research uestions. The data were examined for relationships between the quantative data (three years of test scores) and the middle school teacher's knowledge about litercy (as related to professional development). In addition to achievement data, the study identified qualitative patterns that emerged from interview data with the middle school teachers.The findings on porfessional development revealed that schools with literacy coaches used the district benchmark tests for instruction and assessment purposes. In contrast, the schools without literacy coaches focused instruction and assessment around the state test.

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