By José L. Arco-Tirado, Faculty of Education, University of Granada (Spain)

The implementation of large-scale literacy initiatives by states and school districts to improve the effectiveness of teaching literacy is a complex process involving actors like administrators, teachers, and literacy coaches. So, how can teachers be certain that they are providing effective support? The Self-Study Guide for Evidence-Based Coaching for Literacy: PreK–Grade 12, published by the Institute of Education Sciences, and developed by the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Southeast in partnership with the Improving Literacy Research Alliance, intends to (a) increase the knowledge, skills, and ability of teachers to implement evidence-based practices, (b) help literacy coaches to document and refine their instructional practices, and (c) help schools, districts, or states to monitor and assess the effectiveness of literacy coaching.

To do so, the self-study guide includes four main components:

1. The Planning and Implementation Scoring Guide, which contains four…