Practice-Based Coaching to Support Paraeducator Implementation of Shared Book-Reading Strategies in Preschool

Ms. Chris (preschool team leader and teacher) and Ms. Ashley (paraprofessional) have been working together in an early childhood special education classroom for the past 10 years. The children in their classroom have a variety of identified disabilities, and all currently have a language or literacy goal on their individualized education program. Ms. Ashley has expressed an interest in taking a more active role within the classroom in supporting children's language and literacy development and wonders where to begin. Ms. Chris and Ms. Ashley identify shared book reading (SBR) as one instructional routine where language and literacy instruction is the focus and could be a good starting place for Ms. Ashley to assume responsibility in supporting children's language and literacy skills and goals. Ms. Ashley has watched Ms. Chris as she reads to the children but is unsure how to go about planning for and then implementing strategies during SBR sessions. Team leaders at each grade level recently attended a workshop on coaching, and Ms. Chris believes this would be a great approach to support Ms. Ashley in developing the necessary skills.