Article
Principals’ Perspectives on the Roles of Specialized Literacy Professionals
Elementary School Journal
(2018)
Abstract
Elementary and secondary principals were surveyed to better understand their perceptions of the roles and impact of specialized literacy professionals (e.g., reading specialists, coaches) in their schools. A 32-question survey was completed by 103 Pennsylvania principals across elementary and secondary school contexts. Findings include distinct differences reported between roles of reading/literacy specialists and coaches, with few differences noted within roles, across elementary and secondary levels. The frequency and type of specialized literacy professional activities aligned with those principals deemed most important to literacy program improvement. Results indicated that surveyed principals viewed their specialized literacy professionals as having an important influence on literacy teaching and learning. The results have implications for those who prepare specialized literacy professionals and those who employ them. These findings corroborate and update earlier studies of specialized literacy professionals that described their multiple roles, including that of sharing in the leadership of the school's literacy program.
Disciplines
Publication Date
December 1, 2018
DOI
10.1086/700280
Citation Information
Rita M. Bean, Allison Swan Dagen, Jacy Ippolito and Diane Kern. "Principals’ Perspectives on the Roles of Specialized Literacy Professionals" Elementary School Journal Vol. 119 Iss. 2 (2018) p. 327 - 350 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/jacy-ippolito/49/