Elementary Literacy

On-site Implementation

Because research and CORE’s own experience have shown that coaching and support are essential for professional development to be effective, CORE has made On-site Technical Implementation Assistance an essential component of CORE expert support. On-site Technical Implementation Assistance is provided in tandem with whole district implementation to develop a seamless system that ensures equity across all sites. Specific content is determined in consultation between CORE and the school and/or district leadership. During the site visit, CORE Educational Consultants work informally with small groups of teachers, coaches, and administrators. Site visits and/or demonstration site visits provide the following vital services:

Demonstration Site Implementation and Practice: When CORE is supporting the implementation of a comprehensive, districtwide literacy approach, selected sites are identified by the district to serve as the venues for district literacy specialist, coach, and site and district administrator practice. During visits to demonstration sites, district leadership will practice their observation skills, calibrate observations, observe model lessons, and observe data study. Coaches will practice their coaching skills together and also calibrate observations and practice model lessons.
Literacy Plan Development and Analysis of Need: The first CORE site visit is a crucial planning day to identify specific implementation issues and plan for organization, resources, and support needs. CORE initiates or reviews your comprehensive school literacy plan, including organization of instruction, implementation of a three-tiered model, student grouping, time allocations, materials, personnel usage, and planned staff development. In addition, the Consultant helps the client develop a pacing calendar. The Consultant conducts initial walk-through visits to classrooms. This session should include your leadership team.
Executive Coaching: For school administrators, the Consultant provides personal coaching sessions that combine professional development with the discussion of instructional materials and visits to selected classrooms to calibrate observations and monitor program implementation. The Consultant works closely with the building administrator to ensure he or she understands how the instructional program is designed, what effective implementation of a core curriculum and supplemental intervention programs looks like, and how to use data to leverage improved achievement. Through regular classroom walk-throughs and facilitated sessions, the CORE Consultant supports the building leadership to have the knowledge, tools, and confidence to lead sustained literacy improvement efforts.
Mentored Practice for Coaches: Part of the site visit allocation is devoted to building expertise of coaches and teacher leaders. The Consultant mentors the coaches as they model lessons, observe and debrief teachers, conduct data study sessions, and analyze test data. The Consultant assists the coaches to facilitate on-site collaborative conversations and develop solutions to implementation challenges.
Work with Classroom Teachers: The Consultant provides a number of services directly to classroom teachers. With the local coach, she or he coaches classroom teachers based on direct observation and feedback. The Consultant also conducts demonstration lessons, using your adopted materials if teachers have received materials training. With the coach, the Consultant works with small groups of teachers to plan grade-level grouping and interventions based on analysis of assessment data. The Consultant also works with small groups of teachers to provide review and deeper understanding of adopted instructional materials and/or resolve implementation issues related to adopted instructional materials. The number of classrooms and teachers visited during any one day depends on the priorities of the school leadership and the specific issues the Consultant needs to address.
Assessment Support: Regular use of screening and progress-monitoring data can make intervention planning dramatically more effective. The Consultant provides assistance in the use of assessment instruments, including universal screening and progress-monitoring instruments, both CBM and curriculum-embedded assessments. The Consultant works closely with teachers, the principal, curriculum specialists, and coaches to show them how to analyze the data to plan student groupings and specific interventions. Teachers who have learned to incorporate such data into their teaching practice frequently respond very positively to the growth they see in their own students’ reading fluency progress.
Implementation of Scientifically Based Instructional Materials: The Consultant can provide, if needed, help with an analysis of your program needs and your choice of the optimal program. Since CORE does not publish instructional materials and is not aligned with any one textbook publisher, the Consultant can provide impartial advice. The Consultant team is familiar with many comprehensive, intervention, and supplemental materials supported by scientific research. Portions of your Site Implementation Visits can provide support for these materials. The Consultant works with principals, coaches, and teachers to resolve implementation issues as they arise.
E-mail and Phone Support: Through a combination of on-site, phone, and e-mail support, the Consultant manages the CORE program of services closely with site administrators and teacher leaders, and serves as the liaison to CORE.

Participant Outcomes:

Identify specific implementation issues and plan for organization, resources, and support needs.
Help coaches learn to analyze test data, facilitate on-site collaborative conversations, and develop solutions to implementation challenges.
Deepen the reading expertise of school leaders through training on instructional materials and assessment, as well as visits to selected classrooms to observe instruction and practice coaching and feedback.
Help teachers more deeply understand adopted instructional materials and resolve implementation-related issues.
Enable all instructional staff to analyze fluency data to plan student groupings and interventions.
Improve classroom instruction as your Consultant models lessons in classrooms and conducts classroom observations and coaching.

Levels: K–12

Audience: Specific populations determined during planning for each visit. The principal, or site administrator, and teacher coaches are requested to participate in all visits.

Format: Needs of each school determine focus of visit—planned at least two weeks prior to each visit. Four to 15 days are recommended.