Literacy Coaching: Transforming Teaching and Learning with Digital Tools and Technology

What does it mean to be an effective literacy coach? Former teacher and veteran literacy coach Stephanie Affinito shares a core set of beliefs about literacy coaching and how it can transform teacher and student learning. While chart paper, sticky notes, and notebooks will always be essential teaching tools, Stephanie shows that by thoughtfully incorporating digital tools into your coaching, you can personalize teacher learning even more and provide greater options to increase motivation and collaboration.

In Literacy Coaching, she explores the ways coaches and teachers can incorporate technology to: 

• cultivate and innovate teacher learning communities
• redesign professional development
• collaborate to impact and elevate student learning
• find inspiration for their continued journey.

Technology is changing the way we work, learn, and play. It has the ability to expand what is possible for teachers and students. Stephanie offers concrete steps to enhance coaching with both digital and non-digital tools. Ultimately, the goal is to strengthen teaching practice and elevate the level of literacy instruction in classrooms and schools.

Literacy Coaching is not just about coaching with technology; it’s about making teacher learning more meaningful, relevant, and student-centered. Match teachers with the right tools to help bring teaching ideas and goals to life.

Stephanie Affinito is an educator in the Department of Literacy Teaching and Learning at the University at Albany in New York. She has a deep love of literacy coaching and supporting teachers’ learning through technology. Stephanie creates spaces for authentic teacher learning that build expertise, spark professional curiosity and foster intentional reflection to re-imagine teaching and learning for students. She is the author of Literacy Coaching: Teaching and Learning with Digital Tools and Technology and Leading Literate Lives: Habits and Mindsets for Reimagining Classroom Practice. She presents regularly at state and national conferences on literacy coaching, teacher collaboration, and supporting teachers’ reading, writing, and learning through innovative technology. 

You can connect with her online at stephanieaffinito.com and on Twitter at @AffinitoLit.