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

High-quality early childhood (EC) education has emerged as a national priority alongside the need for ensuring practitioners have the knowledge and skills to support the learning of all children, including those with disabilities and delays (Snyder et al., 2012). To create high-quality learning environments that meet the needs of children requiring more intensive intervention due to learning or behavioral challenges (Sutherland et al., 2015), EC practitioners need more intensive professional development (PD) activities targeting implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs; Becker & Domitrovich, 2011), such as shared book reading (SBR). A number of studies have reported on the impact of PD that includes both training and coaching on EC practitioners' implementation of EBPs, with a focus on the following recommendations outlined by Snyder and colleagues (2015). Snyder and colleagues (2015) propose a coaching framework called practice-based coaching (PBC) with a specific focus on implementing evidence-based teaching practices with fidelity. PBC is an individualized coaching model comprising three components: (1) shared goals and action planning; (2) focused observation; and (c) reflection and feedback. Establishing a collaborative partnership that creates a context for shared decision making is essential to the success of PBC. The purpose of this article is to describe Stages 1 to 3 of the PBC process in an EC education setting. Vignettes are used to portray a teacher as the coach (i.e., Ms. Chris) and a paraprofessional as the coachee (i.e., Ms. Ashley) as they work together to implement evidence-based teaching strategies during SBR sessions to improve early language and literacy outcomes for preschool children ages 3 to 5.