Special Needs Educators as Coaches within the National Reading Program

This initiative aims to improve learning outcomes among learners with disabilities. The coaching program is designed to provide continuous support to educators, moving away from the traditional single workshop model. Coaching is defined as a professional dialogue that provides continuous support to help other educators acquire and master skills to improve instruction. It builds confidence and creates a culture of motivated and transformational practice. The coaching process involves identifying areas of need for regular teachers and providing support through specific information about disabilities, direct conversations about disabilities, specific guidance on teaching strategies, and choosing and modeling the most beneficial strategy for the context. The coaching initiative within the National Reading Program is designed to expand the general idea of coaching by providing school-based coaching. The program is implemented through a model that involves identifying who provides coaching, how it is done, who supervises, and how the coaching process is supervised. The coaching model is essential for effective coaching in early grade reading programs, which require knowledge and skills such as literacy and language development, instruction and assessment, experience teaching at the same grade level, experience working with teachers, understanding of the coaching process, understanding of adult learning, and competencies related to conflict sensitivity and inclusion. The coaching process involves several key components, including observing, modeling, and discussing with teachers. It also requires understanding of adult learning, strong interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills, and the ability to develop a trusting relationship with teachers. The coaching initiative is designed to support the development of a culture of motivated and transformational practice among educators, which is essential for improving learning outcomes among learners with disabilities. The coaching initiative is a critical component of the National Reading Program in Malawi, as it provides a framework for supporting educators in improving literacy skills for learners with disabilities. The program's focus on continuous support and professional dialogue is essential for building confidence and creating a culture of motivated and transformational practice among educators. The coaching process is designed to be flexible and adaptable to the needs of educators and learners, which is critical for improving learning outcomes among learners with disabilities.