Video reflection with a literacy coach: the mediation of teacher agency

ABSTRACT

This multiple case study examines the use of a reflective process and lesson video by teachers of adolescent emergent multilingual students within the context of literacy coaching. Analysis of data from four teachers and a coach across seven months explored the relationship between video reflection using a seven-step reflective process and teacher agency in coaching. Video reflection has potential to emphasize teacher agency in coaching, particularly important in complex secondary settings in which teachers and coaches often possess differing expertise. Findings showed that actions taken by teachers while reflecting with video that led to teachers exercising agency were 1) noticing and considering students’ perspectives and 2) inferring. These actions were associated with pedagogical changes to increase student engagement, improve instructional scaffolding, and integrate peer and first-language support. Discussion will highlight sociocultural theory to explain mediation by the reflective process and the video. This study shows the potential of video and a reflective process implemented as part of literacy coaching to impact teacher agency to take action supporting student learning in complex contexts. Suggestions for applying this reflective process in contexts without a coach and contexts in which it is not possible to video record are included.

KEYWORDS:

• Reflection
• Video
• Agency
• Literacy Coaching
• Teacher Professional Development
• English Learners
• Adolescent

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jennifer Sharples Reichenberg

Jennifer Sharples Reichenberg is an assistant professor of education at SUNY Buffalo State College. She has experience as a literacy specialist, literacy coach, and literacy consultant working with students and teachers from pre-kindergarten through grade 12. She is a recipient of the Literacy Research Association’s Student Outstanding Research Award and a Reading Hall of Fame Emerging Scholars Fellow. Her research focuses on teacher reflection, literacy coaching, and professional learning. She has published in peer-reviewed journals such as Teaching Teacher Education and Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, co-edited the book The Gradual Release of Responsibility in Literacy Research and Practice (McVee, Ortlieb, Reichenberg, & Pearson, 2019), and has chapters in three professional books on literacy professional development. Jennifer serves as co-editor of The Language and Literacy Spectrum, journal of the New York State Reading Association.