Instructional coaching in schools: how it works and what the research says
Instructional coaching pairs a teacher with a coach who observes, gives feedback and helps them practise one change at a time in their own classroom. A 2018 review of 60 studies found it improved teaching practice and student achievement on average.
By Saha Spaces · Updated
What instructional coaching is
A PD day introduces an idea. Coaching stays with a teacher while they use it: in their own classroom, over weeks, on one practice at a time, with someone watching and giving feedback.
A typical coaching cycle
Set a goal
Start from something the teacher wants to change in their own class.
Learn the practice
The coach models it, or the teacher tries it as a learner first.
Try it in class
The teacher uses it with their students, usually more than once.
Gather evidence
An observation, student work or a short video shows what happened.
Feedback and adjust
Teacher and coach look at the evidence together and decide the next step.
Repeat until the goal is met
Published models such as Jim Knight's Impact Cycle follow a similar shape: identify a goal, learn a strategy, improve until the goal is met.
What the research says
Kraft, Blazar and Hogan (2018) combined 60 studies of teacher coaching that used causal research designs. They found average effects of 0.49 standard deviations on teaching practice and 0.18 on student achievement.
In plain terms, coaching moved teaching more than test results, and it moved both. Most of the studies were of literacy coaching for preschool and primary teachers.
The review also found that large programs got only a fraction of the effect of small ones. Coaching is harder to do well at scale.
Group, one-to-one and peer coaching
Group
A few teachers work on the same practice together and compare what they see in class.
One-to-one
A coach and one teacher, focused on that teacher's goal and evidence.
Peer
Teachers observe and give feedback to each other, which keeps it going between coaching sessions.
How Saha coaches
Every teacher does a two-hour Saha experience on the staff development day. Up to 15 then opt in to group, one-to-one and peer coaching through the term, building the three spaces into their lessons and capturing evidence at 30, 60 and 90 days. At the end of term we review the evidence with each teacher, and when it shows growth they move up a level.
Where Saha fits
Saha runs hands-on PD once per term, then stays with your teachers through the term. Up to 15 opt in to coaching, with classroom evidence at 30, 60 and 90 days. Now booking Term 1 2027.
Questions
What is instructional coaching?
A coach works with a teacher in their own classroom over several weeks: setting a goal, practising one change, observing and giving feedback until it sticks.
Does instructional coaching work?
A 2018 review of 60 studies with causal designs (Kraft, Blazar and Hogan) found average effects of 0.49 standard deviations on teaching practice and 0.18 on student achievement. Average effects in large programs were only a fraction of those in small ones.
How is coaching different from a PD day?
A PD day introduces an idea to everyone at once. Coaching stays with individual teachers while they use it in class, with feedback over weeks.
Sources
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