The Role of Reading Specialists in Schools, Classrooms, and Communities. An Overview of the Instructional Role. The Instructional Role: Initiating, Implementing, and Evaluating. Leadership of the Reading Specialist: What Does It Mean? Professional Development. Coaching: Improving Classroom and School Literacy Instruction. What Coaches Do to Improve Instruction: Working with Individual Teachers. Developing a School Reading Program. Assessment of Classroom and School Reading Programs. School, Community, and Family Partnerships. Writing Proposals. The Reading Specialist as Lifelong Learner: Meeting Challenges and Changes. Appendix A: Sample Observation Form. Appendix B: Observation Protocol for Content-Area Instruction. Appendix C: Preparation for Job Interviews. Appendix D: Ideas for Course or Workshop Instructors.