The purpose of this phenomenological, qualitative study was to explore elementary teachers' perceptions of the practice and implementation of literacy coaching. Specifically, this study sought to describe the nature of how kindergarten to fifth grade teachers participate in literacy coaching activities and to describe how such experiences are viewed as valuable regarding their positive impact on instructional practices.

This qualitative study utilized a descriptive, phenomenological design to examine teacher-literacy coach interactions by analyzing the participants' responses to semistructured interview questions. The participants for this study included 12 elementary, language arts teachers in an urban Alabama school district.

Significant statements were extracted from the interview transcripts. The researcher identified formulated meanings from the significant statements. Then, formulated meanings were grouped by cluster, and, finally, 12 emergent themes were identified. Theme 1, Assist Teachers, presented how teachers defined the history and purpose of literacy coaching. Theme 2, Experience as Effective Teacher, and Theme 3, Knowledge of Scientifically-Based Reading Research, presented the participants' viewpoints of the knowledge and credentials a literacy coach should possess. Theme 4, Literacy Routines and Procedures, and Theme 5, Resource Development, arose from analysis of the data pertaining to the focus of teacher-literacy coach interactions. Theme 6, Improved Literacy Instruction, and Theme 7, Student Outcomes, were derived from questions related to the benefits of interactions between literacy coaches and teachers. Theme 8, Job-Embedded Professional Development, and Theme 9, Character Traits revealed teachers' thoughts of the expectations and challenges of teacher-literacy coach interactions. Theme 10, Sharing, Theme 11, Support for Struggling Students, and Theme 12, Implementation Gap were revealed from the data when participants were asked about the strengths and weakness of the implementation of literacy coaching.

The researcher concluded that participants perceived literacy coaching as beneficial in assisting teachers with improving literacy instruction. However, teachers asserted that literacy coaching could be improved by ensuring that interactions between literacy coaches and teachers include more modeling, co-planning, co-teaching, and feedback, as opposed to observation and feedback by the literacy coach, and the sharing of literacy activities.

Recommendations for practice and further research include examining the job description of the literacy coach to determine if the job duties are aligned with identified literacy goals, providing professional development for stakeholders on the job descriptions to clarify roles and expectations, and replicating this qualitative study statewide to hear the voices of more elementary teachers regarding literacy coaching.