The coach on the left is a penguin named Pedro. The coach in the middle is a Lizard named Hali. The coach on the right is a dog named Monty.Copyright (2009) CAST
The coaches
Book builder includes coaches that provide "just-in-time" supports to enrich a reader's experience. "Just-in-time" supports, as the name implies, allow the reader to click on a coach and get help "just in time."
In this book, the coaches are used to enhance your comprehension and to support understanding of the content. The first coach provides a question to prompt you to think about the content as you read; the second coach provides a hint as to how to answer the question; the third coach provides a model of how to answer the question. Each coach cue becomes more extensive. If you need help with the question, go to Hali for a hint. If you still feel uncertain, go to Monty for a model answer. As an author, you can do this for your students.
Terry's Tips
The coach framework used here provides an effective prompt heirarchy commonly used by teachers to create the levels of support that reach students in their individual 'zone of proximal development' thereby optimizing opportunities for learning.
However, this framework is only one way to use the coaches. They can be used in myriad ways that are only limited by the author's imagination. Keep in mind is that it is important to use the same coach in a consistent way on each page so the reader can develop a predictable strategy for working on the text or content of the book.
