Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Instructional Coaches work to enhance the capacity of school authority staff, including principals, teachers, educational assistants to support students with FASD.
What is FASD instructional coach?
An FASD Instructional Coach is a frontline community worker who is knowledgeable about FASD, inclusive education and is skilled at facilitating teacher collaboration and sharing FASD-informed practices. The FASD Instructional Coach facilitates ongoing professional development for teachers and education staff and models and supports the use of FASD-informed instructional practices with educators, contributing to the school authority and provincial goals for student success and meeting the diverse learning needs of students with FASD.
The FASD Instructional Coach helps to facilitate change and is a driver of capacity enhancement and teamwork. Their goal is to facilitate professional learning in the field of FASD, including FASD-informed instructional and classroom strategies, and to improve school staff knowledge and student engagement. Their work helps to promote the creation of positive and supportive learning environments. As learning leaders, FASD Instructional Coaches continue to gain knowledge about emerging trends and research-based FASD instructional practices.
FASD instructional coaching is evidence-based, developmental, and established on individual/school/district goals and growth, voluntary, cooperative, and supportive. FASD instructional coaching is not a one-off, evaluative, forced, nor based on judgments or opinion.