New Book Applies Neuroscience and Coaching Psychology to Classroom Instruction

Garland, TX — Telemachos Publishing is proud to announce the release of English Coach’s Instructional Playbook by Michael E. Degen and Ian Berry—a paradigm-shifting guide that invites educators to rethink English instruction using strategies drawn from neuroscience, expert performance psychology, and athletic coaching.

This groundbreaking book begins in Chapter 1 by asking a simple yet radical question: What if English teachers approached their classrooms like coaches approach the field? The answer is a curriculum built around active learning, intentional repetition, and skill-based practice. Drawing inspiration from brain-based research and the psychology of expert training, Degen and Berry equip teachers with tools to build student engagement, performance-based routines, and classroom systems that actually align with how the brain learns.

“We must remove all abstract, vague ideas our students have about reading and writing, and replace these with specific, concrete moves they can make,” the authors write. That vision sets the tone for a book rooted in concrete feedback, not general suggestions.

Chapter 2 deepens this foundation by unpacking how brain research supports the use of physical movement, repetitive drills, and emotionally positive environments in the learning process. The authors cite studies on the cerebellum’s role in cognition and memory, the impact of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and the cognitive advantages of kinetic learning. These insights are directly translated into classroom-ready instructional strategies for building student achievement through engagement, not passive listening.

By helping teachers see themselves as coaches, the authors shift the focus from content delivery to skill development. The book provides over 30 classroom-tested strategies that turn English class into a dynamic, purposeful practice field. From “scrimmages” and “tournaments” to sentence-level drills and paragraph-building plays, every move is backed by research and designed for real-world curricular design and data-driven instruction.

Ideal for individual teachers and teaching training sessions alike, English Coach’s Instructional Playbook equips educators with a “playbook” of repeatable, coachable skills students can internalize—transforming the way they write, think, and read critically. The result is not only deeper learning, but also greater student confidence and autonomy.

Whether your focus is on writing argument, critical reading, or building creative classrooms, this book helps educators align their daily practice with proven learning science—delivering tools that are clear, actionable, and built to last.

About the Authors: Michael E. Degen and Ian Berry

Michael E. Degen is a veteran English teacher, curriculum designer, and professional development leader with more than three decades of experience helping students grow as readers and writers.

Ian Berry is an award-winning educator and teacher trainer who specializes in designing engaging, high-impact instruction rooted in neuroscience and performance psychology.

Together, Degen and Berry have crafted a transformative guide that redefines what’s possible in the English classroom—empowering teachers to build their own instructional playbooks and coach students to lasting success.

English Coach’s Instructional Playbook is now available from Telemachos Publishing and major online booksellers.

Author: Telemachos Publishing
Amazon: The English Coach’s Instructional Playbook
Email: info@telemachospublishing.com
Website: https://telemachospublishing.com