Co-teaching in the General Education Curriculum

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Co-teaching in the General Education Curriculum
Muncy Area School District Special Education
Topics Faculty Meeting Presenters Matthew
McCrone, Learning Support Teacher Stephanie
Williams, English Teacher
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What is co-teaching?(Pre-presentation)

• Your thoughts ___________________________________
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  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
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Why is it important to understand co-teaching?

• More and more students with
• disabilities are being included in
• general education classrooms. In
• order for these students to be
• successful it is important that both
• the special education and regular
• education teacher successfully
• collaborate with one another. Both
• professionals can offer unique
• insights and expertise on subject
• matter. It is important that both
• professionals are utilized.

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Presentation Goal

• Presented with eight co-teaching models, teachers
  will gain the knowledge necessary to understand
  co-teaching within the Muncy Area School
  District. In addition, members will identify
  the positives and negatives of co-teaching
  models, and the benefits for special education
  teachers, regular education teachers, and all
  students.

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Co-teaching is.

• When two or more teachers simultaneously instruct
  a class.
• When two teachers share ownership of the class.
• When two teachers collaborate on lessons and
  teach them together.
• When two teachers share a positive attitude and
  common vision for the class and students.

Adapted from Cori Cotner, Professional
Development Coordinator, Blast I.U. 17
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When Co-teaching

• Both teachers need to communicate and work
  together.
• Both teachers need to share responsibility for
  the class.
• Both teachers need to have an open and positive
  attitude of the experience.
• Both teachers need to set common planning time
  aside.

Adapted from Cori Cotner, Professional
Development Coordinator, Blast I.U. 17
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Roles in Co-teaching

• The Special Education Teacher
• Has expertise in student learning styles
• Has expertise in behavior modification
• Has expertise in learning strategies
• Has expertise in accomodations
• Has expertise in identifying the needs of
  students
• The Regular Education Teacher
• Has expertise in the content area
• Has expertise in the curriculum
• Has expertise in state standards
• Has expertise in managing large groups
• Has expertise in the pacing of the class

Adapted from Cori Cotner, Professional
Development Coordinator, Blast I.U. 17
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Co-teaching Models

• Lead and Support Model
• Duet Model
• Speak and Add Model
• Skills Group Model
• Learning Styles Model
• Parallel Teaching Model
• Complementary Instruction Model
• Adapting Models

Adapted from Cori Cotner, Professional
Development Coordinator, Blast I.U. 17
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Lead and Support Model

• Teacher A
• Responsible for planning the
• lessons.
• Teacher B
• Shares in delivery, monitoring,
• and evaluation.

Adapted from Cori Cotner, Professional
Development Coordinator, Blast I.U. 17
10
Lead and Support

• Positives Little pre-planning is needed, each
  teacher generally feels comfortable with the
  role, and identified students receive
  accommodations.
• Negatives One teacher is the lead teacher,
  only identified students receive the
  accomodations, and the regular education teacher
  may see special education teacher as an intruder
  in the classroom.

Adapted from Cori Cotner, Professional
Development Coordinator, Blast I.U. 17
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Duet Model

• Both teachers collaborate to
• design the lesson and take turns
• as lead teacher of the class.

Adapted from Cori Cotner, Professional
Development Coordinator, Blast I.U. 17
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Duet Model

• Positives Both regular ed. and special ed.
  teachers grow professionally, students are
  exposed to two teachers and varied instructional
  methods so they wont get bored, and students are
  not missed because of labels.
• Negatives Common planning time is needed.

Adapted from Cori Cotner, Professional
Development Coordinator, Blast I.U. 17
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Speak and Add Model

• Teacher A Responsible for designing and
  delivering the lesson.
• Teacher B Adds to what teacher A is saying by
  rephrasing comments and adding questions during
  the course of the lesson.

Adapted from Cori Cotner, Professional
Development Coordinator, Blast I.U. 17
14
Speak and Add Model

• Positives Little planning time, classroom aides
  can be utilized in this role.
• Negatives Underutilizes a teacher and lead
  teacher may be offended when comments are added.
  

Adapted from Cori Cotner, Professional
Development Coordinator, Blast I.U. 17
15
Skills Group Model

• Students are grouped based on instructional
  needs. Each teacher takes primary responsibility
  for a group.

Adapted from Cori Cotner, Professional
Development Coordinator, Blast I.U. 17
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Skills Group Model

• Positives Students are instructed at their
  level. Smaller groups allow students to receive
  more one on one attention and participate more.
• Negatives This can compromise the idea of
  inclusion and students can feel socially
  segregated.

Adapted from Cori Cotner, Professional
Development Coordinator, Blast I.U. 17
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Station Teaching Model

• Teacher A Responsible for overall instruction.
• Teacher B Remediates small groups of students on
  specific skills not yet mastered.

Adapted from Cori Cotner, Professional
Development Coordinator, Blast I.U. 17
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Station Teaching Model

• Positives Students who are not understanding the
  materials are given one on one help.
• Negatives Students are separated from their
  peers, and not all students can see the
  techniques used by the special education teacher.
  

Adapted from Cori Cotner, Professional
Development Coordinator, Blast I.U. 17
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Learning Style Model

• Both teachers take part in designing and teaching
  the lesson. One teacher focuses on techniques for
  auditory and visual instruction and the other
  teacher focuses on tactile and kinesthetic
  techniques.

Adapted from Cori Cotner, Professional
Development Coordinator, Blast I.U. 17
20
Learning Style Model

• Positives All learning styles are addressed
  during the lesson.
• Negatives Requires a lot of planning and
  teachers must be knowledgeable in all the
  techniques.

Adapted from Cori Cotner, Professional
Development Coordinator, Blast I.U. 17
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Parallel Teaching Model

• Both teachers plan and design the lesson and the
  class is split into two groups for instruction.
  Special education and regular education students
  are included in each group.

Adapted from Cori Cotner, Professional
Development Coordinator, Blast I.U. 17
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Parallel Teaching Model

• Positives Students are instructed in smaller
  groups, activities in class can be done more
  easily, and more students can get actively
  involved.
• Negatives Not enough room in classroom to split
  class in two, class can become loud, and both
  teachers need expertise in the subject area.

Adapted from Cori Cotner, Professional
Development Coordinator, Blast I.U. 17
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Complementary Instruction Model

• Teacher A Responsible for delivering the lesson.
  
• Teacher B Responsible for discussing and
  modeling study skills with the class.

Adapted from Cori Cotner, Professional
Development Coordinator, Blast I.U. 17
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Complementary Instruction Model

• Positives Allows for each teacher to focus on
  their specialty area.
• Negatives Doesnt always connect with the
  lessons and requires planning to make sure the
  class flows.

Adapted from Cori Cotner, Professional
Development Coordinator, Blast I.U. 17
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Adapting Model

• Teacher A Plans and teaches the lesson.
• Teacher B Provides adaptations for students who
  need them.

Adapted from Cori Cotner, Professional
Development Coordinator, Blast I.U. 17
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Adapting Model

• Positives Each teacher uses their expertise and
  adaptations which are available for all students
  in the class.
• Negatives Planning time and teaching roles can
  become inflexible.

Adapted from Cori Cotner, Professional
Development Coordinator, Blast I.U. 17
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Needs for a Successful Co-teaching Environment

• A shared vision
• Positive attitudes
• Concern for ALL students
• Common planning time
• Clear expectations
• Shared classroom management responsibilities
• Both teachers need to be seen as teachers by all
  students in the classroom
• Support from school administration

Adapted from Cori Cotner, Professional
Development Coordinator, Blast I.U. 17
28
Benefits for the Regular Education Teacher

• Increased knowledge of learning strategies
• Less teacher burnout
• Ignites creativity and generates new teaching
  ideas
• Discipline problems can be reduced
• More one on one time for students
• Fewer failing grades

Adapted from Cori Cotner, Professional
Development Coordinator, Blast I.U. 17
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Benefits for the Special Education Teacher

• Increase knowledge of content areas
• Less teacher burnout
• Fewer behavior problems
• Ignites creativity and generates new teaching
  ideas
• More one on one time for students
• Special Education teachers get to know regular
  education students and feel more a part of the
  school community.

Adapted from Cori Cotner, Professional
Development Coordinator, Blast I.U. 17
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What Does the Research Say?
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• Scruggs, Thomas E., Mastropieri, Margo A.,
  Mcduffie, Kimberly A. (2007). Co-Teaching in
• Inclusive Classrooms A Metasynthesis of
  Qualitative Research. Exceptional Children, 73,
  392-416.
• Co-teachers generally supported co-teaching.
• Important needs identified included planning
  time, student skill level, training, and
  administrative support.
• The principal co-teaching model used was the one
  teach, one assist model.
• Special education teachers often played a
  subordinate role.
• Special education teachers were rarely observed
  to teaching areas they had been trained in such
  as study skills, strategy instruction, mnemonics,
  or self-advocacy skills.
• Possible academic benefits through extra teacher
  attention for all students in class.
• Turf issues arose.