Running Head: WHAT IS COTEACHING’S IMPACT ON THE CLASSROOM?
Elizabeth Schroeck
Effects of Coteaching
Saint Bonaventure University
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Introduction
Since I was a child I have been interested in teaching, especially in teaching students with
disabilities, and always wondered why students with disabilities were not in my classroom. From
that early moment, I became an advocate for inclusion.
In the beginning of my career, I requested to have an inclusive classroom. I was told that
having an inclusive classroom for the first year of teaching would be extremely demanding and
difficult, and that the district typically did not allow first-year teachers to have this type of
responsibility. I explained to the administration that I understood the challenge, but regardless,
felt that I could meet the needs of all my students. My wish was granted.
For my expansion paper, I would like to learn more about coteaching. I feel that this topic
is extremely beneficial to me because of my advocacy for inclusion. I would like to understand
the impact coteaching teaching has on a student’s success? As well, I would like to learn about
its positive and negative effects?
From my research, I expect to learn more about coteaching’s models and approaches -they are multifarious -- and would like to learn which type is effective for which type of
classroom. Personally, from the successes in my own classroom, I have seen the positive effects
coteaching can have. With an even greater understanding, it is my belief that I could still
accomplish more.
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Literature Review
“Since the 1990 and 1997 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Act
(IDEA), a major shift in the concept of ‘least restrictive environment’ has
required that students with disabilities be included in general education settings to
the maximum extent possible.” (Smith, Polloway, Patton & Dowdy, 1998)
In accordance with this law, students with disabilities are to be placed, or at least
attempted to be placed, into a general education classroom as often as possible. Students with
disabilities are, within a single classroom, to work with a general-education teacher and a
special-education teacher -- depending obviously on the student’s IEP or individual need.
The definition of coteaching occurs when two or more professionals jointly deliver
substantive instruction to a diverse or blended group of students in a single physical space (Cook
and Friend 2005). Coteaching is also known as collaborative or cooperative teaching.
Current Models and Approaches for Coteaching
In my research, I discovered and dissected currently-accepted coteaching models. These
models are: the consultant model, the coaching model, and the collaborative (team) model. In
using the consultant model, the special educator serves as a consultant to the general educator in
areas pertaining to curriculum adaptation, skills remediation, and assessment modification. Next,
the coaching model involves special and general educators “coaching” each other in areas of
acknowledged expertise in curriculum and pedagogy. Lastly, the collaborative (or teaming)
model incorporates the equitable sharing of lesson planning, implementation, and assessment.
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This model is increasingly becoming recommended as the preferred model by researchers,
particularly because of its efficacy in valuing the contributions of both teachers through task and
responsibility sharing (Friend & Cook, 2003).
“The instructional potential of coteaching makes it imperative that those involved
collaborate effectively in designing and delivering instruction and intervention
that will best meet the unique needs of the students.” (Friend and Cook 2000)
To make sure teachers are meeting the needs of their students, they may choose any of
the following six coteaching approaches:
One Teaching, One Observing
One teacher plans and instructs, while the other teacher provides adaptations and other
supports as needed -- an arrangement that requires very little joint planning. This approach is
also known as “One Teaching, One Supporting” or “Lead and Support,” literally, one teaches
while the other observes. The one teaching has the responsibility for designing and delivering
instruction to the group. The support teacher observes and collects data.
This approach is most commonly used, and since little groundwork is needed, is
considered the easiest to implement. However, careful attention should be paid to this approach,
for if one teacher is continuously in the lead, it can diminish the role and/or credibility of the
other teacher (Friend & Cook, 2003).
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Station Teaching
With station teaching, teachers divide the responsibility of planning and instruction. The
students involved rotate through stations on a predetermined schedule. This approach
necessitates that the teachers repeat instruction to each group -- delivery may vary according to
the students’ needs. Since each teacher has separate responsibilities for instruction, this approach
may be used if the teachers have an outright differing pedagogical style. One of station
teaching’s particular drawbacks: the amount of movement and noise can be distracting (Friend &
Cook, 2003).
Parallel Teaching
When parallel teaching, the teachers share responsibility for planning and instruction.
The class is split into heterogeneous groups and each teacher instructs one half. Each teacher is
teaching the same content but the method of delivery may differ depending on the teacher’s
pedagogical style. This approach requires significant coordination between the teachers so that
all students receive essentially the same instruction, and that grouping decisions are based on
maintaining diversity .The primary goal is to limit the student-teacher ratio (Friend & Cook,
2003).
Alternative Teaching
Alternative teaching requires the teachers to divide responsibilities for planning and
instruction. The majority of students remain in a large group setting, while some work in a small
group based on individualized instruction; i.e. pre-teaching, enrichment, and re-teaching. This
approach allows for highly individualized instruction to be offered. The drawback to this
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approach is that teachers, if not consciously careful, may often pull the same students aside. A
benefit to this approach: acknowledgment of the fact that there are times when small groups of
students need instruction that is different from what the large group is participating in.
Alternative teaching provides high-intensive instruction within a general-education classroom.
This approach can be used to ensure that all students in the class receive opportunities to interact
with a teacher in a small group (Friend & Cook, 2003).
Team Teaching
Teachers share responsibilities for planning and instruction with team teaching. The
teachers work as a team to introduce new content, work on developing skills, clarify information,
and facilitate learning and classroom management. This approach requires mutual trust and
respect between teachers, and requires the teachers be able to mesh their teaching styles.
Some teachers that use this approach consider it the most rewarding. Some even believe
it communicates that both teachers have an equal status, which in turn, portrays to the students an
ability to work and coexist together. To have this approach be successful, the teachers must feel
comfortable working together in the classroom -- teaming requires that the teacher’s learning
styles be flexible -- the thesis of coteaching (Friend & Cook, 2003).
One Teaching, One Assisting
When using the one teaching, one assisting approach, one teacher leads the lesson, and
one teacher observes and assists the students. One teacher maintains the primary role for
managing the classroom and leading instruction, while the other peruses the room and assists
students who may need re-direction, or who have questions about their work. This teacher’s goal
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is to be sure that all students, including those with special needs, are solving problems and
understanding goals.
This approach requires little joint planning, which helps if planning time is at a premium.
A major problem with this approach is that the secondary/special-education teacher may become
viewed, by the students, as an assistant rather than an equal. This may undermine the
creditability of both teachers. In addition, the teacher walking around the room can lead to
distraction (Friend & Cook, 2003).
Building a Coteaching Relationship
Many factors go into having a successful coteaching environment for students and
teachers. In coteaching, the general-education teacher and the special-education teacher work as
a team to modify the setting, the curriculum, the materials, or the teaching methods of a generaleducation classroom. The teachers work as a team and plan regularly to incorporate inclusive
practices.
“Effective planning requires that teachers appreciate the need for modifications of
the curriculum, as well as accept the responsibilities of teaching all the students in
the classroom.” (Teaching Exceptional Children 2001)
Each month, teachers will need 2-3 hours of uninterrupted time to build new units of
standard-based instruction, and differentiated lessons.
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“Veteran coteachers recognize that effective planning is a prerequisite for
successful teaching; the hardest part is finding enough time for collaborative
planning.” (Arguelless, Hughes, & Schumm, 2000)
When teachers employ multiple instructional groups, the teacher-student ratio is reduced;
thus providing students in each group more opportunities to respond and teachers of each group
more opportunities to monitor engagement and to provide feedback.
Effective classroom management involves two major components: structure and
relationships. In a structured environment, rules and routines are the architecture of learning.
Teachers are to have consistent expectations for the student’s behavior, which are transparent
and regularly enforced.
Classroom management involves community building and relationship building. Both
teachers are involved in developing a classroom management system that benefits all students.
Rules, routines, and expectations are mutually developed.
The physical arrangement of the classroom needs and must be considered when choosing
your coteaching model and approach. The classroom layout should be fluid; changing and
molding per each approach and model.
“Usually, the physical arrangements that are used in a traditional classroom do not
work well in a cotaught inclusive classroom.” (Peterson & Hittie 2003)
“Effective interpersonal communication is essential in the coteaching
relationship.” (S. Gately & F Gately 2001)
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Teachers should learn to communicate between each other in different ways, including
both verbally and nonverbally. The special-education teacher and general-education teacher need
to communicate daily. With communication, teachers set the groundwork for planning, teaching,
discipline, and expectation for the year. This communication allows your relationships to build.
“Coteaching relationships are often compared to marital relationships in that they
depend on commitment, negotiation, and flexibility. To be successful, coteaching
relies on two committed educators who care deeply about teaching their students
and work together to achieve that goal.” (Friend 2008)
Cooperative teaching has been identified as a successful strategy for inclusion.
Coteaching allows students to experience and imitate the cooperative and collaborative skills
represented by both teachers.
“All students benefit when their teachers share ideas, work cooperatively and
contribute to one another’s learning. With multiple instructors there is increased
flexibility in grouping time for teacher attention and increased time on task, this is
an important factor to increase achievement.” (Villa, Thousand, & Nevin 2008)
Discussion
During my research on coteaching, I learned about the different approaches and models
that are used in an inclusive environment. Since there are so many different approaches and
models, I would like to learn which are most successful? When I cotaught with a specialeducation teacher, I felt as though my work could have been stronger had I had more experience
and knowledge of the current models and approaches. The information I learned from this
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research will help me improve my relationships, and reinforce my commitment to understanding
diverse teaching styles.
Additionally, I would like to observe a classroom that uses coteaching -- what makes that
classroom successful? Complementarily, I would like to juxtapose a full-time coteaching
environment with a part-time coteaching environment. In observing these classrooms, I would
have the teachers complete a survey and discuss their feelings on coteaching. In addition, I
would like the administrators to complete a survey, and explain to me their impressions of
coteaching. Hopefully, by the end of my research paper I will be able to determine which models
and approaches of coteaching are successful; and receive significant and beneficial feedback
from the teachers who participate in such an environment.
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References
Fennick, E. (2001, July/August). Coteaching An Inclusive Curriculum for Transition. The
Council For Exceptional Children, 8. Abstract retrieved from ERIC database.
Friend, M., & Cook, L. (2003). Interactions Collaboration Skills for School Professionals.
Boston: Pearson.
Gately, S. E., & Gately, F. J., Jr. (2001, March/April). Understanding Coteaching Components.
The Council For Exceptional Children, 8. Abstract retrieved from ERIC database.
Smith, T., Polloway, E., Patton, J., & Dowdy, D. (1998). Teaching students with special needs
in inclusive setting. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Stivers, J. (2008, November). 20 Ways to Strengthen your Coteaching Relationship. Intervention
in School and Clinic, Volume 44, 121-125. Abstract retrieved from http://isc.sagepub.com
Villa, R. A., Thousand, J. S., & Nevin, A. I. (2008). A Guide to Coteaching Practical Tips for
Facilitating Student Learning. California: Corwin Press.
Friend, Marilyn. (2008, July). Coteaching: A Simple Solution that isn’t Simple After All.
Journal of Curriculum and instruction, Volume 2, 9-19. Abstract retrieved from
http://www.joci.ecu.edu
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