Making Co-Teaching
Work
Co- Teaching between General Education, Special Education, Speech
Language Pathologists (SLP’s) and ELL Teachers
Activity: What is Co-Teaching
If two heads are better than one it follows, that
two teachers better than one.
● What is co-teaching?
o
Write 3 words that describe co-teaching to you.
Why co-teaching?
As a result of NCLB, IDEA (2004), and RTI, co-teaching is
one of the fastest growing inclusive teaching practices.
Despite the increase, it is often poorly implemented. For
instance, classrooms may use one teacher playing a very
diminished role that can lead to issues of authority and
"ownership" often confusing students in the class. To
prevent this, lessons using a co-teaching delivery system
must be carefully planned and executed with both teachers
defining and establishing their supporting responsibilities
for the students.
Co-teaching:
What It Is
What it is Not
Joint responsibility for planning, instruction
delivery and classroom management.
One teacher maintaining all planning and
instruction
A component of a continuum of services for
students with disabilities
Having a “smaller” class in a large
classroom
Carefully matched professionals to ensure
success for ALL students
Two professionals providing instruction to a
homogenous group of students
Both professionals present in class every
day
An extra set of hands in the classroom
Both professionals planning lessons to
meet the needs of ALL learners
One paraprofessional and one professional
instructing
Both professionals being responsible for
ALL students
A special educator working only with
students with disabilities
Pre-Assessment Questions
● What about co-teaching will excite teachers?
● What will worry teachers most about co-teaching?
● How interested are you in supporting co-teaching
opportunities in schools?
● How familiar are you with co-teaching practices and
strategies?
Learning Targets
● Participants will have tools to support school teams in
co-teaching.
● Participants will understand co-teaching models and
student stations and the roles of different specialists in
co-teaching teams.
● Participants will gain strategies to support teams in
building and maintaining co-teaching relationships.
screen shot of website
Aligning to Successful Schools Framework
A co-teaching model
enables schools to
address the needs of
diverse learners
in the general education
classroom by maximizing
resources and expertise.
Co-Teaching Models
Jigsaw Activity: Co-Teaching Model
● In your group of six, decide which co-teaching model
each person will research.
● Use your Aurasma app to learn about your co-teaching
model.
● Answer the questions on your yellow handout
● share, discuss and write down notes in group
First group to complete handout wins!
Activity: Co-teaching Student Stations
● At your table, read over the 10 suggested student groupings on green
sheet.
● Complete the worksheet to match the appropriate grouping title to
corresponding description.
● One person from each group will check answers using your Aurasma app.
● Discuss which grouping would work well for students.
Student Stations
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
3 Station Tiers
4 Station with on Teacher Flip/Flop
4 Station Rotation
4 Stations with Tiers
Mirror
Flip/Flop
Flip/Flop Switch
6 Stations with Interrupters
Skills Groups
3 Station Rotation
Lunch...enjoy!
Preparing for Partnerships
Communication is key to successful co-teaching
● Establish rapport with co-teacher
● Identify and communicate your style of supporting academic needs and
behavioral supports.
● Discuss strengths and weaknesses - strike a balance.
● Discuss Individualized Education Plans and regular education goals – plan
how you collect data
● Formulate a plan of action and act as a unified team - creating co-teaching
norms
Activity: Communication in Co-teaching
Scheduling a Time to Co-plan
Common planning periods
•Scheduled meetings
•Sub/administrator coverage
•Student Activities
•School assemblies
•Release from duties (bus duty, lunch duty, etc)
•Use of technology
(Friend, 2008; Murawski, 2009)
Co-Planning
Before Meeting
●
Gen Ed. and Sped
teachers gathers key
information about
upcoming curriculum,
projects, activities and
individual student
needs.
During Meeting
●
●
●
(Adapted from Friend, 2008)
Decide which coteaching models will be
used, how to group
students and which
aspects of instruction
may need to be
adapted.
Individual student
matters are discussed
Decide on “roles”
during the lessons.
After Meeting
●
Sped and Gen Ed.
teachers adapt
instruction to meet the
needs of individual
students.
Co-Teaching with Special Education
Teacher
Students with IEPs are guaranteed an individualized
education program by law. In co-taught classrooms there
are likely several students on IEPs and several students
without IEPs whose needs all must be met. Co-teachers
must be thoughtful and skilled at differentiating instruction
and providing supports that enhance learning and don’t
single out or embarrass anyone.
Co-Teaching with SLPs
The benefits of co-teaching with an SLP
include:
•
Support to students without IEPs
•
Development of functional communication skills in a real
life context
•
Easier generalization of skills for students.
Co-Teaching with ELL Teachers
The benefits of co-teaching with an EL teacher include:
• On-the-job training for classroom teachers
• Language supports are provided in a real life
context
• Easier generalization of skills for students.
• Students have access to rigorous academic
instruction and content
Para Educators and Co-Teaching
Paraeducators may support student acquisition and mastery of skills and concepts. including the
following:
• Copying or supplying notes
• Cueing/refocusing/redirecting students
• Working with small groups of students on activities previously taught by the
teacher.
• Creating worksheets, manipulatives, etc. (under the direction of the teacher)
• Asking/answering questions in order to provide clarification for students or
even to share an opposite perspective of a concept
• Reviewing tests with small groups of students
• Delivering individual accommodations, e.g., reading materials aloud,
transferring answers, etc.
Tips and Technology
Take time to explore the teachnology tools.