Verbally reinforce key concepts. Visually designate key points on the board or using technology at hand. Utilize modeling where needed. Ask clarifying questions on behalf of the students who may be intimidated or confused. Provide kinesthetic manipulatives, aids, props, etc. to encourage the use of multiple instructional modalities (see examples in Section IX). Pre-determine shared approach to homework, classroom procedures, and rules. Share the responsibility for student evaluation procedures and the assignment of grades, including programs/requirements such as Roster Verification, the West Virginia Early Warning System (BrightBytes), etc. Determine who will state the purpose at the beginning of each lesson. Determine who will introduce/review relevant vocabulary for each lesson. Pre-determine instructional modalities used for individuals/groups for each lesson. Pre-determine individual responsibilities within each lesson. WHAT CO-TEACHING IS, WHAT IT IS NOT OPTIONAL CO-TEACHING ENHANCEMENT IDEAS Illustrate or create a mind map. Flip-flop reading aloud (teachers take turns reading material). Go to appropriate websites to support instruction and to provide visual images (see examples in Section IX). Create a Wordle (www.wordle.com) of the conversation/vocabulary. Write color coded notes on the board/white board. ANN BENINGHOF CO-TEACHING MODELS Co-Teaching Model Description Pros Cons Lead and Support General education teacher does up front planning. Special education teacher is fully involved in daily planning, implementation, and assessment. Both teachers involved in most phases of instruction Less input in planning for differentiation Duet Model Both teachers share the entire instructional process Most integrated for students, fully utilizes all expertise Most time intensive and Add/ Chart One teacher leads, the other teacher adds visually or verbally No co-planning time, almost anyone can do this Can step on toes, doesn’t fully utilize expertise Learning Style Teachers plan lesson and divide responsibilities by learning styles Addresses learning style of the ‘typical’ struggling student, clear responsibilities Assumes that teacher will tolerate activity in the lesson Adapting Model One teacher while the second teacher wanders the room, providing on-the-spot adaptations Very little co-planning time, focused expertise Less fundamental impact on student learning
Complementary Instruction General education teacher focuses on curriculum. Special education teacher focuses on study skills, survival skills and special education strategies through or input. Good for related professionals, focused expertise, sets up expectation that special education will be provided in general education setting May slow down pacing Skills Group Teachers divide students into more homogeneous subgroups and provide leveled instruction Clear responsibilities, focused expertise Possible feel of “tracking” Station Teaching A group of students is pulled to the side for direct instruction Focused expertise Impacts only a few kids with the expertise of the specialist Parallel Teaching Class is broken into 2 heterogeneous groups; each teacher takes a group Good student-teacher ratio Requires equal expertise, lots of planning time SECTION III: WEEKLY CO-TEACHING DOCUMENTATION This tool captures the delineation of co-teaching responsibilities, expectations, models, and strategies to be used to optimize student performance: • Co-Teaching Strategies and Expectations • Co-Teaching Lesson Plan Template • Co-Teaching in the Classroom CO-TEACHING STRATEGIES AND EXPECTATIONS General Educator: _____________________Spec./Gen. Educator: __________________________ Grade Level: ________ Subject: _____________________Week of: _________________________ Lesson Content: _________________________________________________________________ Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs. Fri. Materials Gen Ed Spec Ed Evaluation Tool: Choose an item Gen Ed lessons