Co-Teaching in

General Ed Classrooms

2-Step Thinking for Special Educators

 Different What’s Good
Strokes for for One is
Different Folks Good for All

What does this Which supports for

kid need? this kid would also
benefit a group of
classmates or the
whole class?
Why co-teach?
Because, by co-teaching we can:
Provide specially designed instruction in general ed
classes

Develop community and acceptance

Make use of peer models

Encourage differentiated instruction

Draw on two teachers’ expertise

Does co-teaching do all that?
It can, if we...
Plan regularly

Distinguish roles

DO specially designed instruction

Contribute to developing the instruction of

the classroom
Otherwise...
We simply

Show up

Lend a hand

Become a “helper”
Resulting in...

No instructional power

No tracking individual students’ progress

No specially designed instruction

No professional special educator

The Six Approaches
One teach, one observe
One teach, one assist
Parallel Teaching
Station Teaching
Alternative Teaching
Team Teaching
One teach, one observe
One teacher teaches
Second teacher observes for a pre-
determined purpose
 Student Behavior
 Engagement
 Progress
 Teacher behaviors
Examples
While one teacher provides instruction in social studies,
the other charts the number of off-task behaviors exhibited
by a particular student.

While one teacher provides instruction in math, the other

charts the number of positive comments made to students.

While one teacher provides instructions for a writing

project, the other records the number of times students in
the class leave their seats.

While students work in cooperative groups, one teacher

monitors the groups and one teacher records which
students initiate interactions.
Pros and Cons
+Requires little joint planning time
+Provides opportunity for ESE teachers to learn
about General Education Curriculum
+Particularly effective for teachers new to
collaboration

-Can result in special educator as being

relegated to role of an assistant
One teach, one assist
One teacher instructs
The second teacher circulates around
the classroom providing support and
redirection to students
Examples
While one teacher provides instruction in math, the other
teacher moves from student to student, making sure they are
using their manipulatives appropriately.

While one teacher lectures on a science topic, the other drifts

about the class providing help with note taking, key ideas or
vocabulary.

While one teacher teaches a new procedure for balancing

chemical equations, the other teacher circulates, reminding
students to use their periodic tables and cue cards, and
stopping to help anyone having trouble with the procedure.
Pros and Cons
+Requires little joint planning time
+Provides opportunity for ESE teachers to learn about
General Education Curriculum
+Particularly effective for teachers new to collaboration

-Can result in special educator as being relegated to

role of an assistant
-The second teacher can sometimes be a distraction
-Students can become dependent on the “assister”
Parallel Teaching
The class is split into two groups
Each teacher teachers one of the
groups
Creates more opportunity for teacher-
student interaction and increased levels
of student engagement
Examples
As a follow-up to whole class instruction on a geometry concept, each
teacher develops the concept further by modeling the concept to half
of the class.

One teacher presents information to students on logging in National

forests from the view of business and industry to half the class while
the other teacher presents the same issue from the viewpoint of
environmentalists. The class then comes together to discuss the issue
from both sides.

In presenting the complexities of symbolism in Act 2 of Romeo and

Juliet, teachers split the class into two groups to enhance the
opportunities for student-to-student discussion.
Pros and Cons
+Lower teacher: student ratio
+Heterogeneous grouping
+Allows for more creativity in lesson delivery

-Teachers must both be comfortable in content

and confident in teaching the content
-Should not be used for initial instruction
Station Teaching
Three stations are set up
Students are divided into three groups
and rotate between the three stations
Each teacher teaches different content
at two of the stations; the third station is
independent work (and doesn’t have to
be the same for each group)
Examples
During Writer’s Workshop one teacher may focus
instruction of a mini-lesson on conventions, the other
teacher may focus on editing, and students might work
independently on publishing.

During math instruction, one teacher may focus on

teaching a new process for multiplication of multi-digit
numbers, one teacher may provide review of multiplication
facts, and students might work independently or with
partners on an assignment.
Pros and Cons
+Each professional has separate responsibility
for delivering instruction
+Lower teacher:student ratio
+Students with disabilities can be more easily
integrated into small groups

-Noise level can be distracting

-Movement can be distracting
Alternative Teaching
One teacher teaches the majority of the
class
The other teacher works with a small
group on an alternative lesson
 Same concept at different level
 Same content, different methodology
 Same content, more practice/modeling
 Different content related to student needs
Examples
During Science, the larger group reviews experiment logs
while the small group is pre-taught concepts/vocabulary
for the next lesson.

During math instruction, the larger group is provided with

a strategy for problem solving, while the small group is
provided with an enrichment activity.

During a writing lesson about using metaphors and

similes, the larger group begins independent practice,
while the smaller group continues teacher guided practice.
Pros and Cons
+ Helps with attention problem students
+Allows for re-teaching, tutoring, or enrichment

-Can be stigmatizing to group who is

alternatively taught
-SPED teacher can be viewed as an assistant if
he/she is always in alternative teaching role
Team Teaching
Both teachers deliver the same
instruction to the entire class
Examples
During social studies, one teacher lectures while the other
teacher models vocabulary note-taking and provides
strategies for recall of definitions.

During science, one teacher explains an experiment while

the other teacher demonstrates the procedure for recording
findings in the student’s scientific journal.

During government class the teachers model a debate on

the Third Amendment to the Constitution in preparation
for upcoming student debates.
Pros and Cons
+Greatest amount of shared responsibility
+Allows for creativity in lesson delivery
+Prompts teachers to try innovative techniques
neither professional would have tried alone

-Requires greatest amount of trust and

commitment
-Most difficult to implement
How to choose
Consider the strengths and drawbacks
of each approach
Choose the approach that meets the
intersecting needs of
 The content
 The lesson structure
 Student needs
Co-teaching Cautions

Becoming an aide

Not providing special education

services

Getting too comfortable; not utilizing all

the approaches