Co-teaching in classroom settings

¶ … Co-Teaching Models

In the most traditional format of co-teaching, the one-teach, one-support method, there is a single teacher responsible for most of the content in the class while the other teacher (or teaching assistant) provides support when needed, such as when students are working independently or if a student with special needs requires support for a disability, such as ASL interpretation. This co-teaching model, however, can also be used with two teachers in a tag-team format, when one teacher has more knowledge than the other about specific content areas. For example, two primary school classrooms could be combined for a special unit on art history, if one of the teachers had greater knowledge in this subject area while the second teacher provided instruction in studio art ("5 co-teaching formats," 2015). The aide or co-teacher can also work with small groups while the main lesson is being taught, if these groups need additional reinforcement or assistance with their lessons. Different roles can be allocated based upon experience and student needs, as one teacher may have more experience providing support to students while another may prefer lecturing.

A second method is that of learning stations, which also allows for greater instructional differentiation. In this method, different stations are set up and students move between stations, receiving different, specialized instruction at every portal. This allows for more personal attention. Each task is "related to the same instructional content/objective" but is tailored to the student's level ("5 co-teaching formats," 2015). This allows skill deficits to be rectified of struggling learners and allows for more review for specific students when necessary. The downside with this method is that it requires more than two instructors and thus can be difficult to coordinate on a logistical basis.

A third method is parallel teaching. In this example, the class is split into two groups with each teacher teaching one separate group. This can be useful as a way of teaching the stronger students vs. The less confident students in a subject or tackling a specific subgroup of students with specific special needs such as ESL students. This format allows for students to return to the main group and discuss different perceptions of the same subject matter, such as when teaching debatable issues in civics or when assigning different reading passages in an English class. But "Communication and planning must be done together for the co-teachers to develop the parallel structure and to assure that groups receive the same quality instruction" even if differentiation is part of the purpose ("5 co-teaching formats," 2015).

Type

Format

Uses

Disadvantages

Advantages

One teacher/One support

One teacher teachers, the other acts as a support/resource

The expert teacher can lecture; the teacher with experience acting as an aid for LD students can offer assistance

The co-teacher can be distracting from the main lesson being taught

This allows students with special needs to be accommodated in a traditional mainstream format

Learning Stations

Different learning stations are set up and students rotate between teachers

Allows for differentiation of instruction for both LD and gifted students; Allows for greater individualization