A full-inclusion classroom is not just an educational model that includes all students (combining those with and without IEPs) integrated into a general education classroom. With any full-inclusion classroom comes additional educators and support as well as a variety of teaching styles. Together, the general education teacher and special education teacher (and/or related service providers) engage in a combined teaching method called co-teaching. Co-teaching can be used in a variety of styles that work well to target individual student needs across all subject areas and grade levels. For autistic students, inclusion classroom models have been particularly successful if they are effectively implemented.
Co-Teaching Models That Work!
Often, when educators learn that they will be co-teaching in a full-inclusion classroom— they panic! Co-teaching adds another layer to an already challenging field. Educators tend to picture in their minds long days of planning with another educator, rewriting lesson plans, and even teaching other educators the curriculum. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. Co-teaching can be quick to plan, fit into already established lesson plans, and does not require someone new to the grade level or subject area to be an expert before attempting.
Below are the six best co-teaching models and a few tips on how you can successfully get started with co-teaching right away.
1. One Teach, One Observe
If you are new to co-teaching, this is a great place to start. The One Teach, One Observe model allows for detailed observations of students during lessons. For example, the general education teacher can be teaching a math lesson while the special education teacher is completing an observation.
The observation can include data on time on task, student participation, direction following, and which students need more time, count on their fingers, ask for help, or didn’t finish the task. The co-teaching pair can then use this data for future interventions, independent work, or lessons that may need to be reviewed.
One Teach, One Observe Tips:
- One Teach, One Observe is great for co-teaching pairs or educators who are new to a grade level or subject area.
- This model is a great way to gather information on all student learning styles (not just the students with IEPs).
- Data can be used for the implementation of other co-teaching models.
- Try starting the school year off using this model. It helps to slowly incorporate an additional teacher into the classroom and gives you a sense of the class as a whole.
- One Teach, One Observe can be used in any subject area, whole-class lesson, independent work task, academic stations, and even on the first day of school when establishing class rules and routines.
- This model requires a minimal amount of planning time. The only preparation typically needed is for the co-teaching pair to determine what data should be collected.
2. One Teach, One Assist
Another great place to start when you are new to co-teaching is through the One Teach, One Assist model. This model allows for one teacher to provide instruction while the second teacher circulates the room and assists students as needed. While circulating the room and assisting students, the teacher can support individuals with IEPs by helping to ensure that all accommodations and modifications are in place. At the same time, the teacher can also support the learning needs of all students by using subtle cues to help students regain focus, quietly answering student questions, silently providing positive feedback, and unobtrusively assisting students who may need help working through a task.
One Teach, One Assist Tips:
- One Teach, One Assist is another great way to begin your co-teaching journey.
- This model is an excellent way to gather more detailed information on individual learning needs and how accommodations and modifications are used successfully in the classroom.
- Taking turns as the assisting teacher allows both co-teachers to become comfortable with implementing accommodations and modifications.
- One Teach, One Assist is another great model to try at the start of the school year to help establish both teachers as equals.
- This model can be used during any subject area or type of task such as whole class lessons, independent work, station activities, the first day of school routines, etc.
- This model requires a small to average amount of planning time. I recommend using this model with an already established lesson plan and/or having the general education teacher be the one to teach and the special education teacher be the one to assist when first trying this approach.
- Try to work in a few moments to follow up on how the lesson went. This can be during a co-planning period, through email, or a brief hallway conversation. It does not need to be extensive but is a great way to make sure each teacher is working towards meeting the individual needs of students.
3. Parallel Teaching
The Parallel Teaching model is a unique approach to co-teaching that provides increased opportunities for students to respond and show their understanding as well as additional supervision during a lesson.
Parallel Teaching is when both teachers cover the same lesson and information simultaneously with the class divided into two groups. In my experience, this model works best during lessons that require hands-on work, when materials may be limited and students want to see what is happening. Science experiments, teamwork activities, test reviews, and even challenging lessons work well through this model. Students can be broken up into like-learner groups or be randomly placed into two groups. Students enjoy the additional opportunities to respond and participate during the Parallel Teaching model.
Parallel Teaching Tips:
- Make sure you choose a topic or lesson that both teachers feel comfortable teaching. The same information needs to be provided by both teachers.
- Be mindful of the space you are working within. Smaller classrooms leave less room between groups which can be a distraction to students when they overhear the other teacher.
- Parallel Teaching can be used during any subject area but works best with hands-on activities like science experiments and guided groups.
- This model requires a larger amount of planning time to ensure that both teachers understand the lesson and lesson objective, have the correct materials prepared, can arrange the room to reduce distractions, and can finish the lesson as close to the same time as possible.
- Parallel Teaching requires a small amount of follow-up where teaching pairs can discuss what went well and what needs to be reviewed.
4. Station Teaching
Station Teaching is one of my personal favorite co-teaching models. It allows co-teaching pairs to divide and conquer through small-group instruction. Students enjoy working in stations as well as the attention and support they get from both teachers.
The most traditional Station Teaching model would have two stations that students would switch between to receive all of the content for a given lesson. However, Station Teaching can be done with more rotations.
A math example would be:
Station 1: Daily lesson from general education teacher.
Station 2: Small guided group to practice newly learned skills with special education teacher.
Station 3: Independent technology activity on a laptop or iPad.
Station 4: Partner work, group game, or homework completion.
Station Teaching Tips:
- Use standardized testing, pre-tests, and classwork to help place students into like-learner groups. This will allow you to customize your teaching to the needs of each group.
- Keep your groups fluid. Use pre/post-test scores and grades to adjust your groups when starting a new chapter or module. Your high-achieving students may not always be in the highest group. Likewise, your lower-achieving students will not be low in each module or chapter throughout the school year.
- Create a designated space for each station to allow for shorter transitions and materials to be nearby.
- Be mindful of your station rotations. Your higher-level group can attempt the homework or independent work before the lesson. Your lower group should always receive direct teacher instruction before moving to another station.
- Station Teaching requires a moderate amount of planning. It will take more planning at the beginning to get students into groups, prepare materials, and establish routines and roles. Be sure to set aside time once a week to reflect on how the students are doing, if groups need to be adjusted, and if any lessons need to be reviewed.
5. Alternative Teaching
Alternative Teaching is a model that I have not used as often. However, in the reality of a full-inclusion classroom, the Alternative Teaching model has its place. When using this model, one teacher takes the teaching responsibility for the majority of the students in the class while the other works with students in a small group or sometimes one-on-one.
The students in the small group or those receiving one-on-one support are students who have been identified as needing specialized attention during a specific subject area or daily lesson. The content covered should be aligned. However, depending on the needs of the students, the teacher may use alternate or modified content taught at a different level to help the students reach understanding and success.
Alternative Teaching Tips:
- Alternative Teaching should be used when there is a learning discrepancy that cannot be improved through the typical accommodations and modifications, small group teaching, and related service supports.
- It is important to be mindful of how often you use this method as it could lead to students feeling self-conscious or singled out.
- The Alternative Teaching model can be used during any subject area or type of lesson.
- The use of Alternative Teaching requires a moderate amount of planning where the co-teaching pair should identify which lesson would require this model, which students need additional support, and how the lesson and classwork should be modified to allow students to achieve the same outcome.
6. Team Teaching
The Team Teaching approach is often what educators picture when they think of co-teaching. This model requires two teachers to deliver instruction at the same time. Some refer to it as “tag-team teaching.” This model involves a little extra practice and planning and therefore might work best with co-teachers that have experience teaching together. This engaging teaching mode can be used during any subject area with teachers taking turns teaching and switching roles between teaching and assisting.
Team Teaching Tips:
- When Team Teaching, be sure to choose a topic or lesson that both teachers feel confident covering.
- When getting started with this model, a great place to begin is with one teacher opening the lesson by discussing the objective and teaching the content and then switching with the other teacher to do some guided practice or modeling.
- It is important to make sure that necessary accommodations are being followed during the lesson regardless of which teacher is actively teaching.
- The Team Teaching model requires the most planning time. Teachers need to meet to plan the lesson and their roles while making sure that students are engaged and getting their individual needs met.
- Co-teaching pairs should reflect on their team teaching to determine if the approach was successful and what to adjust for the next time.
If you are new to co-teaching, you do not need to jump in headfirst and try each model in the first week. Start slow with models that take less planning and are easier to jump into (such as the One Teach, One Observe, or One Teach, One Assist). As you get more comfortable, work towards giving each of the co-teaching methods a try. The more times you utilize the various models, the stronger your co-teaching will become. With practice, you will reflect and determine which models work best within your unique class.
Is there a model that you have used that is not listed above? Please let us know in the comments space provided below!
This free guide on co-teaching can be downloaded from Education Modified.