Co-teaching that works: special and general educators’ perspectives on collaboration

Abstract

There are surprisingly few studies analysing collaboration between special and general educators that has been proven to work well. The aim of the present study is to explore the perspectives of special and general educators on their collaborative efforts on teaching pupils who receive special education assistance. The study adopts a qualitative approach where interviews with eight educators have been analysed to identify underlying processes and mechanisms that are characteristic of successful collaboration between these two educational professions. The sampling was purposive and only educators who have been found to have achieved successful collaboration in the past were invited to participate. Three main themes emerged during the analysis: a metaanalytic approach to teaching, mutual recognition and enthusiasm, and inclusive education teaching. The overall conclusion of the findings indicates that successful collaboration is embedded in the type of instruction that supports the basic premises of inclusive education and appreciation of diversity. Educational professionals who are willing to come closer to one another in terms of their practice and professional identities are better equipped to succeed in co-teaching situations.

The Role of Preparing Teachers’ Understanding of the Co-Teaching and Collaborative Teaching Models in Developing their Teaching Experiences

“…The results show that pre-service teachers who took part in co-teaching and other forms of collaborative learning had better pedagogical skills, more confidence in their abilities to work with students from diverse backgrounds, and a better grasp of co-teaching models. Consequently, the inclusion of collaborative learning opportunities in programs for pre-service teachers can effectively equip prospective teachers with practical experiences and opportunities to develop inclusive pedagogical skills, preparing them to effectively teach in inclusive classrooms (Jortveit & Kovač, 2022). This may be achieved by providing them with practical experiences in the real world and fostering possibilities for collaboration with students from various backgrounds.…”

“…As co-teaching models may provide individualized instruction, specialized support, and opportunities for kids to learn while engaging with their peers, they may be beneficial for students with disabilities as they navigate the general education curriculum. Research on how well the preparation programs prepare pre-service teacher aspiring educators for inclusive education and co-teaching is scarce (khasawneh,2023c) The corpus of research literature that is currently available has requested for additional study to be carried out to determine the elements that contribute to effective preparation as well as the impact that programs for pre-service teachers' preparation have on teachers' knowledge, skills, and attitudes regarding co-teaching and inclusive education (Turan & Bayar, 2017;Jortveit & Kovač, 2022).…”

Pedagogical change and innovation culture in secondary education: a Delphi study

“…Teachers must negotiate a shared understanding of co-teaching and, consequently, it cannot develop without the teachers having reflected on their roles and agreeing on objectives, contents and materials. The requirements of co-teaching are varied: attitude toward collaboration, commitment to cooperation, mutual respect and knowledge, shared objectives, compatible teaching roles, agreed distribution of tasks, establishment of limits to collaboration and sense of belonging (Rytivaara et al, 2019;Jortveit and Kovač, 2021;Pesonen et al, 2021).…”

From pre- and in-service teachers’ asymmetric backgrounds to equal co-teaching: Investigation of a professional learning model

“…Successful co-teaching requires effective co-teacher planning and maximizes instructional effectiveness and student participation in the classroom. The communication between co-teachers is open and responsibility is shared, and co-teachers are able to agree on classroom structures, routines, and behavior management (Faraclas, 2018;Jortveit and Kovač, 2021). According to Pratt (2014), a successful co-teaching relationship has three phases.…”