Marilyn Friend, Inc. 2008 Benefits and Barriers of Co-Teaching Approaches

Benefits / Barriers / Solutions / Monitoring
Station Teaching / Facilitates small group learning and is responsive to individual needs. Strategies, such as mini-lessons, accelerated learning, and mastery learning, address differentiated instruction. / Mastering pacing of groups
Student’s abilities to work independently (if there is a third station)
Noise level / Utilize time, practice activities, know students, use closure
Utilize peer, paraprofessional, checklist, and picture schedules
Communication between teachers, teaching signals
Establish and practice class routines for transitioning / Teachers will use pre assessments to determine how students are selected for stations (e.g. skills, interests, random)
Given the organizational structure and tasks of each station, assessments done by students can also be used during the lesson.
Benefits / Barriers / Solutions / Monitoring
ParallelTeaching / Parallel teaching increases the likelihood of participation. It also allows for intensive work with a small group of students. / Both teachers must have mastery of content
Timing/pacing of lessons
Noise Level / Preplanning
Practice, work for early finisher, agreement on timed activities, reconvene as one group for closure/summary
Communication between teachers, develop teaching signals / Each teacher monitors their own group of students
Teachers use post reflection to share their expectations using the same lesson plan with different groups of students
Benefits / Barriers / Solutions / Monitoring
Alternative
Teaching / Allows for the use of alternative methods to re-teach or extend the lesson vertically or horizontally. This model allows for multiple means of delivery / Group can become static, the same students in subgroups / Utilize data to vary groups by interest, need for enrichment, re-teaching, or make up
Group students by learning style / Both teachers pre assess the students to plan for alternative lessons
Both teachers assess the students during the formal lesson to identify students who would benefit from the alternative lessons
Student self assessment and/or peer-assessment encourages students to articulate their need for alternative forms of instruction
Barriers / Solutions / Monitoring
TeamTeaching / Varied presentation styles reach/appeal to diverse learning styles
Highest degree of professional collaboration
One teacher uses pre-assessment to determine students’ need for support
The other teacher assesses students’ skills and facilitates self-regulation during the lesson
Students use self assessment as they request assistance during or after formal lesson / Decreased intensity of instruction
Lack of give and take
Limited content knowledge / Well–prepared, monitored engagement of students
Knowledge of roles and responsibilities
Preplanning
Consistency of co-teaching pairs assists in refinement / Teachers pre assess the students
Both teachers assess the students during the formal lesson to identify students who would benefit from alternative lessons
Benefits / Barriers / Solutions / Monitoring
One Teach, One Assist / Opportunities to collect data for targeted academic or behavioral issues
Having two teachers to help individual students after the lesson is presented (individual guided practice) / Teachers may not be viewed as equals
Can often result in one teacher taking the lead role the majority of the time
Students identified for support may become static
Can be distracting to students, especially those who become dependent on the drifting teacher / This approach should be used sparingly and only when necessary
Change the focus of assistance
Change the role of the teachers / One teacher uses pre-assessment to determine students’ need for support
The other teacher assesses students’ skills and facilitates self-regulation during the lesson
Students use self assessment as they request assistance during or after formal lesson