Co-Teaching Models
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Co-Teaching Models
Dyslexia is a learning disorder that affects a person’s ability to read due to difficulties in identifying speech sounds and relating them to words and letters. Teaching dyslexic children across settings is challenging hence the need to incorporate co-teaching, where teaching professionals collaborate with each other. Some co-teaching models that can be used to deliver a lesson to learners with dyslexia are the One Teach, One Assist model, alternative teaching and station teaching. In the One Teach One Assist co-teaching model, one instructor solely bears the responsibility of teaching while the other makes rounds in the classroom, providing students with unobtrusive help on a needs basis. The alternative teaching model applies in situations where some students require specialized attention, for instance, children with dyslexia learning disorder. In this model, one instructor takes responsibility for the bigger group while another instructor handles a smaller group. Smaller groups can be used for pre-teaching or remediation to assist students that have been away catch up on assessments and key instructions. In the station teaching model teachers subdivided the learners and content. Each instructor teaches one group and repeats the same instruction with another group. If appropriate, third stations can give learners a chance to work independently.
The One Teach, One Assist model, alternative teaching and station teaching models incorporate elements of collaboration for learners with the dyslexia learning disability. In the One Teach, One Assist model, the teachers must collaborate with one another to see that all needs are met (DeMartino & Specht, 2018). One teacher helps maintain behavior while the other one delivers the instruction. This model is ideal for learners with dyslexia as the second teacher ensures all their needs are met and are not left behind due to their learning disability. This strategy is helpful as it gives the teacher a chance to teach content without interruption while at the same time fulfilling individual student needs. Collaboration in this model comes in as instructors are required to select roles for every lesson. Additionally, the instructors must come together and decide the support they require to implement the lesson successfully. These supports range from behavior support, modifications, specific accommodations or reteaching. Additionally, the One Teach One Assist model allows teachers to collaborate as they need to take turns providing support and leading the class instruction. Alternative teaching uses collaborations as there might arise a situation where more than one student will demand special attention. In such a situation, the student can take medical breaks without their learning being affected. Collaboration comes in handy as teachers will consult each other on topics that need to be re-taught. This way, students with dyslexia that have been away for medical-related reasons will easily catch up with the larger group. Station teaching relies on the division of learners and content hence the need for effective collaboration between the educators.
In the classroom, set up the One Teach One Assist co-teaching model by having a lead teacher instruct from the front of the class while the assisting teacher sits with his students on a rug at the end of the class. Both teachers have one aim; to help students to understand the book better by reading out loud. Both teachers will be recording students’ flashbacks from the book. The lead teacher records on the board organizer while the assisting teacher keeps records on a clipboard. The assisting teacher also supports learners in maintaining attention throughout the lesson from the lead teacher, graphic organizer and other students. The implementation of the alternative teaching model employs numerous teaching methods, including exploratory learning, project-based learning, as well as the integration of technology in learning. These teaching methods are ideal for use by students with a learning disability such as dyslexia. The implementation of the station co-teaching is based on the formation of flexible groups. The groups are formed based on the kind of content that is taught at all stations. For instance, a class can be divided into three equal groups that rotate among three stations. At station one, children are paired and told to read a fiction text with their friends and each will draw a photo that showcases what they envisioned while reading (Härkki, Vartiainen, Seitamaa-Hakkarainen, & Hakkarainen, 2021). In station 2, the teacher guides them in a reading group, and the teacher tends to have three different plans for all three groups that are formed based on data that has been assessed previously. At station 3, the learners work with the second instructor on the sorting words and new spelling lists. For this specific group, students are normally placed in three separate spelling lists.
Using the One Teach, One Assist model, alternative teaching and station co-teaching models benefit students with learning disabilities such as dyslexia in numerous ways. The One Teach, One Assist co-teaching model, is beneficial as it calls upon instructors to instruct only when they feel comfortable with the curriculum, unlike other teaching models that do not pay attention on curriculum. The alternative co-teaching model is beneficial as it provides both instructors with active institutional roles, yields a lower teacher-student ratio, and gives a chance to review, re-teach, and pre-teach (Mohammad, Soudmand, & Ahour, 2020). Moreover, alternative co-teaching models allow for intervention and enrichment opportunities. Station co-teaching models are beneficial as they also reduce the teacher-student ratio and meet student needs.
References
DeMartino, P., & Specht, P. (2018). Collaborative co-teaching models and specially designed instruction in secondary education: A new inclusive consultation model. Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth, 62(4), 266-278.
Härkki, T., Vartiainen, H., Seitamaa-Hakkarainen, P., & Hakkarainen, K. (2021). Co-teaching in non-linear projects: A contextualised model of co-teaching to support educational change. Teaching and Teacher Education, 97, 103188.
Mohammad Hassani Soudmand, F., & Ahour, T. (2020). The Effect of One Teach-One Assist Model of Co-teaching on Iranian EFL Learners’ Reading Comprehension. Journal of English Language Pedagogy and Practice, 13(26), 24-48.
