Beginning Special Education Teachers' Classroom Reading Instruction: Practices That Engage Elementary Students with Learning Disabilities

2008 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seonjin Seo ◽  
Mary T. Brownell ◽  
Anne G. Bishop ◽  
Mary Dingle
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Beginning Teachers ◽  
Reading Instruction ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Instructional Quality ◽  
Reading Practices ◽  
Student Needs ◽  
Students With Learning Disabilities ◽  
Student Autonomy

Researchers conducted a study that examined the classroom reading practices of beginning special education teachers and each teacher's ability to promote student engagement. The researchers observed 14 beginning special education teachers over a 6-month period and identified the teachers as most engaging, highly engaging, moderately engaging, or low engaging. Through qualitative data analysis, researchers identified 4 themes related to instructional engagement that differentiated the teachers: instructional quality, responsiveness to student needs, socioemotional climate of the classroom, and student autonomy. Although the most engaging and highly engaging teachers were relatively consistent in demonstrating these themes, most other teachers were not. This article discusses these findings in light of previous research on beginning teachers and makes suggestions for additional research.

Broken Promises: Reading Instruction in the Resource Room

1998 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon Vaughn ◽  
Sally Watson Moody ◽  
Jeanne Shay Schumm
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Reading Instruction ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Students With Learning Disabilities ◽  
Resource Room ◽  
School Year ◽  
Grade Levels ◽  
Reading Abilities ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
In The Beginning

Reading instruction and grouping practices provided for students with learning disabilities (LD) by special education teachers in the resource room were examined. Fourteen special education teachers representing 13 schools were observed three times over the course of 1 year and interviewed in the beginning and end of the school year. Results indicated that teachers primarily provided whole group reading instruction to relatively large groups of students (5 to 19), and little differentiated instruction or materials were provided despite the wide range (3 to 5 grade levels) of reading abilities represented. Most teachers identified whole language as their primary approach to reading, and little instruction that addressed word recognition or comprehension was observed.

Reading Instruction in the Resource Room: Set up for Failure

2000 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 305-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally Watson Moody ◽  
Sharon Vaughn ◽  
Marie Tejero Hughes ◽  
Meryl Fischer
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Reading Instruction ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Students With Learning Disabilities ◽  
Resource Room ◽  
Grouping Practices ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Individualized Activities

The reading instruction, grouping practices, and outcomes for students with learning disabilities (LD) in resource room settings were examined. The study was a follow-up of an observational study done 2 years previously (Vaughn, Moody, & Schumm, 1998). Whole class instruction was the dominant grouping format although several teachers used small groups and individualized activities. Half of the special education teachers provided differentiated materials and instruction to match the learning levels of the students that they taught. Overall, no significant gains in reading comprehension were evidenced by students in this study. Results from the fluency tests also revealed inadequate student progress in reading. The failure of the present structure of the resource room to provide opportunities for a special education is discussed.

Licensure Tests for Special Education Teachers

2009 ◽  
Vol 42 (5) ◽  
pp. 464-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Stotsky
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Reading Instruction ◽  
Phonemic Awareness ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Evaluation Systems ◽  
Test Items ◽  
Licensure Tests

To determine the extent to which knowledge of evidence-based reading instruction and mathematics is assessed on licensure tests for prospective special education teachers, this study drew on information provided by Educational Testing Service (ETS), the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence, and National Evaluation Systems (now Evaluation Systems group of Pearson). It estimated the percentage of test items on phonemic awareness, phonics, and vocabulary knowledge and on mathematics content. It also analyzed descriptions of ETS’s tests of “principles of teaching and learning.” Findings imply that prospective special education teachers should be required to take both a dedicated test of evidence-based reading instructional knowledge, as in California, Massachusetts, and Virginia, and a test of mathematical knowledge, as in Massachusetts. States must design their own tests of teaching principles to assess knowledge of evidence-based educational theories.

Mentoring Early Career Special Education Teachers

2009 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 294-305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Dempsey ◽  
Michael Arthur-Kelly ◽  
Breda Carty
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Beginning Teachers ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Information Technologies ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Turnover Rates ◽  
High Turnover ◽  
Professional Experiences ◽  
Mentoring Support

For some time, special education has been plagued by shortages of qualified teaching staff and by high turnover rates for these staff. While several factors—external, employment and personal—are largely responsible for this situation, the research demonstrates that the initial professional experiences of early career teachers are closely associated with their longevity in the field. This paper reviews the literature on mentoring support for beginning teachers, mentoring models and the use of information technologies in mentoring support. The paper concludes with recommendations for methods of support for Australian early career special-education teachers.

What Are High-Leverage Practices for Special Education Teachers and Why Are They Important?

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. 331-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
James McLeskey ◽  
Bonnie Billingsley ◽  
Mary T. Brownell ◽  
Lawrence Maheady ◽  
Timothy J. Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Beginning Teachers ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Core Curriculum ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
Initial Attempt ◽  
Preparation Programs

Improving educational outcomes for students with disabilities and others who struggle in school largely depends on teachers who can deliver effective instruction. Although many effective practices have been identified to address the academic and behavioral needs of students who struggle in school, including those with disabilities, these practices are not used extensively in classrooms. This article provides a rationale for and description of major changes that are occurring in teacher preparation programs that are designed to improve the practice of beginning teachers. This is followed by a description of a set of high-leverage practices that was recently approved by the Council for Exceptional Children. These practices represent an initial attempt to delineate a core curriculum for special education teacher preparation to support the changes that are occurring in teacher education.

Culturally Responsive Reading Instruction for Students With Learning Disabilities

2017 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 153-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lefki Kourea ◽  
Lenwood Gibson ◽  
Robai Werunga
Keyword(s):  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Reading Instruction ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Culturally Responsive ◽  
Linguistically Diverse ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Students With Learning Disabilities ◽  
Environmental Support ◽  
Students With Ld ◽  
Context Specific

As student populations are becoming more diverse in ability and ethnicity across American classrooms, teachers are faced with instructional challenges in meeting their students’ learning needs. Challenges are heightened for general and special education teachers who teach students with learning disabilities (LD) and have a culturally and linguistically diverse background. This article analyzes three main domains of culturally responsive reading instruction for students with LD: (a) instructional delivery, (b) environmental support, and (c) curriculum context. Specific strategies and teaching tools are described in each domain to assist teachers in making their daily reading instruction more culturally responsive and relevant to the needs of their students.

scholarly journals Developing Reading Instruction Observation Protocols for Special Education Teachers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Ann Moylan
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Reading Instruction ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Explicit Instruction ◽  
Observation System ◽  
Rigorous Testing ◽  
Observation Protocol ◽  
Decoding Instruction ◽  
Observation Protocols

Considerable resources have been invested in identifying effective reading instruction methods for students with disabilities. Unfortunately, students are not routinely receiving instruction aligned with these practices, impacting their ability to reach their potential. To improve reading instruction, teachers need to receive observation feedback and evaluations reflecting instructional practices shown to be effective. One way to ensure teachers are provided with feedback consistent with evidence based reading instruction is to develop observation protocols aligned to these practices. This dissertation addresses this problem with three distinct, yet interconnected, articles detailing the development of reading instruction observation protocols designed to provide accurate teacher evaluations and feedback to improve reading instruction for students with disabilities. Each protocol is part of the larger Recognizing Effective Special Education Teachers (RESET) observation system. The first article explains the framework that was applied to develop both the observation system and an explicit instruction observation protocol. The second and third articles describe the development of a comprehension and a decoding instruction observation protocol. Development included a comprehensive review of literature and rigorous testing. Results indicate the explicit instruction, comprehension, and decoding instruction protocols will provide reliable evaluations of a teacher’s ability to implement instruction consistent with practices most effective for students with disabilities. Implications for practice and further research are discussed.

scholarly journals Remote Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic for Students with Learning Disabilities: Challenges and Opportunities

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Egija Laganovska ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
General Education ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Students With Learning Disabilities ◽  
School Year ◽  
Remote Learning

The situation in general education in Latvia has changed since the spring semester of 2020. On the 13th of March 2020 Latvia temporarily introduced remote training at all stages of education. The government regularly monitored the spread of the COVID-19 virus and the number of infections, so restrictions in different areas have changed frequently. Educational institutions for students of 1st–12th grade (ages 6–17) in the 2020/2021 school year worked under fluctuating circumstances, and most of the learning process took place remotely. For most of the 2020/2021 school year, teaching and learning were thus largely based on technology and online teaching. The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on various aspects of life, such as the economy, education, and social life. This time has led to challenges as well as opportunities for students, teachers, and parents. It has also affected the learning process for students with learning disabilities. For grades 1–12, the Individualised Education Plan (IEP) was developed in Latvia for students with learning disabilities. The IEP had to be adapted to the broader situation, and to work towards its betterment special education teachers participated in the preparation and organisation of the IEP. The aim of this study is to explore the opinions of special education teachers and to examine what support measures are provided for students with learning disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. What are the challenges (barriers, obstacles) and what are the opportunities (benefits) of remote learning? Our research methods involved a literature analysis, a survey of special education teachers from Latvia, and a data collection effort and analysis. The study was conducted by distributing questionnaires via Google Forms. During this research, 70 special education teachers were surveyed.

Teacher-Selected Strategies for Improving Homework Completion

1998 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 263-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanis Bryan ◽  
Karen Sullivan Burstein
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Students With Learning Disabilities ◽  
Homework Completion

Three studies are reported in which we worked collaboratively with teachers across a 2-year period to systematically assess strategies to improve spelling and math homework completion and weekly quiz performance. Eleven elementary and special education teachers sorted 123 students into four groups: (a) students with learning disabilities and homework problems, (b) students with learning disabilities and no homework problems, (c) average-achieving students with homework problems, and (d) average-achieving students without homework problems. Teachers reviewed the extant research on homework, selected homework strategies, designed the methods by which they would implement and evaluate the effects of introducing the strategies to students, and evaluated the results. Three strategies resulted in significant increases in homework completion: (a) giving students real-life assignments (i.e., assignments that connected homework to events or activities in the home) plus reinforcements, (b) using homework planners, and (c) graphing homework completion. The interventions benefited students with learning disabilities and avaerage-achieving students with homework problems more than it did the average-achieving students with no homework problems. Two years following the end of the study, the team continues to use homework planners and graphing on a regular basis, and continues to work as a team on other projects.

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