scholarly journals A Survey of School Administrators’ Training and Support Related to Evaluating Special Education Teachers

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janelle E. Rodl ◽  
Wes Bonifay ◽  
Rebecca A. Cruz ◽  
Sarah Manchanda
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Evidence Based Practices ◽  
Job Functions ◽  
Training And Support

School administrators are often responsible for observing and evaluating special education teachers. The current study examined the training school administrators received, their needed knowledge and supports, and their confidence in performing job functions related to special education teacher evaluation. A total of 929 school administrators in California completed a 26-item survey in which they reported the training they had received, the usefulness of the training for informing practice, and the confidence they felt in evaluating special educators. Results indicated that most school administrators did not have a background in special education, did not receive training related to evaluating special educators, and felt less confident evaluating special educators than general educators. School administrators, especially those without a background in special education, may need more training and support related to evaluating special education teachers during preparation and in the early years of administration. Training and support should focus on evidence-based practices for teaching- ing students with disabilities.

A Systematic Review of Meta-Analyses in Special Education: Exploring the Evidence Base for High-Leverage Practices

2021 ◽  
pp. 074193252110634
Author(s):  
Gena Nelson ◽  
Sara Cothren Cook ◽  
Kary Zarate ◽  
Sarah R. Powell ◽  
Daniel M. Maggin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Special Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Evidence Based Practices ◽  
Intensive Instruction ◽  
Disability Categories ◽  
Meta Analyses

It is crucial that special education teachers are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to improve outcomes for students with disabilities. Despite federal legislation and efforts of the field to identify and disseminate evidence-based practices for students with disabilities, it is uncertain whether all special education teachers provide instruction based on the best available research. To better prepare special education teachers, McLeskey et al. proposed 22 high-leverage practices (HLPs). We conducted this systematic review of meta-analyses to provide an initial investigation of the experimental evidence reporting on the effectiveness of the HLPs for students with, or at risk for, a disability. Results indicated the largest amount of evidence from meta-analyses related to intensive instruction, explicit instruction, and social skills, with few meta-analyses reporting on collaboration and assessment. The results highlighted disproportional evidence according to disability categories. Implications for future research, practice, and teacher education are discussed.

From Caring to Cared For

2019 ◽  
pp. 102-117
Author(s):  
Lindsey A. Chapman ◽  
Chelsea T. Morris
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Teacher Retention ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
Marginalized Populations ◽  
Practical Application

Special educators dedicate their careers to caring for one of the most vulnerable and historically marginalized populations of students despite often working in environments that do little to reciprocate this care. Amidst an ever-changing education landscape, special education teachers are becoming increasingly stressed, experiencing burnout at alarming rates, and far too frequently leaving the field altogether. In this chapter, caring school leadership is examined in the context of special education. The authors seek to bridge a theoretical stance with practical application to the field. Three necessary conditions for caring are discussed and specific “transactions of care” are recommended. The chapter concludes by upholding the idea that ensuring special educators feel cared for by school leaders has the potential to mitigate issues of poor working conditions, teacher retention, and consequently, promote positive outcomes for students with disabilities.

Improving Teaching Quality for Students With Disabilities: Establishing a Warrant for Teacher Education Practice

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-44
Author(s):  
Mary T. Brownell ◽  
Nathan D. Jones ◽  
Hyojong Sohn ◽  
Kristabel Stark
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Teacher Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Teaching Quality ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Education Practice ◽  
Teacher Workforce ◽  
Future Work

In the 2010 issue of Teacher Education and Special Education ( TESE), Sindelar and colleagues examined the current status of research on special education teachers and outlined future work necessary to improve the special education teacher workforce. In this article, the authors focus explicitly on Sindelar and colleagues’ charge to increase the quality of research on teacher education. They begin the article by conducting a literature review of all articles published in TESE from 2010 to 2019, examining papers focused on advancing theory, measurement, and practice in teacher education. They compare patterns in the research to the broader teacher education literature captured in seven special and teacher education journals. They conclude by discussing needs of the field going forward and provide some thoughts about how we might address those needs through a comprehensive research agenda—one that articulates a vision for how we might develop teaching quality at the intersection of general and special education.

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.

Visual Representation in Mathematics: Special Education Teachers’ Knowledge and Emphasis for Instruction

2016 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Delinda van Garderen ◽  
Amy Scheuermann ◽  
Apryl Poch ◽  
Mary M. Murray
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Research Design ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
Visual Representations ◽  
K 12

The use of visual representations (VRs) in mathematics is a strongly recommended practice in special education. Although recommended, little is known about special educators’ knowledge of and instructional emphasis about VRs. Therefore, in this study, the authors examined special educators’ own knowledge of and their instructional emphasis with VRs in mathematics for students with disabilities (SWDs) in Grades K-12. A total of 146 teachers (pre- and in-service) responded to an online survey. A mixed methods triangulation research design was utilized. Findings include the following: (a) teachers hold conceptions about VRs and the roles they serve in problem solving; their ideas, however, lack depth and are narrow in perspective; (b) what teachers emphasize about VRs to SWDs tends to match their own conceptions, but the explanations they provide for SWDs need expanding and refinement; and (c) given their narrow conceptions, VRs may be limited to a peripheral role in special educators’ instruction.

Administrative Pressures to Practice Unethically: Research and Suggested Strategies

2009 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 112-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Helton ◽  
Barbara Ray
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
School Counselors ◽  
School Psychologists ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
Ethical Reasoning ◽  
Situational Factors ◽  
Reasoning Strategies ◽  
School Based

Research indicates that school psychologists and special education teachers sometimes face pressures from school administrators to practice unethically. It includes quantitative and qualitative data on: School psychologists’ and special education teachers’ predictions of their responses to administrative pressures to practice unethically; personal and situational factors related to their predictions; errors in some respondents’ ethical reasoning; strategies for responding to pressures to practice unethically; and the ethical obligations shared by school psychologists, special educators, and school counselors in responding to these pressures. The purpose of the article is to increase school-based practitioners’ abilities to understand and cope successfully with administrative pressures to practice unethically.

scholarly journals Using Video Modeling and Video Prompting to Teach Conversational Skills to Students with Autism: A Consideration of Effectiveness, Practicality, and Acceptability

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-114
Author(s):  
Saeed Almalki
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Special Education ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Video Modeling ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Evidence Based Practices ◽  
Conversational Skills ◽  
Students With Autism ◽  
Training And Support

Many studies have been focused on video modeling and prompting as effective evidence-based practices to teach conversational skills to students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, few studies have focused on teachers who implement video modeling and prompting in their classrooms. This article aims to describe the experiences and perceptions of four special education teachers who have used video modeling and prompting with four autistic students for a semester in their classrooms. The participants were asked questions related to three main areas: effectiveness, practicality, and acceptability. Most of the teachers did not regard this intervention as an effective and acceptable way to teach conversational skills to students with ASD. Training and support was requested by all teachers to enhance the practicality of this intervention. Other important implications for researchers and teachers were identified.

Critical Look At The Contributions Of A Special Educator In Co-teaching Settings In A us Secondary School: A Case-study

2021 ◽  
pp. 41-53
Author(s):  
Bharti Tandon
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
Physical Space ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Professional Status ◽  
High Performing ◽  
Supportive Role ◽  
Diverse Student ◽  
Field Notes

Co-teaching occurs between two or more professionals who are actively involved in providing substantive instruction in a shared physical space to a diverse student population in inclusive settings. It is often compared to "professional marriage." Research has established various benefits o f co-teaching for children with and without disabilities, both socially and academically. In addition, co-teaching provides opportunities for general and special educators to collaborate and learn from each other's expertise. However, most o f the time special education teachers adopt a supportive role in co-teaching rather than one of equal professional status, thus highlighting the limited contributions of special educators in the instructional partnership. The focus o f the study was on the contributions and the roles of the special education teachers in co-teaching in content areas. Data sources were interviews; observations; artefacts and field notes. The characteristic of this high performing team, and the way their relationship evolved confirmed many o f factors that have been identified as contributing to successful co-teaching. The special education teacher contributed both in planning and in teaching biology; in addition to a supportive role, he also took a lead role in teaching, thus; providing meaningful learning experiences to both students with and without disabilities.

Reported Prevalence by Australian Special Educators of Evidence-Based Instructional Practices

2011 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Carter ◽  
Jennifer Stephenson ◽  
Iva Strnadová
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
North American ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Motor Training ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Evidence Based Practices ◽  
The North ◽  
Applied Behaviour Analysis

AbstractThis research examined the reported level of implementation of eight practices in a national sample of Australian special education teachers, replicating the North American study of Burns and Ysseldyke (2009). The 194 respondents reported extensive use of a number of evidence-based practices, such as direct instruction and applied behaviour analysis. Conversely, a number of practices that have very weak empirical foundations or can be considered disproven, such as perceptual-motor training and modality instruction, continue to be used at moderate-to-high levels. In addition, compared to their North American counterparts, Australian special education teachers used a number of evidence-based practices significantly less frequently and used perceptual-motor programs more frequently. Implications of these results are discussed.

Special Education Teacher Attrition and Retention: A Review of the Literature

2019 ◽  
Vol 89 (5) ◽  
pp. 697-744 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bonnie Billingsley ◽  
Elizabeth Bettini
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
General Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Teacher Attrition ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Research Priorities ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Teacher Shortages

High rates of attrition make it challenging for schools to provide qualified special education teachers for students with disabilities, especially given chronic teacher shortages. We synthesize 30 studies from 2002 to 2017, examining factors associated with special educator attrition and retention, including (a) teacher preparation and qualifications, (b) school characteristics, (c) working conditions, and (d) teacher demographic and nonwork factors. Most studies examined working conditions (e.g., demands, administrative and collegial supports, resources, compensation) among special educators who left teaching, moved to other positions, transferred to general education teaching, or indicated that they intended to stay or leave. The majority of researchers used quantitative methods to analyze national, state, or other survey data, while eight used qualitative methods. Our critique identifies both strengths and weaknesses of this literature, suggests research priorities, and outlines specific implications for policy makers and leaders.

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