A coaching partnership: resource teachers and classroom teachers teaching collaboratively in regular classrooms

The purpose of this study was to determine how resource teachers (n = 13) and classroom teachers (n = 12) experience a coaching partnership, in which both teachers work in the regular classroom to support students with special educational needs. The focus of the partnerships was to build classroom teacher capacity around inclusionary practices. Classroom teachers and resource teachers completed questionnaires about the partnerships and their impact. Results indicated that both groups of teachers found the partnerships to be valuable. The partnerships were supported by coaching principles, as well as relationship, attitudes, understanding of students, and time spent together. Benefits of the model included increased support for students; increased learning for students; learning of different approaches, for classroom teachers and resource teachers; shared responsibility for students, between classroom and resource teachers; feeling more valued, for resource teachers; and seeing a model of collaboration, for students, teachers and the community.     

The Regular Education Initiative and opinions of regular classroom teachers

The Regular Education Initiative (REI) has been gaining momentum. However, the movement has not escaped criticism. One of the criticisms is that regular classroom teachers' views regarding many of the beliefs or assumptions of the REI are unknown. The present study was undertaken to provide this type of data. Ninety-four regular classroom teachers in northwest Iowa were asked to agree or disagree with a series of statements on the REI position. The results showed general disagreement with the statements, suggesting that the respondents do not share similar concerns or beliefs regarding the current delivery of special education services. Implications of the results with respect to implementation of the REI are discussed.     

Supporting primary school teachers in differentiating in the regular classroom

Many primary school teachers experience difficulties in effectively differentiating in the regular classroom. This study investigated the effect of the STIP-approach on teachers' differentiation activities and self-efficacy, and children's learning outcomes and instructional value. Teachers using the STIP-approach for their science lessons were compared to teachers using their regular programme. 16 teachers and 306 children were observed and received questionnaires at four different times. Results show that using the STIP-approach resulted in more differentiation in task, content, and process. Moreover, children of STIP-teachers who showed many types of differentiation activities learnt more than children of STIP-teachers who differentiated less.     

Collaborative classroom practice for inclusion: perspectives of classroom teachers and learning support/resource teachers

Collaborative practice is integral to effective inclusion. Within schools, teacher collaboration can foster communities of practice through a series of professional relationships that enhance the educational experience and learning outcomes of pupils with special educational needs (SEN). In Ireland, Learning Support Teachers (LSTs) and Resource Teachers (RTs) provide additional support to the increasing numbers of children with SEN in mainstream classrooms. Working alongside Classroom Teachers (CTs), this tripartite of teaching expertise represents an opportunity for whole-school and classroom-based approaches to successful collaborative, inclusive practice.

This article describes the perceptions and experiences of collaborative practice between primary CTs, RTs and LSTs in a cohort of primary schools in the West of Ireland. Using a mixed methods approach, the study sought to establish the nature and extent of collaboration amongst these teachers and to identify the benefits and barriers to implementation.

The findings suggest that whilst teachers are increasingly aware of the value of collaboration, its implementation is largely aspirational, with a series of challenges relating to time constraints, ad hoc planning and limited professional development opportunities most commonly identified as constraints to a consistent approach. The article considers the consequences of this shortfall and options for improved engagement between teachers are identified.     

Inclusion: identifying potential stressors for regular class teachers

This research investigates the potential stressors for teachers during inclusion. The study reports findings from 571 Queensland primary school teachers who were involved with including a child with a moderate or severe intellectual disability in their regular classrooms. Teachers who responded to the Teacher Stress and Coping Questionnaire (TSC) did not appear to be overly stressed by inclusion. Issues that related to a teacher's professional competence and the behaviour of the child with the intellectual disability were the most stressful for teachers. Female teachers reported greater stress than their male counterparts when coping with classroom issues. An increase in number of years involved with inclusion and participation in formal training were associated with a reduction in stress. Discussion focuses on the need to identify potential stressors during inclusion to enable more appropriate preservice and inservice training and support to be provided.     

Classroom management: Approaches of regular education teachers and learning disability resource teachers

The approaches to classroom management of classroom teachers and learning disability resource teachers were examined. Significant differences in overall approach to classroom management were indicated, with classroom teachers displaying a more sensitizing (punitive) approach to classroom management. Classroom teachers pursuing graduate training in learning disabilities, as compared to elementary education or reading, displayed a significantly less sensitizing approach to classroom management.     

Building student-teacher relationships and improving behaviour-management for classroom teachers

Teachers can at times view behavioural intervention procedures as time-consuming. Thus, socially-valid classroom-based interventions are a critical component to behavioural success. This study examined the effects of traditional behavioural interventions with two kindergarten students presenting with challenging behaviours, including aggression, tantrums and noncompliance. Notably, it was found that traditional behavioural procedures were not sufficient to substantially reduce the behaviours alone. Therefore, a relationship-building component was added to target positive student-teacher relationships. Student outcomes resulted in a significant reduction in challenging behaviour as well as teacher-reported behaviours showing a reduction across all measured periods. Ongoing teacher consultation, increased student-teacher relationships (STRs) and use of effective classroom management strategies are necessary for effective models of behaviour support.     

An analysis of factors related to the attitudes of regular classroom teachers toward mainstreaming mildly handicapped children

A model of factors was developed in order to examine variables that might be associated with the attitudes of regular classroom teachers toward mainstreaming mildly handicapped children. Using multiple linear regression analyses, the following variables were found to be significant predictors of a positive attitude toward mainstreaming: team-teaching, years of teaching experience (negative correlation), course in diagnosing learning and behavior problems, availability of resource teacher, previous special education teaching experience, number of courses taken in special education, number of students in classroom (25–27), and inservice program experience related to exceptional children. An examination of these predictors suggests that they may be used to select those regular educators who are likely candidates for implementing mainstreaming programs and that school systems can inhance their mainstreaming efforts by arranging the integration settings to conform with these predictors of positive attitude.     

教师在课堂上必须正确理解的三因素

教师的课堂观念必须是正确的，否则，越是高强度的课堂教学行为就越容易戗害教学本身。教师课堂观念是多方面的复合体，从教育心理学的角度讲，其核心是理解和把握三个因素，即学生、学习过程和学习情境。...     

Pre-service teachers undertaking classroom research: developing reflection and enquiry skills

This paper reports on the development of reflectiveness and research skills in eight pre-service teachers, through their participation in a funded research project to develop the handwriting of children with literacy problems. The project aimed to analyse the reflections of the trainee teachers participating in an authentic research study and to consider what this reflection on practice might offer to the education of teachers in the current UK training context. The context for the paper was a project which engaged pre-service trainee teachers in researching the proposition that automaticity in handwriting plays a role in facilitating composing processes and that the automaticity of early writers can be trained. Some outcomes of the project for pupils are reported. The focus in the present paper is, however, on the participating trainee teachers and the paper suggests that conducting research was a significant learning event for these pre-service teachers and that, through working together, they were able to analyse their development as researchers and their learning during the research process. At a time when the English government views teacher training as a method of school improvement and the effectiveness of training is measured through its immediate impact on pupil outcomes, this study offers an example of how shared research can offer positive learning outcomes for pupils, develop the reflective thinking of pre-service teachers through researching a real problem, and develop links across a range of school and university settings.     

Potential classroom stressors of teachers: An audiovisual and physiological approach

The number of teachers leaving their professions due to high levels of stress is a growing worldwide concern. Previous psychological and physiological research has already identified potential classroom stressors: low student engagement and motivation, negative teacher-student relationships and interactions, as well as teacher-centered activities. The current study extends this research by examining the frequency and intensity of these stressors during actual classroom teaching. The heart rates of 40 teachers were recorded throughout one real-life classroom lesson as a proxy for teacher stress. Heart rate measurements were used to select potentially stressful and non-stressful classroom situations. We transcribed the interactions during these situations and coded the stressors according to the previously mentioned stressor categories. Multilevel regression analyses were conducted to predict teachers' heart rates based on the occurrence of classroom stressors. Students’ low engagement and motivation, as well as teacher-centered activities, significantly predicted an increased heart rate. However, pronounced differences were observed between teachers in what they experienced as stressful. This points to significant individual differences in teacher stress triggers and processes. Implications for research and practice are discussed.