1. Co-Teaching and Universal Design for Learning
Reaching Every Student Through Collaboration

2. What is Co-Teaching?
Co-teaching occurs when two or more certified teachers jointly deliver substantive instruction to a diverse, or blended, group of students in a single physical space.

3. Co-teaching
Co-teaching is a service delivery option for providing specialized instruction to which students with disabilities, those who are English language learners, or those who have other special needs are entitled while ensuring access to the general education curriculum in the least restrictive environment.

4. WHY Co-Teaching?
When students are taught in separate settings, they miss significant segments of instruction in the general education classroom. This can increase the intensity of their needs. Students have a difficult time generalizing what is learned in one setting to another. When professionals work together, they share their knowledge and skills and become more effective educators. Instruction can be richer, deeper, and tailored to each students’ needs. Students in co-taught classrooms have better opportunities to learn social, behavioral, and cultural norms.

5. Roles of Co-Teachers
General education teachers contribute content expertise
Specialists contribute expertise on many dimensions of the process of learning
Co-teachers share instructional responsibility and accountability for a single group of students for whom they both have ownership

6. Co-Teaching Models One Teach, One Observe Station Teaching
Parallel Teaching
Alternative Teaching
Teaming
One Teach, One Assist

7. One Teach, One Observe
One teacher leads instruction, the other teacher gathers data regarding students’ academic progress, behavior or social skills, or responsiveness to teacher directions
Data gathered should be used in instructional decision making
Web Sites/Electronic Resources
Google Sheets, classroom/
Apps
Class Dojo, Tally Counter, Psych Tools, Teacher’s Assistant Pro, Super Duper Data Tracker
Should be used for a short period of time but frequently
Recommended 5-10%

8. Station Teaching Teachers divide content and students
Each teacher teaches content to one group and subsequently repeats the instruction for other groups
Instruction content cannot be sequential; stations must be able to be completed in any order
Many variations of groupings are possible
Independent work/technology can be incorporated as a 3rd station
Instructional intensity increases with students working in small groups
Recommended 40%

9. Parallel Teaching Teachers divide class in two groups
Avoid creating a “high” and “low” group
Both teachers teach same information simultaneously
Both teachers must be comfortable with teaching the material
Allows for high-quality differentiation
Increases students’ opportunities to respond
Recommended: 30%

10. Alternative Teaching One teacher instructs the larger group
One teacher works with smaller group
Can be used for re-teaching or remediation, enrichment, pre- teaching, instructional make-up time, assessment of student learning, management of student behavior
To avoid stigma of pulling a small group to the back of a classroom, both professionals can teach small group
Recommended: 15%

11. Teaming Both teachers deliver same instruction at the same time
Also known as “tag team teaching” or “one brain in two bodies”
Activities can be engaging and exciting for students
Models collaboration for students
Some instructional intensity can be lost as a result of mostly large- group instruction
There is a risk of high level teacher talk
Recommended: %

12. One teach, One Assist
One teacher holds primary responsibility for instruction
Other teacher circulates room providing unobtrusive assistance
Used when new co-teachers are learning other’s teaching style
Research shows this is used most often but is the least effective
Students may gain a increased dependence on this assistance
Recommended: <10%

13. Planning Periodic face-to-face planning Electronic planning
Important, but should be period, directed towards data interpretations, analyze past instruction, plan future instruction
Electronic planning
Used to compliment face-to-face planning
*See planning resources on next slide
On-the-stop planning
Sometimes plans go awry. Have procedure in place for students to follow while you briefly meet to avoid loss of instructional time

14. Planning resources Evernote (evernote.com)
On-line Planbook (
Google shared calendar
Google docs
Trello

15. What is Universal Design for Learning?
Universal Design for Learning or “UDL” is a framework for collaboration. When added to the collaboration that is already established through co-teaching, UDL helps to ensure that all student in the class are involved in the learning process.
Universal design for learning (UDL) is a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. It is research based and research driven to continue to improve the goals for all students in their learning.

16. WHY UDL??
Universal design for learning (UDL) is a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. It is research based and research driven to continue to improve the goals for all students in their learning.

17. 3 ways to “draw” students in with UDL
Provide multiple means of Engagement---this allows learners to be purposeful and motivated.
Provide multiple means of Representation---this allows learners to be resourceful and knowledgeable.
Provide multiple means of Action and Expression---this allows learner to be strategic and goal directed.

18. AND GUESS WHAT???
You are probably doing this anyway and don’t realize it is UDL.
UDL is best practice for all classrooms!

19. VIDEO from Cast.org

20. Questions/Comments/Ideas
Information about co-teaching obtained from the 2017 CEC Conference
Presenter: Dr. Marilyn Friend