Purposeful Presence: Supporting Preservice Teachers’ Co-Teaching to Meet Student Needs

Abstract

Co-teaching continues to be a common method of instruction, allowing students with disabilities to engage in the general education curriculum. While there are numerous exemplars of excellent co-teaching, there is more that can be done to assist preservice teachers as they learn to bridge the gap between the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP), the co-teaching setting, and the specially designed instruction students with disabilities need to make progress on their IEP goals in co-taught settings. This article provides a reflective matrix which faculty can use to scaffold novice teachers through co-assessment, co-planning, co-instructing, and co-reflecting by linking IEP goals to specially designed instruction (i.e., evidence-based and high leverage practices) and co-teaching models.