Team+Teaching

**Team Teaching**


Team teaching is a type of co-teaching that is seen in numerous forms throughout both mainstream and special education facilities. In regards to the special education setting, team teaching involves two teachers – one general and one special education – having dual responsibility over a class where they share the planning, assessing and teaching process (Gayton, 2010). Team teaching is an effective method of catering for and including students with special/additional needs into mainstream classes of any year level, however, it has been found to be particularly beneficial for inclusion of special/additional need students in high school settings (Linz et al., 2008).

Drummond (1961) found that there are five broad types of team teaching, and these can be utilised in many ways and across many KLA’s to include students with special/additional needs:
 * 1) A hierarchy of teaching assignments
 * 2) Team teaching across departmental lines
 * 3) Part or full time helpers
 * 4) Coordinate or co-teaching
 * 5) Trading groups.

Taylor & Olsen (1964) found that for students with intellectual and emotional disabilities, problems with sensory perception and students who lack physical co-ordination can see benefits in regards to higher order thinking and functioning when exposed to a team teaching model. In an inclusive mainstream classroom, team teaching supports students with learning disabilities through its focus on collaborative teaching and learning, as no one student or group of students are perceived to be superior (O’Rouke, 2009).

Gugach & Wesson (1995) found that students are able to see and learn from the teachers modelling co-operation, conflict resolution and problem solving, with Linz et al., (2008) finding that special/additional needs students who witness the teaching team publically correcting mistakes, helps to show and teach these students that it is appropriate to correct mistakes and that everyone, teachers included, are human and make mistakes too. This helps to foster a more supportive and inclusive classroom.

Through working with multiple teachers, students with special/additional needs are able to improve and develop their social skills, which in many cases are delayed for students with autism spectrum disorders (Taylor & Olsen, 1964). Team teaching further allows a greater deal of flexibility than other teaching methods, which provides teachers with opportunities to adapt lessons, curriculum and class grouping to best suit the ‘human’ element of students with special needs (Taylor & Olsen, 1964).

Welch (2000) found that team teaching resulted in an increase in positive student behaviour and a decline in the need for discipline within the classroom. It was also found that in a structured classroom situation, teachers had more time to work with students one on one, and the time that students were waiting for assistance was decreased (Gugach & Wesson, 1995).

Due to the highly collaborative nature of team teaching, teachers are able to gain a thorough understanding of each student, allowing then to tailor their classes so students are able to feel a sense of belonging and recognition, while assisting them to reach their potential (Taylor & Olsen, 1964).

However, due to the increased chance of conflict, teachers need to plan together and know how they are going to interact in the class, they need to share similar philosophies about classroom management and student expectations and on a personal level, they need to be compatible (Brenan & White, 2003). Due to the perceived experimental nature of team teaching, in many cases this overrides the potential for positive improvement in teaching and learning for special/additional needs students.

Brenan, C., White, R. (2003). Team Teaching in the Secondary Instrumental Music Classroom, //Music Educators Journal,// 89, 31. Drummond, H. (1961). Team Teaching: An Assessment. //Educational Leadership.// 19.3, 160-165. Gaytan, J. (2010). Instructional Strategies to Accommodate a Team-Teaching Approach. //Business Communication Quarterly,// 73.1, 82-87//.// Gugach, M., Wesson, C. (1995). Teachers’ and Students’ Views of Team Teaching of General Education and Learning-Disabled Students in Two Fifth-Grade Classes. //Elementary School Journal,// 95.3, 279-295. Linz, E., Heater, M., & Howard, L. (2008). Team Teaching High School Science: Game Plan for Success. //Teaching Exceptional Children Plus.// 5.2, 2-9. O’Rourke, J. (2009). The Perceptions of Secondary Teachers and Students about the Implementation of an Inclusive Classroom Model for Students with Mild Disabilities. //Australian Journal of Teachers Education.// 34.1, 23-41. Taylor, H., & Olsen, K. (1964). Team Teaching with Trainable Mentally Retarded Children. //Exceptional Children.// 30.7. Welch, M. (2000). Descriptive Analysis of Team Teaching in Two Elementary Classrooms: A Formative Experimental Approach. //Remedial and Special Education,// 24.6, 366-376.
 * Reference List**