A Collaborative Effort to Enhance Reading and Writing Instruction in Inclusion Classrooms

TLDR

The two schools recently restructured their special education program to include students with learning disabilities in general education classrooms full‑time. The study examined which components of professional development lead to successful implementation of reading and writing practices and discussed implications for teacher education. A year‑long researcher‑teacher professional development group with seven general education teachers taught four reading and writing practices, one during each nine‑week grading block, and included a next‑year follow‑up. Five of the seven teachers partially or fully implemented the practices during the nine‑week period, and sustained implementation was maintained by four teachers throughout the year, with three continuing high implementation into the next school year.

Abstract

A year-long researcher-teacher professional development group with a next-year followup was conducted with seven general education teachers from two elementary schools in a large urban school district in the southeastern United States. The two schools had recently restructured their special education program to include students with LD in the general education class full-time. Teachers were taught four reading and writing practices (one during each nine-week grading block). All but two of the teachers partially or completely implemented the practices during the nine-week period. Sustained implementation during the school year was maintained by four of the seven teachers, and three of the seven teachers continued high implementation of the instructional practices during the next school year. The components of successful professional development programs are discussed and implications for teacher education are offered.