Co-Teaching Strategies

Approaches

Definition
One teacher observes one
or more students to take
data for analyzation. The
other teacher will lead in
the lesson.

One teach One observe

Station

The content is divided

between the teachers and
the students. Each teacher
leads a different station. The
students will rotate
between the three stations
so they get an opportunity
to work with each teacher
and to work independently.

When to use this method

During a hard topic to
see where students are
struggling and what
needs to be retaught
The observer can look
at a specific students
behavior or observe
the teacher to take
data
Good for gathering info
on a student or each
other to make changes
for the future

One station for each

professional working in
the room and one
independent station
High instructional
intensity with teacher
and small groups
It helps kinesthetic
learners and
individualization

Cautions
Only one teacher is
teaching
The method tends to be
used too often
It only works if the
teachers are comfortable
with each other

Must be orderly
High noise level
Need to practice
transitions
Pacing
Time
Students must have the
ability to work
independently

The class is divided in half

and the teachers work with
half of the class. Both
teachers will teach the same
content at the same time.

Parallel

One teacher will take a

small group to the side to
work with them for a few
minutes or for an entire
lesson.

Alternative

Split class in half and

teach the same content
to both groups
Mix special education
and general education
students
Good for small groups
and monitoring
behavior challenges
Shared responsibility
and accountability by
teachers

Teacher takes a small

group to the side to go
over information in a
different way due to
absence, low achieving,
or high achieving
academic levels
Pre-teaching, reteaching, or skills
assessments

Talking over one another

Space
Mastering the content
Pacing and timing needs
to be the same between
both professionals
Evenly mixing special
education and general
education students
between the two groups

Singling students out

Negative connotation of
the group
Must think about varying
purpose of the group

Teaming

Both teachers are working

together during the lesson
to teach the material. Both
teachers speak freely to
share their views on the
topic.

As one teacher is leading

the lesson, the other will be
walking around the room to
provide assistance to
students who may need it.

One teach One assist

Teachers work together

to teach lessons. They
can bring different
methods during the
lesson
They can differentiate
for complex material
Varying points of view
in the lesson and they
can express each
teachers point of view
Students that need
one-on-one attention
on an impromptu basis
One teacher is
comfortable with the
material to teach; the
other can get to the
kids one-on-one to see
how they understand
the information
Assistant can actively
ask questions to clarify
information with the
teacher

Make sure both teachers

have the same goals
Effectively take turns
Lose instructional
intensity because the
teachers are both focused
on teaching

MOST OVERUSED
METHOD
Keeping partnership
Only when necessary
because one teacher may
seem like an aide
Should never be the
primary approach