Disabilities | Free Full-Text | Using Action Research to Develop a Professional Development and Coaching Package for Educators within Inclusive Reading Instruction

3.3. Research Question 4

Usability of the instructional materials was also rated very high. In open-ended comments, the educators reported the workshop to be informative and motivating.

Today was great, informative and inspiring as the new school year is about to begin.

It’s a great purpose and I’m honored to take part in causing positive change for students who need differentiation in learning. The team is very knowledgeable and I feel confident in getting support to participate.

Modeling of the strategies was noted to be especially helpful. Some educators reported wanting more examples of adapting general education reading content and practice (including coaching observation and feedback) with the strategies.

Seeing the modeling and hearing examples was helpful.

I enjoyed having time to practice with peers. It helped to clarify the strategy and getting direct feedback from the coaches was helpful.

I may need more practice in literacy lessons.

Different ways to model certain tasks if one way is not working effectively.

Wish I knew more about adapting content.

The continued support and feedback from Mr. [coach] has made a world of difference regarding the implementation with the Attainment curriculum.

Just need to continue to practice SLP technique

The continued feedback and support about SLP that I am receiving has been perfect.

It’s difficult to take data in that tiny little box. To be honest data is hard to take while teaching. I think I need to video tape more and look back to see where the kids struggle to give accurate data and see where my prompting is falling short. I like when we had the hand held devices to record data because it was faster.

Comments indicated that teachers needed more assistance in how to co-plan with their teaching partner, adapting grade-level texts, and pacing of lessons. Both special and general education teachers commented on how much they liked to receive the coaching and shared their excitement at the progress made by the students

I’ll need more coaching on planning with my co teacher

I need more support in adapting grade level texts

Being able to interact more with the students who visit our gen ed classroom and planning the pacing of my lesson to benefit them but also remain on pace with district expectations.

My students made AMAZING growth in both settings. I don’t have words to describe how great this program is.

The participants attended a focus group interview at the end of Phase 1. The educators indicated they could apply the EBP procedures in other subjects, and the curriculum was easy to modify for all levels of students.

I can definitely apply these techniques in my classroom in other subjects as well. Transferable.

ELA curriculum is easy to modify for all levels of students.

Comments made in the focus group supported the mid-phase survey findings indicating that extra practice during and after the training was perceived as necessary. The educators reported that students enjoyed reading the chapter books and supporting visuals and were motivated to participate in group reading instruction. Educators noted students that were previously typically unengaged appeared eager to participate in these lessons. Educators reported being surprised and pleased by students’ ability to look back at the book to find the answers and locate key vocabulary.

Students love the chapter books and reading. Students are motivated to participate group reading. We have had students that normally refuse to work who now want to participate in the lessons.

Students made new connections that I was not expecting.

Amazed by student’s skills, they look back at the book to find the answers, didn’t know they could do that.

Regarding the EBP fidelity coaching, the educators reported they liked the coaching, including modeling and feedback. They noted feedback could have been more consistent between different coaches and documented in a format they could easily reference later. One educator indicated that the coach made her a better teacher and pushed her to do more. Elementary and middle schools’ educators noted it would be helpful to see each other’s materials.

Feedback has been great from coaches. Written feedback would be helpful to help me remember what we talked about. Quick follow up email. I thought my students’ level were low and they could not do higher tasks but it was nice to have someone to encourage me to push my students a little further.

We want to see to each others’ materials and their videos.

Focus group interview comments after Phase II were centered around planning, co-teaching, the impact of inclusion on special education and general education students, and future directions. Educators reported the need for a common planning time but were able to meet after school or collaborate digitally using a shared drive for materials. Additionally, general education educators reported that the time between the initial August training and students with ID going into the general education classrooms in January was too long.

Setting a time to meet share materials helps, but also need to work on the fly whenever we see each other.

We used Google drive for sharing lesson plans helps us to save time, Email, text.

Time btw training and going into for gen ed classrooms too long for the gen ed teachers. Forgot a lot from August.

Additionally, special education teachers indicated that the pace of the general education curriculum was challenging and if a lesson did not work out, there was no time to redo the lesson and then catch up. Some teachers felt the general education curriculum was not flexible enough given what they needed to do for the students with ID, and that units may be more beneficial than individual lessons.

Pacing with gen ed classroom is hard. If lesson not work out, no time to redo the lesson and then catch up.

Gen ed curriculum not flexible enough given what they need to do for students. No time to repeat lessons.

Better to plan a unit and not just lesson so see how everything fits.

Both general education and special education educators reported to enjoy co-teaching. They described using a range of effective strategies in the general education classroom including visuals, vocabulary mapping, answering five Wh questions and summarizing, peer supports, universal behavior strategies such as hand signals, highlighted vocabulary words, repeated storylines, picture response cards, graphic organizers, turn and talk opportunities for students who were verbal, and planning lessons in advance. One strategy in particular- turn and talk- did not work for every student and often required additional supports and practice.

I loved co-teaching; helped me understand special education. I was main instructor and [special ed teacher] monitored to help both gen ed and sped students as needed. Tag team approach. I liked having a 2nd teacher in the room.

Turn and talk does not work for every student. Some do not have needed communication and/or social skills.

Educators reported to perceive that most students with ID enjoyed going to the general education classroom and interacted with general education students outside the classroom. Prior to the students with ID joining their classes, several general education educators facilitated discussions with their students regarding differences in learning and empathy for others. They also recommended the students with ID visit the general education classrooms before going in for instruction and suggested having more time together in other school situations. They also reported that the general education students would ask when the students with ID would return, saw that learning could be difficult for some students, and talked about it to their parents. In future iterations of this model, teachers should consider strategies for introducing students and learning differences in a variety of settings so they can learn about each other prior to inclusive instruction.

Most special students love going general education class, two did not like it. One got used to it, but still anxious about it. The other is apathetic about it. All gen ed love them coming. They ask when they [sped] are coming back. Social interactions going very well.

It is necessary to teach gen ed students about the needs of sped students. Hold a meet and greet before coming into classroom. More time together in other school situations would be helpful.

General ed students see that learning could be difficult for some students. Students learn that they could teach special education students (turn and talk), build their confidence. Gen ed students (peer buddies) are paying more attention because they have to teach it to someone else. They are talking about it to their parents and everyone is very excited.