Supervising and Coaching Special Education Teachers
Artifact Date: January 29, 2025
Course: EAD 530
Rationale: This artifact aligns with ELCC 3 by focusing on resource management in special education classrooms, such as accommodations, behavioral plans, and tiered interventions. This ensures that instructional time is focused on meeting the needs of all students, particularly those with disabilities
For this field experience I prepared to conduct the pre-conference portion of the coaching cycle. In this meeting expectations are clarified, objectives are identified, and insights into students’ needs are shared. An instructional leader can support the teacher by asking the right questions that encourage reflection. The questions in this document touch on key components of lesson planning, student support, and differentiation in the context of a special education classroom.
Lessons and Student Needs
An effective place to begin the dialogue is to ask questions regarding learning objectives, standards alignment, activities, and assessment. “What are the learning objectives for today’s lesson, and which state standards are being addressed?” An expected response is a description of the learning goals and how they align to standards. The teacher will explain how each activity is designed to meet the objectives.
Because students in special education will have Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), accommodations, and modifications, it will be important to ask how the teacher plans to adjust the lesson to each of their students’ needs. “How do your students IEPs come into play in your lesson plan?” Teachers
Researchers argue that Special Education classes deserve as much academic rigor as general education (Lawson et al., 2017). “Can you describe how you will check for understanding throughout the lesson?” The teacher will explain the use of formative assessments or a summative assessment and exit ticket.
Differentiation
Whether general education or special education, differentiation is core to the teaching process. Because of the diverse needs of students in a SPED classroom, leaders should ask questions that identify the teacher’s plan to address those diverse needs. “How do you plan to differentiate?” and “What strategies will you use to support students who need more support?” Anticipated responses to these questions might mention tiered tasks, small group work, or assistive technology. These questions allow a teacher to explain their plan for meeting student needs. Research indicates that with emerging technologies, differentiation may be enhanced for students with exceptionalities (Zhang et al., 2024).
Struggling Students
An important part of instructional planning is anticipating and planning for student struggles. Whether specific content struggles or student behaviors, a well-planned lesson takes these into account. Questions I would ask is: “Is there a part of the lesson that students might find challenging?” “Which students do you anticipate might struggle during the lesson, why?” These questions help a coach learn the possible pain points to look out for in the observation. Another useful question is “What additional supports or interventions do you have planned?” This question provides the teacher with an opportunity to outline interventions such as additional time, peer tutoring, or modified assignments. The coach’s role is to support the teacher in refining strategies to ensure that interventions are both immediate and sustained throughout the lesson.
Expected responses include identifying students who may struggle due to specific disability or language barriers. They might explain strategies such as providing extra time, small group instruction, or other accommodations.
Prior Knowledge
Effective lesson planning builds from students’ existing knowledge base and builds from that foundation (Gagne, 2018). The question, “How did you assess student’s prior knowledge before this lesson?” helps determine if the teacher has conducted any pre-assessments or informal checks for understanding. Asking “What prior skills or concepts do students need to grasp to meet the lesson objectives?” helps the teacher make connections between what students already know and the new content they will be introduced to.
Expected responses include informal assessments such as a pre-test or review of previous assignments. The teacher may also explain their scaffolding strategies they will use to meet students where they are and build on their existing knowledge.
Classroom Management
Classroom management is essential to a productive lesson. One useful question I would ask is “What classroom strategies have you found effective for your students.” Additionally, I would ask the question “Are there any behavior intervention plans for specific students, how do you plan to implement them?” This helps ensure that the teacher has a plan for addressing behavioral needs. Studies emphasize the importance of a proactive approach to behavior management.
Expected responses to these questions include an explanation of their classroom routines and procedures and description of behavioral intervention plans. The teacher may also highlight strategies for maintaining engagement.
References
Gagne, R. M. (2018). The conditions of learning and theory of instruction (4th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Lawson, J. E., Knollman, G. A., San Francisco State University, & University of South Florida. (2017). Evaluating special education teachers: school administrators’ perceptions of the process. Journal of Special Education Leadership, 30(1), 6.
Zhang, L., Carter, R. A., Bernacki, M. L., & Greene, J. A. (2024). Personalization, individualization, and differentiation: What do they mean and how do they differ for students with disabilities? Exceptionality, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/09362835.2024.2446219