The Influence of Co-Teaching on Instruction and Second Language Acquisition in an Inclusive Classroom

Abstract

This project aims to support teachers, special educators, ESOL teachers and administrative staff who work with English Language Learners (ELLs). At Henry Hudson School in the Rochester City School District, ELLs are a growing population that are impacted by the implementation of co-teaching. Co-teaching provides collaboration and engagement of learning for both teachers and students. However, research has identified three main barriers that hinder the use of co-teaching which include limited planning time, conflicting assumptions of teachers, and a lack of adequate teacher preparation. The literature shows these barriers can be improved upon through grade level collaboration, implementation of co-teaching models, and teacher preparation through professional development. To address these problems, there will be a two-day professional development training for all the teachers and staff at the Henry Hudson School. The goal of this professional development is for educators to learn and successfully implement constructive co-teaching practices in the classroom through collaboration among grade level teams. Recommendations for further research and improvement include hosting professional development opportunities to improve co-teaching practices, and implementing monthly meetings with administration and grade level teams.