Professional Documents
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Co Teaching
Co Teaching
ABSTRACT
The review aims to consider the theoretical approaches of collaboration and co-teaching,
motivational factors, pedagogical implications, and barriers, thus contributes to the
literature in the field. To that end, a literature search has been conducted from different
libraries and scholarly platforms, which included Medline, ERIC, PubMed, and Google
Scholar. The studies that have discussions on the implication of co-teaching or collaborative
teaching strategies were selected. A comprehensive scrutiny process was applied to filter
out relevant and quality studies. 12 articles, inclusive of original and review article, have
been finalized for systematic analysis. The selected articles have shown that positive
outcomes are closely associated with the collaborative teaching or co-teaching methods,
and have a closer relevance to the students’ and teachers’ achievements. Joint work,
teamwork, and co-teaching approaches also support the teachers for their professional
development and enhance their learning abilities. Moreover, the results have shown that
interest in co-teaching has been intensified considerably in most of the educational milieus
including special education to accommodate the students’ special needs. Collaborative and
co-teaching approaches play an important role in improving students’ strengths, beliefs,
and values, especially in the field of English language teaching, therefore, teachers who
are dissatisfied with the outcomes of traditional learning methods are willing to apply
collaboration and co-teaching models.
Keywords: Collaborative teaching, co-teaching, learning objectives, pedagogical implications, professional
development
INTRODUCTION
ARTICLE INFO Collaboration refers to a process of decision
Article history: making, joint planning, and problem
Received: 29 May 2017
Accepted: 11 July 2018 solving for the achievement of a similar
Published: 28 September 2018
goal. Similarly, co-teaching refers to the
E-mail address:
nghazzol@hotmail.com restructuring of teaching procedures, in
ISSN: 0128-7702
e-ISSN 2231-8534 © Universiti Putra Malaysia Press
Nahed Ghazzoul
which two or more educators; possessing limited scope. Therefore, the concept of
distinct sets of skills, work in a coactive and collaborative teaching and co-teaching has
coordinated fashion to jointly teach a group emerged to resolve current issues.
of students. The concepts of collaboration Collaborative teaching takes place
or co-teaching are not discussed widely when two or more teachers work together
within the educational sector. Therefore, to co-plan, co-instruct, and co-assess a
the attempts to apply the concepts of group of heterogeneous students to meet
collaboration and co-teaching is still new their needs (Dove & Andrea, 2017). It takes
at the global level despite the fact that place when a group of learning community
these concepts have been developed earlier. work together to achieve a common
Before the development of these concepts, goal to meet the needs of students in a
there were many traditional techniques and classroom. Co-teaching tends to illustrate
approaches that were used to gain maximum the complexity of the concepts by teaching
outcomes. Such traditional approaches in the in a collaborative environment. The teachers
academic domain are mainly used to target try their best to implement this approach
EFL students. in their teaching methods; despite of the
From the perspective of English language hurdles. Collaboration and co-teaching are
for EFL students; various traditional associated with the joint efforts of teachers
methods and models are applied to gain to retrieve effective academic solutions in
positive outcomes. Grammar Translation regards of existing problems or issues to
Method (GTM) is used for the analysis of achieve a common goal (Solis et al., 2012).
grammatical rules of the language. This Kison (2012) had presented a model
method provides learners with the ability in which the collaboration was discussed
to master grammar, vocabulary, and writing thoroughly. The model had mentioned that
skills. However, this model has also gained general and special education teachers
partial success. Afterwards, Direct Method should provide instructions to improve
(DM) is also applied within the educational collaboration in a single classroom. The study
sector. Direct Method emphasizes the showed that the inclusion of this effective
use of target language only (Richards method motivated teachers to continue
& Rodgers, 2014). However, issues of participating in co-teaching process. It
rigidity along with lack of comprehension also helped in identifying the factors that
have been raised after the application of were likely to interfere in the continuation
this method. Afterwards, the audio-lingual of co-teaching programs. Similarly, Kaur
method is applied, which has focused on (2017) had mentioned that teachers must
the memorization of a series of dialogues recognize and realize the learning mode
(Griffiths, 2004). Similarly, grammar-based of students; therefore, relevant approaches
and situational language methods are also must be taken into consideration for
applied; however, all of such methods have improving learning environment. Gabarre
2130 Pertanika J. Soc. Sci. & Hum. 26 (3): 2129 - 2143 (2018)
Collaboration and Co-teaching
and Gabarre (2010), had also supported proficient collaborators. The trend of
the use of collaborative teaching to assure applying collaboration and teamwork
better academic achievements of students, models is not new; however, its implication
and Fung (2011) had identified beneficial within educational settings in terms of
outcomes because of collaborative tasks. collaborative and co-teaching models
The rationale behind the development plays a major role in the development of
of pedagogical implications is mainly transformed students (Slavit et al., 2011).
associated with the future recommendations It is said that co-teaching or collaboration
to improve the educational processes. among teachers would be helpful for
Similarly, the analysis of the finalized the students to develop their skills and
articles is used to derive conclusive remarks capabilities by keeping their teachers as
about the significance of co-teaching or role models. While understanding the
collaborative teaching along with the concept that proficient collaboration could
motivational factors, which result in the be among teachers, co-teaching contributes
adoption of such strategies. Therefore, the to the implementation of student-centered,
present study has mainly focused on the innovative, and collaborative learning
theoretical approaches of collaboration and environment. This concept has been
co-teaching, as discussed in previous studies, genuinely supported by several studies
and thus, contributes to the literature in the (Slavit et al., 2011).
field by the scrutinized and quality studies In a similar context, the conceptual
it reviews and by the conceptual framework framework has also shown that responsive
it provides. Moreover, it has also attempted teaching along with a better engagement has
to discover what motivates teachers to four basic advantages, which entail that the
join and carry on with cooperative team educational sector must adopt the strategies
teaching by providing examples. The related to co-teaching or collaborative
study has further attempted to identify teaching. The four basic advantages mainly
the advantages along with the complexity include better environment within schools
that teachers may experience in their and classrooms, better learning opportunities
application of collaboration and co-teaching for the students, transformation of students
models. Further sections have provided after adopting positive behaviors from their
the conceptual framework, methodology, teachers and progressed educational sector.
review findings, and conclusion. All of these four key advantages have a
direct relevance to the educational goals that
Conceptual Framework are generally created by the governments.
Therefore, it is said that this conceptual
Teamwork plays a major role within any
framework would allow the investigators
organization to achieve respective goals
and other educationists to develop strategic
and objectives. Similar implications are
co-teaching or collaborative teaching
assured in the educational sector to have
strategies.
Pertanika J. Soc. Sci. & Hum. 26 (3): 2129 - 2143 (2018) 2131
Nahed Ghazzoul
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Collaboration and Co-teaching
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2134 Pertanika J. Soc. Sci. & Hum. 26 (3): 2129 - 2143 (2018)
Collaboration and Co-teaching
rationale behind the selection of the 12 supported the students to enhance their
articles is to identify theoretical approaches learning abilities.
of collaboration and co-teaching. Moreover, Liu and Tsai (2017) further mentioned
different factors along with the advantages that adoption of collaborative or co-teaching
of collaboration have also been identified. approach would improve students’ learning.
Preston and Barnes (2017) had indicated Ronfeldt, Farmer, McQueen et al. (2015)
that successful leadership was necessary had also supported the concepts, and
to be developed, which could be achieved concluded that collaboration approaches
through collaborative environment would be helpful for the teachers to have
within educational settings. Moreover, it better achievement gains. Miquel and Duran
is indicated that the implementation of (2017) had analyzed the implication of
collaborative teaching models requires a professional development and collaborative
variety of instructional arrangements as the program.
general education teacher works with the The study has mentioned that
special education teacher. Gast, Schildkamp collaborative program has a positive impact
and van der Veen (2017) had also mentioned on teachers’ learning, attitudes and concepts.
that the educational institutes must focus Therefore, the learning environment is
on team based professional development witnessed to be improved through the
of their teachers, which would increase the developed program. Moolenaar, Sleegers
level of the learning environment positively. and Daly (2011) stated that when teachers
De Rijdt, Stes, van der Vleuten et al. had better collaborative attitudes and well-
(2013) have highlighted that the lack of connected professional relationship with
promotion of collaborative or co-teaching colleagues and fellow teachers, they would
approach is due to lack of support from retrieve better students’ achievement.
the management or administration. Thus, Similarly, Slavit et al. (2011) concluded on
it is concluded that the transfer of learning the basis of the findings that honest team
could be improved through collaborative interactions, structural and instructional
approach. Heldens, Bakx and den Brok support from the principal, and discussion of
(2016) had mentioned that collaborative various students’ learning data have a direct
approach had a positive influence on the impact on better teachers’ development
development of better learning environment and students’ achievement. Likewise,
within schools, which was significantly Truijen, Sleegers and Meelissen et al.
helpful for the students to improve (2013) indicated that the significance of
their skills and capabilities. Similarly, task interdependence, transformational
Doppenberg, den Brok and Bakx (2012) leadership, and effective teamwork within
indicated that joint work, collaboration, educational domain was helpful for the
teamwork, and co-teaching approaches teachers to assure their regular work
would surely support the teachers for practices.
their professional development, and also
Pertanika J. Soc. Sci. & Hum. 26 (3): 2129 - 2143 (2018) 2135
Table 1
2136
Systematic review
3 Datnow Collaboration Qualitative The article has focused on Hargreaves’ ideas Collaboration approach
(2011) and contrived design related to teacher collaboration. Collaboration should be adopted by
collegiality: has both positive and negative outcomes; Hargreaves’ idea to gain
Revisiting however, there is a need to ensure that only positive educational Yes
Hargreaves positive educational benefits can be retrieved outcomes.
2137
2138
Table 1 (continue)
(2011) complex web. approaches within educational environment. that would assure Yes
Such characteristics include honest team students’ achievement.
interactions, structural and instructional
support from principal, and discussion of
various students’ learning data.
All of the selected articles in the table focus to gain positive educational outcomes.
have clearly shown that there are significantly It is also highlighted that the mode of
positive outcomes that are closely associated instructional delivery for students has
with the collaborative teaching or co- changed substantially, specifically among
teaching approaches. Cooperative team the EFL students. Therefore, different
teaching has been identified as a contributing strategies and methods have been designed
factor in the responsive teaching, which in to make language acquisition efficiently.
turn results in the professional development
of the students. The benefits of collaborative Pedagogical Implications of
teaching have a closer relevance to the Collaborative Teaching
students’ achievements as well. It is The core focus of this section is on the
identified that professional development pedagogical implications of the collaborative
of teachers through the implication of teaching or co-teaching approaches within
collaborative environment would certainly educational settings. Lin, Nix and Jeng
improve learning experiences of students, (2017) have indicated that teachers, having
which in turn be helpful for the progress of in-depth collaborative and co-teaching
educational sector. relationships, rarely wish to return to their
solitary teaching experience. This is because
Special Teaching Needs ESL/EFL classes would optimize successful
The special education teachers are likely co-teaching and collaborative environment
to be placed in a more subordinate role for all students. The education field currently
across different grade levels to address lacks a sufficient empirical database on the
students’ special issues. Datnow (2011) overall effectiveness of applying co-teaching
verified that Hargreaves’ idea should be approaches in general teaching classrooms
implemented, which is a better option (Moussu & Llurda, 2008). Similarly, lack
to improve learning experiences within of planning and reflection time, absence
classrooms. Hargreaves (1994)’s idea is all of training, refusal to change, differences
about the positive and negative outcomes in teaching methods, loss of teaching
of collaborative teaching. Its primary focus and classroom-teaching independence,
was on the reforms related to curriculum, personality conflicts, lack of administrative
organization, and methods of teaching. support, and fear of criticism have identified
These interventions are transformed into as certain limitations (Raywid, 1993).
healthy interactions within the classroom Collaborative and co-teaching
environment. It is necessary to understand approaches have been increasingly
the growth and development of teachers to developed to design activities for better
practice the changes within a broader culture learning, and improved comprehension of all
(Luo, 2014). Therefore, it is indicated that students. The collaborative and co-teaching
this idea should be applied with complete approaches are vital to improve students’
Pertanika J. Soc. Sci. & Hum. 26 (3): 2129 - 2143 (2018) 2139
Nahed Ghazzoul
2140 Pertanika J. Soc. Sci. & Hum. 26 (3): 2129 - 2143 (2018)
Collaboration and Co-teaching
efforts. Similarly, loss of teaching and intellectually disabled students is also vital
classroom-teaching independence can also to accommodate different needs of students
be avoided. The rate of misunderstanding in the general education classroom. Co-
within the academic domain can easily be teaching, is usually presented to develop
controlled through collaborative teaching. curriculum and educational strategies, which
Meanwhile, face-to-face interaction along has the tendency to meet diverse needs of
with positive interdependence would students with and without disabilities.
enhance the interactive communication An effective co-teaching program
among teachers, which will surely retrieve requires substantial amount of planning,
positive outcomes. Non-native ESL/EFL communication, and support. There should
teachers can also improve their processes be more prospects for participants to provide
and learning patterns through co-teaching their feedback and responses in an interview
efforts. Finally, lack of trust and poor format or open-ended answers through
communication can be easily avoided a survey. Future studies need to conduct
through collaborative teaching, which empirical research in general education
would improve students’ capabilities, and contexts about the value of applying them
help them achieve better learning outcomes. in ESL/EFL classes to optimize successful
co-teaching and collaborative environment
CONCLUSION for all students. Advanced research is
The study has mainly focused on the necessary within this context to highlight
theoretical approaches of collaboration more relevant outcomes along with the
and co-teaching, motivational factors, suggestions, and students’ interests to
pedagogical implications, and barriers. The improve the educational sector at its core.
interest of teachers in co-teaching has been
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