Supporting learning for all students through co-teaching

Co-teaching is a dynamic service-delivery option that allows two or more certified educators to share responsibility for meeting the needs of a diverse group of learners in the classroom. This inclusive model supports learning for all students, regardless of ability or background. On the final morning of the AFT TEACH conference, attendees of the session “Better Together: Unlocking the Power of Co-Teaching” explored the benefits and challenges of co-teaching for students, educators and schools.

The session was facilitated by Elaine Bernal, a special education teacher from the Southwest Suburban Federation of Teachers in Illinois, along with Carol Foley, a middle school English co-teacher, and Jen Emrich, an eighth-grade special education co-teacher, both from the Neshaminy Federation of Teachers in Pennsylvania. They began by discussing misconceptions about co-teaching and exploring how differentiated instruction strategies make the model most effective to meet students’ wide-ranging needs and interests. Through regular co-planning, co-instructing and co-assessing, educators can tailor lessons to ensure that each student has meaningful learning opportunities and ample support to succeed.

Co-teaching models

Facilitators highlighted several models of co-teaching, each offering unique advantages. For example, “one teaches, one observes” allows one teacher to lead instruction while the other gathers real-time student data to support instructional decisions. In parallel teaching, co-teachers divide the class and teach the same material to smaller groups, increasing student engagement. Station teaching, a planning-heavy model, is ideal for differentiating instruction and conducting enrichment activities, while team teaching involves co-teachers delivering instruction simultaneously. Through a matching activity, attendees learned that no single model fits all co-taught classrooms or lessons. Co-teachers should determine which model best fits students’ needs and remember that each  requires partnership, planning and time to implement successfully.

Co-teaching benefits everyone

The facilitators summarized research showing the wide-ranging benefits of co-teaching. For students, the co-teaching model promotes personalized learning, peer interaction, increased classroom engagement and greater self-confidence. Students with disabilities or who need additional support receive more targeted instruction in functional and academic tasks, leading to increased independence. General education students also benefit from the collaborative learning environment, with slight improvements in reading and math performance. Multilingual learners gain simultaneous access to English language development and content instruction, going beyond what traditional pull-out services can offer. A strong co-teaching culture also promotes inclusivity, which is essential for fostering equity and social-emotional growth in the school community. And co-taught classrooms lead to reduced student behavioral and associated disciplinary issues.

Educators also benefit from the co-teaching model. It fosters growth through shared planning and instructional delivery, allowing educators to learn from one another. The reduced student-to-teacher ratio allows for more individualized student support and shared responsibility for classroom management and instruction.

Strategies for co-teaching success

Co-teaching requires intentionality. Establishing flexible routines, using tools like talking tokens or participation trackers and referring to all students as “ours” rather than “yours” or “mine” reinforces a culture of shared responsibility and equity. Effective communication, mutual respect, clear role definition and joint planning are foundational for success. Even just 15 minutes of daily planning can significantly improve instructional coherence and classroom management.

Co-teaching can present challenges, such as communication issues, classroom time constraints, financial constraints, and inconsistent or lack of administrative support and training. However, strong leadership, proactive planning and a shared commitment to student success help navigate these hurdles. The facilitators also emphasized that ultimately, co-teaching is a partnership. Challenges can be navigated by being honest and kind and working together for the students. Through intentional collaboration, equity-focused practices and shared dedication to student success, co-teaching transforms classrooms into learning communities where every student’s unique gifts and challenges are supported.

[Lesley Gonzalez]