Committee Formation

One of the first steps in transitioning to a co-teaching model for EL instruction is to form a co-teaching committee within a school (or begin with one co-teaching partnership) (Cook & Friend, 1995).

Invite stakeholders (administrators, EL teachers, classroom teachers, parents, etc.) to join (Cook & Friend, 1995)

Promote school-wide consistency

• Create a mission and vision statement that promote inclusion (Honigsfeld & Dove, 2015b)
  • Consider using this "Indicators of Successful Inclusive Schools" checklist (Beninghof, n.d.)
• Develop a common definition of co-teaching (Cook & Friend, 1995; Murawski & Bernhardt, 2015)
• Determine goals, objectives, and outcomes for co-teaching (Cook & Friend, 1995)
• Establish success criteria or "look fors" of effective co-teaching
  • Consider using this "DELIVER Instruction for Integrated ESL/ENL Classes" assessment tool (Honigsfeld & Dove, 2015c)
  • Consider using this "Co-Teaching Observation and Reflection" assessment tool (Beninghof, n.d.)
• Foster the promotion of literacy across all subject areas (Honigsfeld & Dove, 2015b)
• Specify common language across the curriculum (Haring & Kelner, 2016)
• Ensure alignment between what ELs and their peers are learning (Honigsfeld & Dove, 2015b)

Consider which students might benefit from participation in co-taught classrooms (Cook & Friend, 1995)

Inform staff members about the transition to the co-teaching model (Cook & Friend, 1995)

• Provide staff members with information on how their roles and responsibilities might change (Cook & Friend, 1995)

Be prepared to answer questions (Cook & Friend, 1995)

• Cook & Friend (1995) encourage committee members to "[assume] all questions stem from concern about student success rather than general resistance to change" (n.p.).
• Questions may be related to
  • the impact of co-teaching on students who are not ELs (Cook & Friend, 1995)
  • whether or not rigor will be lowered as a result of co-teaching (Cobb Morocco & Mata Aguilar, 2002; Cook & Friend, 1995)
  • the purpose of co-teaching (Cook & Friend, 1995)
  • role changes (Cook & Friend, 1995)
  • inclusion (Cook & Friend, 1995)
  • amount of service time for ELs (Cook & Friend, 1995)
  • staffing (Cook & Friend, 1995)
  • scheduling (Cook & Friend, 1995)
  • finding planning time (Cook & Friend, 1995)

Inform parents or guardians about the transition to the co-teaching model (Cook & Friend, 1995)

Consider how to formatively and summatively assess the co-teaching program within the school (Cook & Friend, 1995)

• Adjust goals and objectives when needed (Cook & Friend, 1995)
• Create a plan for monitoring progress (Cook & Friend, 1995)

Collect Feedback

• Have parents, students, teachers, administrators, and community members share their input (Murdock, Finneran, & Theve, 2016)