Co-Teaching Model Description Advantages Disadvantages

One Teach, One Assist One person would keep

primary responsibility for
teaching while the other
professional circulated
through the room
providing unobtrusive
assistance to students as
needed. One teacher
leads, the other teacher
adds visually and verbally
Content teacher provides
most instruction;
individual assistance
readily available. No co-
planning time. Any
specialist can do support
this model.
Greatest potential to be
abused and overused; one
teacher becomes
glorified aide. Doesnt
fully utilize expertise.
Styles may differ.
Teaming Both teachers share the
entire instructional
process. Both teachers are
delivering the same
instruction at the same
time.
Most integrated for
students. Fully utilizes all
expertise. Appropriate for
all grade and content
areas, very energizing.
Most time intensive. Loses
valuable instructional
strategy of grouping;
comfort level of both
teachers.
One Teach, One
Observe
Co-teachers can decide in
advance what types of
specific observational
information to gather
data. Afterward, the
teachers should analyze
the information together.
Monitoring of student
skills, ability to collect
data.
Potential to overuse;
should not be used in a
new co-teaching
partnership; may be seen
as a evaluation of
teacher leading instuction
Complementary
Instruction
General education teacher
focuses on curriculum.
Special education teacher
focuses on study, skills,
survival skills, and special
education strategies
through mini lessons or
input.
Good for related
professionals. Focused
expertise sets up
expectations that special
education will be provided
in general education
setting.
May slow down pacing.
Alternative Teaching In most class groups,
occasions arise in which
several students need
specialized attention. In
alternative teaching one
teacher takes
responsibility for the large
group while the other
works with a smaller
group.
Provides intense, small-
group instruction;
enrichment and
intervention
opportunities.
Small-group instruction
may be seen as equivalent
to a special education
classroom, special
education students are
over-identified to
participate in small group
instruction
Station Teaching One teacher works with
small group of students to
pre-teach, re-teach,
supplement or enrich
instruction while the other
teacher instructs large
group.
Students are taught
mastery of concepts.
Greater depth of
knowledge level. Use
When some students are
working in a parallel
curriculum. Focused
expertise
Impacting only a few
students with the
expertise of the specialist
Parallel Teaching Class is broken into two
heterogeneous groups.
Good student teacher
ratio.
Requires equal expertise.
Lots of planning time.
Each teacher takes a
group.
Interpreted from Beninghof, A. (2012) Co-Teaching that Works, www.Jossey-Bass.com