An Exploratory Investigation of Intermediate Elementary Educator Reading Collaboration around the Instruction of Special Education Students

Abstract

Reading proficiency in the intermediate grades is a strong predictor of success in high school and beyond. However, the research indicates that lagging reading performance as early as 3rd grade is correlated to lower high school graduation rates. The connection between a lack of reading proficiency and negatively impacted graduation readiness is stronger for students with special needs. This exploratory qualitative research study aimed to understand the instructional challenges in planning effective literacy instruction for special education students in the intermediate grades (grades 3-5). The primary driver highlights the need to elevate the quality of intermediate elementary reading instruction for students with disabilities by addressing the interplay between the special educator and the general educator in effective collaborative planning. This study used focus groups/interviews and the short-cycle implementation of a structured collaborative planning protocol to engage educators in an intentional collaborative planning process focused on reading across a sampling of elementary schools within the target district. From this study, I hoped to learn whether there is a meaningful relationship between structured collaboration and the implementation of targeted literacy instruction for students with disabilities. While this study is small in scale, I learned that a collaboration support like the Strategic Collaboration Protocol can be influential in improving communication between the general education and special education teachers around the reading needs of students with disabilities. However, while the protocol appeared to improve collaboration around reading content accommodations for students with disabilities, it did not increase teaming around foundational decoding or comprehension instruction. This study also raised important questions about the variability in the implementation of accommodations, the foundational reading-skills training needed by intermediate educators, and the cultural shift needed to build buy-in for collaboration. The accompanying impact products – executive summary and invitational presentation – summarize the findings from the study and invite district leaders to initiate and join a Networked Improvement Community to continue the iterative improvement process with the Strategic Collaboration Protocol.