The effects of secondary special education preparation in reading: Research to inform state policy in a new era
Abstract
In this study, the authors present findings from a survey of 577 secondary special educators in a large Midwestern state regarding their reading pre-service and in-service teacher preparation and its effect on teachers’ sense of preparedness for teaching reading to adolescents with disabilities. Six models were fitted using multinomial logistic regression analyses. Results demonstrate the importance of two factors in preparing special educators who have a high sense of preparedness for teaching reading to adolescents with disabilities. The first is pre- service coursework that uses practice-based pedagogical approaches as opposed to passive lecture and the second is more extensive in-service professional development. The results are discussed in light of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and its delegation of teacher preparation policy to state education agencies. Implications for future research and policy in special education teacher preparation are provided.
Reference
Knackstedt, K. M., Leko, M. M., & Siuty, M. B. (2018). The effects of secondary special education preparation in reading: Research to inform state policy in a new era. Teacher Education and Special Education, 41(1), 70-85. DOI: 10.1177/0888406417700960
Journal
Teacher Education and Special Education
Analysis
Is this article part of a larger project or series of studies?
no
Does this study draw on a large, preexisting data set?
no
Research Approach
Geographic Setting
Institutional Context
Certification Level
Programatic Focus
Research Location Context
Preservice Participants
Preservice Sample Size
0
Other Participant Data
- Special Education Teachers
Duration of Data Collection
Data Sources
Data Analysis Tools
- multinominal logistic regression analysis
Researcher Positionality
- Outside (not directly invested in the program or operations)
Research Questions
1. Do pre-service teacher education courses and/or in-service teacher preparation experiences in reading increase secondary special educators' sense of preparedness for teaching reading to students with disabilities and adolescents?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes
2. What pedagogical attributes of pre-service and in-service teacher preparation increase secondary special educators' sense of preparedness for teaching reading to students with disabilities and adolescents?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes