The authors consider the future of special education personnel preparation by responding to an overarching question: "What frameworks might teacher educators use as a basis to promote special education teacher effective performance now and in the future?" In answering this question, they summarize current trends in the context of…

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) recognizes the importance of special education teachers in the education of all children and youth. Special educators have always believed that children's individual learning needs should drive instruction; indeed, pedagogy is the heart of special education practice. One way to judge a special education…

The article examines issues related to the professional development of teachers. The presented material is structured according to four main themes: teacher self-assessment of their professional competence; their attitude toward traditional forms of training; their participation in events organized by the educational community and associations;…

"Innovative and Sustainable Teaching Methods and Strategies" project staff provided professional development to instructional faculty to enhance their attitudes, knowledge, and skills in meeting the diverse needs of students with disabilities. This practice brief describes one of the professional development programs, delivered over the course of…

Effective teaching skills consist of high levels of student engagement based on good classroom and time management skills; the ability to scaffold learning that is adapted to students' current levels of understanding; cognitively engaging students in higher-order thinking; and encouraging and supporting success. The research reported here suggests…

Reading difficulties and disabilities present serious and potentially lifelong challenges. Children who do not read well are more likely to be retained a grade in school, drop out of high school, become a teen parent, or enter the juvenile justice system. Building on the extant research and seminal studies, including the National Reading Panel and…

In this paper, we review various challenges in regard to educating children with and without disabilities from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds. The challenges discussed include (1) biased assessment that results in mis- or overrepresenting CLD students in special education, (2) difficulty distinguishing between disability…

As teacher quality becomes a central issue in discussions of children's literacy, both researchers and policy makers alike express increasing concern with how teachers structure and allocate their lesson time for literacy-related activities as well as with what they know about reading development, processes, and pedagogy. The authors examined the…

The issue of special needs and the English Language Learner is a complex and complicated one. It involves all of the issues that education for children with special needs has, such as legal issues, psychological issues, parental involvement issues, and the involvement of general education classroom teachers. These issues are intertwined with those…

Explains the lack of connection between the knowledge base that exists to improve the education of children with disabilities, and the practices of districts and professionals. Discusses the lack of teacher preparation and the difficulties that veteran teachers have in finding the time and energy to implement best practices. (CR)

A study of 128 general education teachers found that teachers' efficacy beliefs for instructing students with learning and behavior problems had a direct effect on their perceived success in instructing mainstreamed special education students. Teacher efficacy also mediated the influence of self-perceptions related to the quality of preservice…

Two groups of 35 special education teacher trainees from Caribbean nations rated the importance of a list of characteristics of effective teachers. Results suggest the value of a model of teacher education that integrates content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and practice in context. (DB)

Studies have examined the characteristics of excellent general and special education teachers. However, comparatively few studies have examined the characteristics of excellent teachers of students with low-incidence disabilities. Outstanding teachers of students with low-incidence disabilities were contacted to determine their willingness to…

The passage of the 1997 Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as well as the increased numbers of students with disabilities being educated part or full time in general education classes, create significant challenges for teacher preparation programs for both special and general education teachers. In response to…

This book provides the latest research on physical education curriculum, teaching, and teacher education and shows physical educators how to apply this knowledge to their day-to-day practices. There are 19 chapters in five parts. Part 1, "Overview of the Field," includes (1) "Enhancing Learning: An Introduction" (Stephen J. Silverman and Catherine…