Allow special educators to play to their strengths

School districts making notable progress in enhancing services for struggling students emphasize the importance of aligning teachers with their strengths. For instance, some special education teachers possess expertise in specific subjects, while others excel in efficiently managing the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process.

Here's how leveraging these areas of expertise proves highly beneficial:

• Content Specific Expertise: Teachers strong in academic content areas (such as reading or math instruction) should concentrate on supporting students in their specialized academic domains.
• Pedagogical Expertise: Teachers with pedagogical expertise can guide general education teachers in accommodating the needs of students with disabilities, employing strategies like scaffolding, differentiation, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and chunking.
• Social Emotional Expertise: Special education teachers adept at providing social-emotional or behavioral supports should focus on delivering these crucial supports to students.
• Case Management Expertise: Some special education teachers excel in efficiently managing the IEP process. They can concentrate on case management responsibilities, freeing up other special education teachers to dedicate more time to student support.

This strategic alignment of roles enables teachers to apply their strengths for the benefit of students. It also simplifies professional development for special education teachers, allowing them to deepen their skills in a specific area rather than trying to master a wide range of skills and specialties. By embracing this approach, school districts create a more efficient and effective system for supporting the diverse needs of struggling students.