Examining the Role of Instructional Context in Predicting Special Educators' Scores on Framework for Teaching

• In Event: 18.036 - Crossing Boundaries in Defining Effectiveness: Investigating Special Education Teachers' Instructional Quality in Teacher Evaluation

Abstract

Objective
When examining scores drawn from instruments such as the FFT, it is important to consider the classroom and school ecologies in which teachers operate. To date, three studies have examined the role that school and classroom factors play in special education teachers' delivery of instruction (Bishop, Brownell, Menon, Galman & Leko; 2010; Bettini, Kimerling, Park & Murphy, 2015; Brownell et al., 2007). These researchers found that various context factors, such as role design and instructional group size, can influence the type of instruction special education teachers provide, suggesting that more research is needed to fully understand how school and classroom environments might be constructed to support effective special education teaching. In this paper, we describe a quantitative study designed to identify ecological factors that predict special education teachers' execution of instruction in mathematics and reading as rated by the Framework for Teaching (FFT).

Theoretical Framework
We use ecological theory (e.g., Bronfenbrenner, 1979; 1995) to frame our study. According to ecological theory, an individual's behavior is the result of a complex set of interactions that occur between the individual and her respective environment. Within this perspective, a teacher's ability to demonstrate effective teaching would be influenced not only by her skill and knowledge, but also by contextual factors (e.g., instructional group size, service delivery, content of instruction provided, and administrative support).

Methods and Data Sources
We identify those contextual factors that predict the type instruction special education teachers provide as determined by their scores Framework for Teaching (FFT). Our study is part of a larger study aimed at validating FFT's use for special education teachers working in grades 3 through 8. Sixty special education teachers providing instruction to students with high incidence disabilities participated in our study. Each teacher was observed 4 times using FFT. Contextual variables, identified as important from previous general and special education research (e.g., instructional group size, content focus of instruction, service delivery model, collaboration with special and general education teachers, and administrative support), were assessed using surveys and pre-observation interviews.

Results
Preliminary analyses of data suggest that certain contextual factors likely influence teachers' instruction. We found mean differences on teachers' FFT scores; specifically, scores were lower for teachers working in co-taught environments compared to resource environments. FFT scores were higher when teachers provided reading instruction as opposed to mathematics instruction. Additionally, teachers scoring on the top quartile of the FFT had higher mean scores on administrative support and the quality of their curricular resources. Our next steps are to conduct multi-level analyses that account for the nesting of lessons within teachers.

Scholarly Significance
Findings from our study can assist states and districts in making decisions about resources and supports needed for improving special education teachers' instruction. For instance, our preliminary results suggest that special education teachers might need more support to improve their mathematics' instruction. At a time when state and district budgets are tight, it is important to help states and districts best determine how resources can be dedicated to support and improve special education teachers' instruction.

Authors

• Mary T. Brownell, University of Florida

• Nathan Jones, Boston University

• Courtney A. Bell, ETS

• Daisy Pua, University of Florida

• David John Peyton, Appalachian State University