Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T14:22:50.027Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Using High-Leverage Practices in Teacher Preparation to Reduce the Research-to-Practice Gap in Inclusive Settings

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 April 2018

James McLeskey ,
Bonnie Billingsley  and
Deborah Ziegler
James McLeskey*
Affiliation:
University of Florida, USA
Bonnie Billingsley
Affiliation:
Virginia Tech, USA
Deborah Ziegler
Affiliation:
Council for Exceptional Children, USA
*
Correspondence: James McLeskey, School of Special Education, School Psychology, and Early Childhood Studies, College of Education, University of Florida, 1423D Norman Hall, PO Box 117050, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA. Email: mcleskey@coe.ufl.edu
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Although researchers have developed evidence-based practices and identified other effective practices that show promise for improving outcomes for students with disabilities, these practices are all too frequently not used in inclusive classrooms. Some have posited that this research-to-practice gap may result because teachers lack confidence in these practices and do not find them feasible for use in their classrooms. More recently, researchers have begun to examine whether teacher education may contribute to this research-to-practice gap. We contend that teacher preparation is an important contributor to the research-to-practice gap, and discuss how teacher preparation might be changed to better prepare teachers to use effective practices in inclusive classrooms. Primary changes that are needed include identifying a set of high-leverage practices that serve as the core curriculum of teacher education and using a practice-based approach to systematically prepare future teachers to use these practices.

Keywords

inclusionteacher educationeffective practicesresearch-to-practice gapeffective inclusive schoolsprofessional development
Type
Original Articles
Information
Australasian Journal of Special and Inclusive Education , Volume 42 , Special Issue 1: Preparing Special and Inclusive Educators for Their New Roles in the 21st Century , July 2018 , pp. 3 - 16
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2018 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

*This manuscript was accepted under the Editorship of Umesh Sharma.

References

Archer, A. L., & Hughes, C. A. (2011). Explicit instruction: Effective and efficient teaching. New York, NY: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Aronson, B., & Laughter, J. (2016). The theory and practice of culturally relevant education: A synthesis of research across content areas. Review of Educational Research, 86, 163–206. doi:10.3102/0034654315582066Google Scholar
Ball, D. L., & Forzani, F. M. (2009). The work of teaching and the challenge of teacher education. Journal of Teacher Education, 60, 497–511. doi:10.1177/0022487109348479Google Scholar
Ball, D. L., & Forzani, F. M. (2010). Teaching skillful teaching. Educational Leadership, 68 (4), 40–45.Google Scholar
Ball, D. L., Sleep, L., Boerst, T. A., & Bass, H. (2009). Combining the development of practice and the practice of development in teacher education. The Elementary School Journal, 109, 458–474. doi:10.1086/596996Google Scholar
Batsche, G. (2014). Multi-tiered system of supports for inclusive schools. In McLeskey, J., Waldron, N. L., Spooner, F., & Algozzine, B. (Eds.), Handbook of effective inclusive schools: Research and practice (pp. 183–196). New York, NY: Routledge. doi:10.4324/9780203102930.ch14Google Scholar
Benedict, A., Holdheide, L., Brownell, M., & Foley, A. M. (2016). Learning to teach: Practice-based preparation in teacher education. Retrieved from http://ceedar.education.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Learning_To_Teach.pdfGoogle Scholar
Billingsley, B. S., Bettini, E. A., & Jones, N. D. (2018). Supporting induction through high-leverage practices. Manuscript submitted for publication.Google Scholar
Billingsley, B. S., Griffin, C. C., Smith, S. J., Kamman, M., & Israel, M. (2009). A review of teacher induction in special education: Research, practice, and technology solutions (NCIPP Document No. RS-1ES). Gainesville, FL: National Center to Inform Policy and Practice in Special Education Professional Development, The University of Florida.Google Scholar
Brownell, M., Chard, D., Benedict, A., & Lignugaris/Kraft, B. (in press). Teacher preparation and response to intervention frameworks. In Kennedy, M. & Pullen, P. (Eds.), Handbook of response to intervention and multi-tiered instruction. New York, NY: Routledge.Google Scholar
Carnine, D. (1997). Bridging the research-to-practice gap. Exceptional Children, 63, 513–521. doi:10.1177/001440299706300406CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Common Core State Standards. (2010). Common core state standards initiative: Preparing America's students for college and career. Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/read-the-standards/Google Scholar
Cook, B. G., Cook, L., & Landrum, T. J. (2013). Moving research into practice: Can we make dissemination stick? Exceptional Children, 79, 163–180. doi:10.1177/001440291307900203Google Scholar
Cook, B. G., & Odom, S. L. (2013). Evidence-based practices and implementation science in special education. Exceptional Children, 79, 135–144. doi:10.1177/001440291307900201Google Scholar
Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation. (2013). The CAEP standards. Retrieved from http://caepnet.org/standards/introductionGoogle Scholar
Davis, E. A., & Boerst, T. (2014). Designing elementary teacher education to prepare well-started beginners. Ann Arbor, MI: Teaching Works, University of Michigan School of Education.Google Scholar
Eccles, M. P., & Mittman, B. S. (2006). Welcome to implementation science [Editorial]. Implementation Science, 1, 1–3. doi:10.1186/1748-5908-1-1Google Scholar
Florian, L., & Rouse, M. (2014). International perspectives: What can be known about effective inclusive schools? In McLeskey, J., Waldron, N. L., Spooner, F., & Algozzine, B. (Eds.), Handbook of effective inclusive schools: Research and practice (pp. 507–520). New York, NY: Routledge. doi:10.4324/9780203102930.ch36Google Scholar
Forzani, F. M. (2014). Understanding “core practices” and “practice-based” teacher education: Learning from the past. Journal of Teacher Education, 65, 357–368. doi:10.1177/0022487114533800Google Scholar
Golder, G., Norwich, B., & Bayliss, P. (2005). Preparing teachers to teach pupils with special educational needs in more inclusive schools: Evaluating a PGCE development. British Journal of Special Education, 32, 92–99. doi:10.1111/j.0952-3383.2005.00377.xGoogle Scholar
Grima-Farrell, C. R., Bain, A., & McDonagh, S. H. (2011). Bridging the research-to-practice gap: A review of the literature focusing on inclusive education. Australasian Journal of Special Education, 35, 117–136. doi:10.1375/ajse.35.2.117Google Scholar
Grossman, P., Hammerness, K., & McDonald, M. (2009). Redefining teaching: Re-imagining teacher education. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 15, 273–289. doi:10.1080/13540600902875340Google Scholar
Grossman, P., & McDonald, M. (2008). Back to the future: Directions for research in teaching and teacher education. American Educational Research Journal, 45, 184–205. doi:10.3102/0002831207312906Google Scholar
Hlas, A. C., & Hlas, C. S. (2012). A review of high-leverage teaching practices: Making connections between mathematics and foreign languages. Foreign Language Annals, 45 (Suppl. 1), S76–S97. doi:10.1111/j.1944-9720.2012.01180.xGoogle Scholar
Israel, M., Kamman, M. L., McCray, E. D., & Sindelar, P. T. (2014). Mentoring in action: The interplay among professional assistance, emotional support, and evaluation. Exceptional Children, 81, 45–63. doi:10.1177/0014402914532231CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Klingner, J. K., Brownell, M., Mason, L. H., Sindelar, P. T., & Benedict, A. E. (with Griffin, C., Lane, K., Israel, M., Oakes, W. P., Menzies, H. M., Germer, K., & Park, Y.). (2016). Teaching students with special needs in the new millennium. In Gitomer, D. H. & Bell, C. A. (Eds.), Handbook for research on teaching (5th ed., pp. 639–717). Washington, DC: American Educational Research Association.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Korthagen, F. A. J. (with Kessels, J., Koster, B., Lagerwerf, B., & Wubbels, T). (2001). Linking practice and theory: The pedagogy of realistic teacher education. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Kucan, L., Palincsar, A. S., Busse, T., Heisey, N., Klingelhofer, R., Rimbey, M., & Schutz, K. (2011). Applying the Grossman et al. theoretical framework: The case of reading. Teachers College Record, 113, 2897–2921.Google Scholar
Leko, M. M., Brownell, M. T., Sindelar, P. T., & Kiely, M. T. (2015). Envisioning the future of special education personnel preparation in a standards-based era. Exceptional Children, 82, 25–43. doi:10.1177/0014402915598782Google Scholar
Leko, M. M., & Roberts, C. A. (2014). How does professional development improve teacher practice in inclusive schools? In McLeskey, J., Waldron, N. L., Spooner, F., & Algozzine, B. (Eds.), Handbook of effective inclusive schools: Research and practice (pp. 43–54). New York, NY: Routledge. doi:10.4324/9780203102930.ch4Google Scholar
Lignugaris/Kraft, B., & Harris, S. (2014). Teacher preparation: Principles of effective pedagogy. In Sindelar, P. T., McCray, E. D., Brownell, M. T., & Lignugaris/Kraft, B. (Eds.), Handbook of research on special education teacher preparation (pp. 233–254). New York, NY: Routledge.Google Scholar
Levine, A. (2006). Educating school teachers. Washington, DC: The Education Schools Project.Google Scholar
Maheady, L. (2015, October). High leverage practices: Policies, practices, implications, & opportunities. A presentation for the New York State Association of Teacher Educators & New York State Association of Colleges of Teacher Education, Saratoga Springs, NY.Google Scholar
Maheady, L., Smith, C., & Jabot, M. (2014). Field experiences and instructional pedagogies in teacher education: What we know, don't know, and must learn soon. In Sindelar, P. T., McCray, E. D., Brownell, M. T., & Lignugaris/Kraft, B. (Eds.), Handbook of research on special education teacher preparation (pp. 161–177). New York, NY: Routledge.Google Scholar
Martin-Raugh, M. P., Reese, C. M., Tannenbaum, R. J., Steinberg, J. H., & Xu, J. (2016). Investigating the relevance and importance of high-leverage practices for beginning elementary school teachers (Research Memorandum No. RM-16-11). Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service.Google Scholar
McCray, E. D., Kamman, M., Brownell, M. T., & Robinson, S. (2017). High-leverage practices and evidence-based practices: A promising pair. Retrieved from http://ceedar.education.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/HLPs-and-EBPs-A-Promising-Pair.pdfGoogle Scholar
McDonald, M., Kazemi, E., & Kavanagh, S. S. (2013). Core practices and pedagogies of teacher education: A call for a common language and collective activity. Journal of Teacher Education, 64, 378–386. doi:10.1177/0022487113493807Google Scholar
McDonald, M., Kazemi, E., Kelley-Petersen, M., Mikolasy, K., Thompson, J., Valencia, S. W., & Windschitl, M. (2014). Practice makes practice: Learning to teach in teacher education. Peabody Journal of Education, 89, 500–515. doi:10.1080/0161956X.2014.938997Google Scholar
McLeskey, J., Barringer, M.-D., Billingsley, B., Brownell, M., Jackson, D., Kennedy, M., . . . Ziegler, D. (2017). High-leverage practices in special education. Arlington, VA: Council for Exceptional Children and CEEDAR Center.Google Scholar
McLeskey, J., & Billingsley, B. S. (2008). How does the quality and stability of the teaching force influence the research-to-practice gap? A perspective on the teacher shortage in special education. Remedial and Special Education, 29, 293–305. doi:10.1177/0741932507312010Google Scholar
McLeskey, J., & Brownell, M. (2015). High-leverage practices and teacher preparation in special education (CEEDAR Document No. PR-1). Retrieved from http://ceedar.education.ufl.edu/reports/Google Scholar
McLeskey, J., Landers, E., Williamson, P., & Hoppey, D. (2012). Are we moving toward educating students with disabilities in less restrictive settings? The Journal of Special Education, 46, 131–140. doi:10.1177/0022466910376670Google Scholar
McLeskey, J., & Waldron, N. L. (2011). Educational programs for elementary students with learning disabilities: Can they be both effective and inclusive? Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 26, 48–57. doi:10.1111/j.1540-5826.2010.00324.xGoogle Scholar
National Center for Education Statistics. (2015). Achievement gaps. Retrieved http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/studies/gaps/Google Scholar
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. (2010). Transforming teacher education through clinical practice: A national strategy to prepare effective teachers. Washington, DC: Author.Google Scholar
Nota, L., Soresi, S., & Ferrari, L. (2014). What are emerging trends and perspectives on inclusive schools in Italy? In McLeskey, J., Waldron, N. L., Spooner, F., & Algozzine, B. (Eds.), Handbook of effective inclusive schools: Research and practice (pp. 521–534). New York, NY: Routledge.Google Scholar
Peercy, M. M., & Troyan, F. J. (2017). Making transparent the challenges of developing a practice-based pedagogy of teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 61, 26–36. doi:10.1016/j.tate.2016.10.005Google Scholar
Pugach, M. C., & Blanton, L. P. (2009). A framework for conducting research on collaborative teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25, 575–582. doi:10.1016/j.tate.2009.02.007Google Scholar
Riccomini, P. J., Morano, S., & Hughes, C. A. (2017). Big ideas in special education: Specially designed instruction, high-leverage practices, explicit instruction, and intensive instruction. Teaching Exceptional Children, 50, 20–27. doi:10.1177/0040059917724412Google Scholar
Sykes, G., Bird, T., & Kennedy, M. (2010). Teacher education: Its problems and some prospects. Journal of Teacher Education, 61, 464–476. doi:10.1177/0022487110375804Google Scholar
U.S. Department of Education. (2016). Racial and ethnic disparities in special education: A multi-year disproportionality analysis by state, analysis category, and race/ethnicity. Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/programs/osepidea/618-data/LEA-racial-ethnic-disparities-tables/disproportionality-analysis-by-state-analysis-category.pdfGoogle Scholar
Windschitl, M., Thompson, J., Braaten, M., & Stroupe, D. (2012). Proposing a core set of instructional practices and tools for teachers of science. Science Education, 96, 878–903. doi:10.1002/sce.21027Google Scholar
Zeichner, K. (2012). The turn once again toward practice-based teacher education. Journal of Teacher Education, 63, 376–382. doi:10.1177/0022487112445789Google Scholar