2010
NCTQ Teacher Preparation Program Design Ratings
Preparation Specific to Special Education Teachers 35. Broad subject preparation. The institution ensures that special education teacher candidates receive a broad liberal arts education. Because they cannot teach what they do not know, teacher candidates need to have a solid grasp of literature and composition, American and world history, geography, science, and art and music history.
The institution does not meet this standard because neither the institution nor its teacher preparation program ensures sufficient coverage in the content special education teachers need (including world/American literature, American history, world history, world cultures, art history, and music history).
36a. Reading instruction. The institution prepares special education teacher candidates in the essential components of effective reading instruction. All special education teachers, regardless of whether they are teaching toddlers or teenagers, need coursework in the researchbased strategies shown to dramatically reduce the number of children needing remediation in reading.
Looking at a full range of course materials, there is little or no evidence of adequate instruction on the components of effective reading instruction. We identified four required textbooks that did not support effective reading instruction.
36b. Reading instruction. The institution ensures that all coursework adheres to the essential components of effective reading instruction. . All of an institution's required reading courses – not just some courses – should impart the research-based content that is necessary for teaching all children to read.
Because we could not find adequate evidence of effective reading instruction being taught in either a single comprehensive course or in a combination of multiple courses (see standard #26a), any further rating on this standard is irrelevant.
37. Elementary math. The institution provides adequate preparation in the specific elementary mathematics content needed by special education teachers. Special education teachers, regardless of whether they are teaching toddlers or teenagers, generally need three semesters of coursework in order to progress from a procedural to a conceptual understanding of fundamental mathematics topics.
The institution does not meet this standard because it does not require its teacher candidates to take any coursework that is designed to develop their conceptual understanding of elementary mathematics topics.
38. Special education pedagogy. The institution gears pedagogical training for special education teacher candidates to the specific knowledge and skills that they need for teaching. At least one course should be dedicated to instruction on special education as defined in federal law: "specially designed instruction."
Because this standard is still in a pilot phase, the findings should only be viewed as exploratory. This standard is not rated, nor does it factor into overall program or institutional ratings. Our analysis of instruction on special education was limited to three institutions offering a total of two undergraduate and two graduate special education programs. Preliminary evaluations on this standard for these four programs are provided on the website for Ed School Essentials: A Report on Teacher Education in Illinois (nctq/edschoolreports/illinois/standards/38Findings.jsp).
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www.nctq.org/edschoolreports