Enhancing Mentoring of Teacher Candidates Through Consultative Feedback and Self-Evaluation of Instructional Delivery

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Aug. 15, 2010

Source: Teacher Education and Special Education, Vol. 33 no.3, p. 191-212. (August, 2010).
(Reviewed by the Portal Team)

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a supplemental method of providing supervisory feedback to teacher candidates in an attempt to improve instructional efficacy.

The following questions guided the research:
(a) Does expert consultative analysis of a teacher candidate's videotaped instruction increase the inclusion of components of effective instruction by the teacher candidate in subsequent lessons?
(b) Does the consultative analysis improve the rate of OTR and BSP statements delivered by the teacher candidate during subsequent lessons?
(c) Do teacher candidates enjoy and/or appreciate the consultative process?

Participants
This study was conducted with three teacher candidates enrolled in a graduate-level special education teacher preparation program at a Southeastern university. All teacher candidates were working toward teaching certification in special education with a focus on high-incidence disabilities.

Method
A single-case, multiple-baseline, across-participants design was used to evaluate lesson components, rate of praise statements, and rate of opportunities to respond included by teacher candidates in their teaching.

After teacher candidates videotaped their instructional delivery, they met with an instructional consultant and evaluated the components of instruction included in the lesson, received feedback and guidance from the instructional consultant, and established goals for subsequent instruction.

Findings

This study offers further evidence that consultation between an expert and teacher candidates to evaluate videotaped lessons can improve the candidates' instructional effectiveness.
Consultation was effective in increasing the number of lesson components and amount of behavior-specific praise delivered during instruction for all participants. Effects varied by participants for rates of opportunities to respond.

Implications for Practice

This study provides evidence that supports the use of expert consultation and self-evaluation of videotaped lesson delivery to enhance teacher candidates' instructional quality. Results from this study suggest that field-based practicum experiences may be enhanced with the addition of an in-depth consultation session between a supervisor and teacher candidates to review videotaped lesson delivery and provide feedback.

Another implication of this research is that guided discussion of specific teacher behaviors in consultation sessions enhances teacher candidate behaviors. In this study, the consultant and teacher candidates identified areas of strength and improvement. Effects noted in this study support ongoing critical evaluation of teacher candidates' lesson delivery by supervisors.

The authors also discuss the limitations of this study.

Conclusion

Despite the limitations noted previously, this study offers evidence to support the use of expert consultation and self-evaluation of videotaped lesson delivery to enhance teacher candidates' quality of teaching. These methods can be used as a supplement to help teacher candidates enhance their teaching. The results suggest that the intervention is generally effective in encouraging teacher candidates to increase the number of components of explicit instruction, behavior-specific praise (BSP), and opportunities to respond (OTR) which they include in their lessons.

Updated: Jan. 02, 2011
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