The instructional core
Eleven strategies for purposeful co-teaching.
Move beyond habit. Select the structure that best fits the learning goal, the learners, and what both teachers need to do.
A developmental framework
Start where the partnership is ready, then expand.
The stages are not a ranking of teacher quality. They help partners discuss complexity, shared responsibility, and the structure that will serve a particular lesson.
Supportive co-teaching
One teach, one assist
One teacher leads while the other provides intentionally planned support.
Selection question: How will this structure make the learning more accessible and effective?
One teach, one observe
One teacher teaches while the other gathers preselected evidence.
Selection question: How will this structure make the learning more accessible and effective?
One teach, one support
One teacher leads while the other delivers targeted supports connected to the objective.
Selection question: How will this structure make the learning more accessible and effective?
Team co-teaching
Graze-and-tag teaching
One teacher begins while the other monitors understanding and tags in to clarify or extend.
Selection question: How will this structure make the learning more accessible and effective?
Parallel teaching
Both teachers teach the same objective to smaller groups.
Selection question: How will this structure make the learning more accessible and effective?
Station teaching
Each teacher leads a purposeful station while students rotate.
Selection question: How will this structure make the learning more accessible and effective?
Alternative teaching
One teacher leads a flexible small group while the other teaches the larger group.
Selection question: How will this structure make the learning more accessible and effective?
Advanced co-teaching
Conversation teaching
Both teachers model a content-rich academic conversation.
Selection question: How will this structure make the learning more accessible and effective?
Role-play teaching
Both teachers assume planned roles to make a process or perspective visible.
Selection question: How will this structure make the learning more accessible and effective?
Interactive teaching
Both teachers alternate complementary explanations, models, questions, and checks.
Selection question: How will this structure make the learning more accessible and effective?
Shared teaching
Both teachers share planning, instruction, assessment, and reflection fluidly.
Selection question: How will this structure make the learning more accessible and effective?
Co-Teaching Evolved 