Contextual Variables Affecting Instructional Adaptation for Difficult-to-Teach Students

Abstract

This study examined how contextual variables affect the types of instructional adaptations teachers propose for students experiencing academic failure. Participants were general educators, each of whom taught at least one student with an identified learning disability (students with LD) in a mainstream reading (n = 35 teachers) or math (n = 41 teachers) class. Teachers specified how they would solve a hypothetical instructional problem of a student with LD with current and with ideal resources, in reading or math, depending on the academic area in which they provided instruction to their actual pupil with LD. Within the academic area, teachers were assigned randomly to three idea generation formats: oral independent, written independent, and assisted with ideas for potential solutions. Hierarchical log-linear analysis indicated that idea generation format affected the types of adaptations teachers identified. Results are discussed in terms of how contextual variables affect the process and substance of teachers' instructional adaptation for difficult-to-teach pupils, as well as methodological considerations in designing research on teacher planning.