Novice Special Education Research Articles

Mentalising and self-efficacy – disentangling their impact on well-being and symptom severity in novice special education teachers

ABSTRACT The transition from university education to daily work at school is recognised as a significant challenge for teachers and special education teachers, termed ‘reality shock’. This study investigates the role of mentalising – the capacity to perceive and interpret behaviour based on intentional mental states – and teaching-related self-efficacy as potential intrapsychic mechanisms that mediate the impact of current stress experiences on the development of stress-related symptoms and declines in well-being. Analysing data from 696 novice special education teachers in southern Germany, a structural equation model revealed that mentalising and teaching-related self-efficacy mediate the relationship between stress experiences, the levels of stress-related symptoms, and impaired well-being. Furthermore, the findings suggest that both psychological processes may reflect largely independent coping mechanisms. Practical implications are discussed.

Chatting with GPT: Enhancing Individualized Education Program Goal Development for Novice Special Education Teachers

Novice special education teachers often face challenges in developing high-quality Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals for children with autism. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT, has shown potential in supporting teachers in IEP development. This study aimed to investigate the impact of ChatGPT on the quality, content, and time spent on IEP goal development for novice special education teachers. Moreover, impact of previous training on IEP and goal development was examined. 22 novice special education teachers were randomly assigned to either the ChatGPT group or the control group. Participants developed IEP goals for five children with autism, and the quality of the goals was assessed using the Revised IEP/IFSP Goals and Objective Rating Instrument. The use of ChatGPT significantly improved the quality of IEP goals developed by novice special education teachers, regardless of previous training status. Moreover, novice teachers who used ChatGPT spent significantly less time developing IEP goals compared to those who did not use ChatGPT. Furthermore, the IEP goals developed by the ChatGPT group were more comprehensive, addressing specific strengths and needs of children with autism, in comparison to the goals developed by the control group. The findings suggest that the use of ChatGPT can be a valuable tool in supporting novice special education teachers in developing high-quality IEP goals efficiently. The study highlights the importance of providing training on IEP development and the potential benefits of AI tools in general and special education practice.

Training preservice teachers to use evidence-based practices: Effects of coaching with performance feedback on teacher and child outcomes

Three-term contingency trials (TCTs) involve planned/naturally occurring antecedents, child's demonstration of target behaviors, and planned/naturally occurring consequences. Positive relationships between teachers' frequent use of TCTs and children's learning were noted in literature. This study aimed to investigate impact of an intervention package including training and coaching with performance feedback on experienced and novice special education preservice teachers' use of TCTs and relationship between teachers' implementation and child outcomes through two single-case experiments using multiple baseline across participants design. Three special education preservice teachers and three children with disabilities participated in each study. Results indicated intervention package was effective in increasing preservice teachers' use of TCTs. Preservice teachers generalized their use and sustained it during maintenance sessions conducted after intervention ended. Furthermore, as frequency and accuracy of preservice teachers' implementation increased, percentage of children's correct responses in relation to target skills improved. Implications for future practice and research are discussed.

Understanding Novice Special Education Teachers’ and Paraeducators’ Mentorship Relationships: A Comparative Case Study

Understanding Novice Special Education Teachers’ and Paraeducators’ Mentorship Relationships: A Comparative Case Study

Novice Teachers’ Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices in Autism Education: Examining the Roles of Preparation and Perception

Despite the contemporary emphasis on evidence-based practices (EBPs) in autism education, the research-to-practice gap persists. Understanding how newly trained teachers’ experiences, knowledge, and beliefs about EBPs influence their instructional decisions is vital to increasing EBP implementation among the next generation of special educators. In this study using a mixed-methods approach, 137 novice special educators in two southeastern U.S. states reported their knowledge, perceptions of social validity, and frequency of use of 12 EBPs for students on the autism spectrum. Follow-up qualitative interviews were conducted with a purposive subsample. Positive behavior supports and visual schedules emerged as the most socially valid and implemented practices. The use of EBPs was primarily driven by teachers’ knowledge of the practice and perceptions of its social validity, with teacher preparation experiences shaping both. The results have implications for improving preservice preparation and future implementation of EBPs by attending to teachers’ procedural understanding and subjective buy-in.

A Case Study: A Novice Teacher’s Mentoring Experiences the First Year and Beyond

Serving over 1.1 million students in more than 1,800 public schools, the New York City Department of Education is the largest school district in the nation. When individuals graduate from college with a bachelor’s degree in teacher education the New York City Department of Education assign a school-based mentor for one year. The case study examined how a novice special education teacher described his reflective experiences and progress, or lack thereof. The central research question was, “What were the differences, challenges, and successes between novice teachers’ first-year experiences and their third-year mentoring experiences?” Data collection included an individual interview. Data analysis was analyzing themes by manual coding. The findings were a lack of resources and exemplary administrative support. Still, often too late, lack of available materials, qualified mentor-teacher role, impractical standard planning time, meaningful observations, and good work ethics are qualities of mentors and initial dissatisfaction without a mentor. These results can inform school districts what happens when mentors are not assigned and develop improved mentoring programs for new special education teachers. A limitation of this study was one novice teacher was interviewed, and the findings were not generalized to other novice special education teachers. However, the implication was that new teachers, especially special education teachers, need mentors in the first year of teaching and beyond. Social change may include improved mentoring programs for school districts to ensure that novice special education teachers remain in the teaching profession.

A Study on the Burnout Experience of Novice Special Education Teachers

목적 본 연구는 초등 특수교육 현장에 신규 임용된 특수교사가 경험한 소진경험에 대해 알아봄으로써 각 학교현장 및 교원양성기관에서 초임교사 현장적응 지원방안에 대한 시사점을 얻고자 하였다. 방법 이를 위해 특수교육현장에 임용된 후 1년이 된 초임 초등특수교사 6명(특수학급 3명, 특수학교 3명)을 대상으로 포커스 그룹 인터뷰를 실시하여, 질적 분석을 하였다. 결과 연구결과, 초임교사들은 공통적으로 과다한 업무, 학교구성원 간의 갈등, 학생의 저성취, 선임교사의 소진된 모습 등 여러 요인으로 인해 소진을 경험한 것으로 나타났다. 이들은 교사의 소진이 자신과 학생의 교육에 부정적 영향을 미치는 것으로 인식 하였으며, 자신의 교육행위에 대한 긍정적 결과 및 피드백, 지원적 사회관계 등을 통해 소진회복을 경험하는 것으로 나타났다. 초임교사들은 자기관리, 학교⋅내외 지원프로그램 개발, 사회적 관계형성, 업무경감, 성취경험을 위한 환경마련 등의 소진예방 및 회복방안을 제안하였다. 결론 이러한 결과를 토대로 교직생활 초기에 성공적인 교직수행 경험의 제공, 예비 특수교사를 대상으로 소진을 예방하고 이에 대응할 수 있는 교육프로그램 개발, 근무환경개선 및 적응을 위한 학교-교원양성대학 간 협력, 소진상황에 대응하는 건전한 교직관 교육 등이 필요함을 제시하였다.

A Study on the Satisfaction of Novice Special Education Teachers to Education Practice

Education practice is an important practice activity to cultivate the professional practice ability of special education teachers. Through the investigation of 263 special education teachers who have been employed for 1-3 years, the satisfaction of teachers on education practice is understood. The results showed that the novice teachers were generally satisfied with the education practice, among which the content of the practice was the most satisfactory and the base of the practice was the least. The gender has significant difference in the content of practice and the guidance of college practice. There are significant differences in the guidance of school practice in different stages of practice at internship schools. Teachers whose internship subjects are consistent with the teaching subjects have significant differences in the dimensions of internship content, college internship guidance, student perception, and overall satisfaction with educational internship.

Wait! I Need to Take Care of School Safety: A Novice Principal’s Experience With Elopement and Novice Special Education Teachers’ Support

This case focuses on one novice school principal’s experience with an elopement incident. School elopement sets the background for this case, and in this situation, the principal sees the need to take action to increase school safety and special needs students’ teacher support. The authors enumerate leadership practices and organizational strategies that can assist novice school principals increase school safety for all students. In this principal’s case, the authors will focus on preventive leadership practices that prevent elopement as it relates to a novice school principal’s organizational practices, organization climate, and culture. To fill the literature gap, this case identifies critical novice school principals’ challenges related to students with special needs’ instruction, placement, and safety, in correlation to novice special education teachers’ induction and support.

The Emotional Job Demands of Special Education: A Qualitative Study of Alternatively Certified Novices’ Emotional Induction

As of 2015, approximately one in five special educators received licensure through an alternative pathway. Although evidence suggests that emotional exhaustion contributes to special educator attrition, few studies examine firsthand the emotional experiences of novice, alternatively certified special educators. Guided by Tuxford and Bradley’s model of emotional job demands, we explore the ways in which eight teachers perceive and navigate their new profession. Findings indicate that novice special educators (a) experience a range of intense emotions, ranging from extreme pride to deep despair, (b) regulate emotional displays toward students and colleagues to meet professional norms, and (c) invest in the emotional well-being and development of their students. Participants report widespread barriers to this work. Results have implications for researchers, teachers, and administrators interested in retaining novice special educators, and point to several clear pathways for future research in this important and under-researched area of teacher induction.

Using a Daily Report Card to Reduce Off-Task Behaviors for a Student with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Daily behavior report cards (DBRCs) have shown promise in reducing problematic classroom behaviors. The effectiveness of DBRCs has been used widely examined with respect to students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, specific learning disabilities, and other high incidence disabilities. Past research has primarily focused on students in primary grades, with a limited number of studies examining students in secondary grades, in particular students in high school. Even fewer studies have examined the effectiveness of DBRCs implemented by novice special educators. The purpose of the current study was twofold: (1) to examine the effectiveness of a DBRC in reducing off-task classroom behavior for a high school student with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and (2) to evaluate the delivery of an intensive intervention by a novice special education teacher. A preservice special education teacher implemented the intervention. A changing criterion design was used to examine the effectiveness of the intervention. We analyzed the data using visual analysis and calculated effect sizes using Tau-U. The results suggested that DBRCs are an acceptable and effective treatment for reducing off-task behavior with a student with ASD when implemented by a novice special education teacher. Data were collected to measure the novice teacher’s implementation fidelity. Additionally, the results showed that a novice special education teacher can be trained to implement a behavior management program for a student presenting inappropriate classroom behaviors with high fidelity.

Examining the Impact of Professional Development and Coaching on Mentoring of Novice Special Educators

ABSTRACT The similarity of teaching assignments between mentor and novice teachers are typically regarded as necessary prerequisites for successful mentoring relationships. Yet, due to the personnel shortages and specialized teaching assignments in special education, it is not always possible to match novice special educators with veteran special educators. This multiple-baseline across behaviors study investigated specialized professional development and individualized coaching for general education teacher mentors. Outcomes assessed included the intervention’s impact on the mentors’ special education knowledge, mentors’ ability to identify needed components of special education lesson delivery, and novice teachers’ improvements in instructional practice. Results indicated a functional relationship between the intervention and mentor knowledge as well as the ability to identify components of specialized instruction. Most important, novice special educators improved their instructional practices after being mentored by those who received the professional development and specialized coaching.

A journey on constructing an induction framework for the novice special education teachers at secondary school level

A journey on constructing an induction framework for the novice special education teachers at secondary school level

The Effect of Instruction Consulting through Microteaching on Teaching efficacy of Novice Special Education Class Teachers at Secondary School

The Effect of Instruction Consulting through Microteaching on Teaching efficacy of Novice Special Education Class Teachers at Secondary School

An Action Research on the Class Mentoring Experience of Novice Special Education Teachers

An Action Research on the Class Mentoring Experience of Novice Special Education Teachers

Preparing Pre-Service Special Education Teachers to Facilitate Parent Involvement, Knowledge, and Advocacy: Considerations for Curriculum

More than 40 years after passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), some special education teacher preparation programs offer limited coursework on parent involvement, advocacy, or home–school collaboration. For pre-service special education teachers and/or novice special education teachers working with students with disabilities and their parents in practice, prior parent involvement coursework often enhances knowledge and abilities to provide resources, advocacy support, and insight. Yet, for this to occur in practice, special education teacher preparation program faculty should continue to consider how curriculum that instructs and provides resources regarding home–school collaboration, advocacy, conflict resolution, and federal legislation and programmatic support can enhance parent involvement. Therefore, this article examines IDEA parent involvement provisions, IDEA-mandated and federally funded conflict resolution options, and Parent Training and Information Centers that provide parents resources and support. Also, this article offers suggestions for teacher preparation faculty developing or refining parent involvement curricula.

Relationships Between Novice Teachers’ Social Resources and Workload Manageability

Novice special education teachers (SETs) consistently report feeling overwhelmed by their workloads, and their perceptions of their workloads predict outcomes of concern, such as burnout and plans to quit teaching. Yet, to date, research provides few insights into feasible strategies school leaders could use to help novices better manage workloads. Therefore, we examined how school social resources contribute to novice SETs’ and general education teachers’ (GETs) perceptions of workload manageability. We found that novice SETs’ perceptions of workload manageability were predicted by instructional interactions with colleagues and schools’ cultures of collective responsibility for students with disabilities, but not by instructional interactions with mentors. The pattern of relationships differed for GETs, suggesting different populations of novices may benefit from different supports.

Instruction Consulting Experience through Microteaching of Novice Special Education Class Teachers at Secondary School

초임 중등특수교사는 수업에 대한 충분한 연습과 경험 없이 교육현장에 배치되어 경력교사와 동일한 역량을 발휘해야 하는데, 그 중에서도 특수학급은 초임 중등특수교사들의 수업전문성을 향상시키기에는 제한적인 환경이다. 일반적으로 초임 교사의 수업전문성은 선배 교사나 동료 교사의 모델링, 수업관련 협의 등을 통해 향상시킬 수 있는데, 특수학급을 운영하는 초임 중등특수교사는 수업전문성을 향상시킬 수 있는 지원이 구조적으로 제한적이다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 마이크로티칭을 통한 수업컨설팅이 초임 중등특수학급교사의 수업전문성에 미치는 효과를 확인하고, 이를 바탕으로 적절한 지원을 제공하는 기반을 제안하는데 그 목적이 있다. 특수학급에 발령받은 3년 이하의 신규 중등특수교사를 섭외하였고, 마이크로티칭의 수업컨설팅은 교수·학습과정안을 작성하여 압축수업을 계획하고, 수업을 실시하여 분석한 후 컨설턴트로부터 그룹컨설팅을 진행하였다. 수업컨설팅을 통해 6회의 수업을 평가하여 그 변화를 확인하였으며, 반성적 저널, 면담, 수업컨설팅의 내용을 수집하여 질적분석하였다. 그 결과 마이크로티칭을 통한 수업컨설팅은 초임 중등특수학급교사의 수업전문성의 긍정적인 변화를 유도하였다. 또한 특수학급이라는 제한적인 환경에서 근무하는 초임 중등특수교사에게 컨설턴트의 조언과 동료 교사와의 상호작용 및 자기반성적 성찰의 기회를 제공함으로써 보다 구조화 된 수업을 실행하도록 도움을 주었으며 교수·학습과정의 이론적 지식을 실천적 지식으로 전환하여 수업전문성을 향상시켰다.

Workload Manageability Among Novice Special and General Educators: Relationships With Emotional Exhaustion and Career Intentions

Novice special educators (those in their first 3 years) consistently report their workloads are unmanageable. Yet, it is not clear whether their perceptions of workload manageability contribute to outcomes of concern such as emotional exhaustion (a component of burnout) or intentions to continue teaching in their schools and districts. This pilot investigation used structural equation modeling to analyze data collected for the Michigan Indiana Early Career Teacher Study. We found (a) novice elementary and middle school special educators rated their workloads less manageable than novice elementary and middle school general educators; (b) novice special and general educators’ ratings of workload manageability predicted emotional exhaustion, which mediated a relationship between workload manageability and career intentions; and (c) the magnitude of the relationships was stronger for novice general educators. Results have implications for supporting and retaining novice special and general education teachers.

The Effects of E-Mentoring on Beginning Teacher Competencies and Perceptions

There is a critical need to mentor novice special education teachers to meet the current and projected teacher shortages. However, due to the various skill-levels of beginning special education teachers in schools and the small number of current special educators in each school who could serve as mentors, there is difficulty finding induction-level mentors that possess similar or the same teaching credentials or teaching assignments as mentees in the same schools or geographical regions. Electronic mentoring (e-mentoring) using technology initiates solutions as e-mentoring can provide synchronous and asynchronous mentoring opportunities which increase collaboration time and reduce feelings of isolation and increases efficacy among new teachers. The article presents the findings from research using a mixed methods design investigating novice special education teacher knowledge of professional competencies and the participant’s perceptions of effectiveness of induction-level mentoring through the pilot use of an electronic mentoring program.