The models of co-teaching and a spectrum for assessing collaboration: Examining English language co-teaching practices in South Korea

Abstract

Many countries have developed co-teaching programs pairing native-English-speaking teachers with local English teachers. Despite the optimistic aims of these programs, research has revealed challenges for co-teaching, such as with teachers’ contrasting belief systems or cultural differences. However, research has yet to examine the models of co-teaching applied and the extent of collaboration observed with multiple co-teaching pairs across different teaching contexts as is done in the present study. The study uses qualitative analysis, aiming to examine the approaches to co-teaching and the degree of collaboration with 14 pairs of co-teachers across different school levels (primary, middle, and high schools) in South Korea. Based on classroom observations and interview data, the study found that of seven models of English-language co-teaching (one teaching / one assisting, team teaching, one teaching / one assessing, parallel teaching, alternative teaching [pre-teaching], alternative teaching [re-teaching], and station teaching), the one teaching / one assisting model was prevalent for 10 dyads and the team-teaching model for four dyads. The other models of coteaching were not used or reported to be used by these participants. In addition, by focusing on the observed and stated practices of these participants, the study adds to the literature by showing how co-teaching collaboration occurs across a spectrum, from no collaboration to full collaboration, with differing levels of engagement throughout. The study suggests that this proposed spectrum will be useful for researching and assessing co-teaching practices, and it implies that the efficacy of co-teaching could be increased by supporting fuller collaboration and multiple approaches to co-teaching beyond the dominant one teaching / one assisting model.