Research on Teacher Effectiveness: Implications for Remedial Teachers

Abstract

Over the past decade considerable progress has been made in defining and describing teacher behaviours associated with high levels of pupil achievement. Collectively described as teacher effectiveness research, this body of knowledge is now influencing conceptions of effective teaching in special education settings. What is unclear, however, is the extent to which special education teachers are aware of this research, perceive it to be important, and actually use the findings in their day‐to‐day teaching. Nor is it clear what, if any, modifications are needed when findings are applied to instruction with low achieving and mildly handicapped children. The present study addresses the questions of the perceived importance of and the need for adaptations to teacher effectiveness findings as they relate to a sample of Queensland remedial teachers.