The Six Co-Teaching Models: An Educator's Guide

Teaching alongside another educator can transform your classroom into a dynamic, highly supportive learning environment. When two teachers share a room, they share the workload, pool their expertise, and give students more individualized attention. However, simply putting two teachers in a room does not automatically guarantee success. You need a structured approach to make the most of this partnership.

That is where co-teaching models come in. Researchers and educators have developed specific frameworks to help co-teachers organize their lessons and classroom management effectively. Understanding these structures allows you to maximize student engagement and minimize confusion.

Beneficial Uses of Co-Teaching

Co-teaching offers a wealth of benefits for both students and educators. When implemented thoughtfully, this collaborative approach can address a variety of classroom challenges and improve learning outcomes across the board.

Inclusive Education 

Co-teaching is a cornerstone of the inclusive classroom. By pairing a general education teacher with a special education teacher, students with individualized education programs (IEPs) receive the targeted support they need while remaining in the general classroom. This setup fosters social integration and ensures all students access the core curriculum.

English Language Learners (ELLs) and ESLs 

Having a second teacher in the room is incredibly valuable for students learning English. One teacher can focus on delivering the content, while the other provides language scaffolding, vocabulary support, or small-group instruction tailored to language acquisition needs.

Content Expertise 

Every teacher brings unique strengths to the classroom. Co-teaching allows educators to lean on each other’s expertise. For example, a math teacher and a technology integration specialist can team up to deliver a highly engaging, tech-forward geometry lesson that neither could execute as effectively alone.

Supporting New Teachers 

Pairing a novice teacher with a veteran educator creates an excellent mentorship opportunity. The new teacher gains real-time feedback, observes effective classroom management strategies, and builds confidence under the guidance of an experienced professional.

Large Class Sizes 

As class sizes grow, it becomes increasingly difficult to provide one-on-one attention. Co-teaching cuts the student-to-teacher ratio in half. This makes it easier to monitor student progress, manage behavior, and ensure no student falls through the cracks.

Transitions in Education 

Whether transitioning to new curriculum standards or shifting between different grade-level expectations, having two teachers helps smooth the process. They can troubleshoot challenges together and provide more comprehensive support as students adapt to new academic demands.

6 Models of Co-Teaching

Let’s explore the main six models of co-teaching:

1. One Teaching, One Observing

In this model, one teacher leads the instruction while the other actively observes. The observing teacher gathers specific data on student behavior, academic engagement, or even the instructing teacher's methods. This data is then used to inform future lessons.

Pros:

• Requires very little joint planning time.
• Provides valuable, targeted data on student learning and behavior.
• Allows teachers to observe specific students who may be struggling.

Cons:

• Does not fully utilize the instructional expertise of both teachers.
• The observing teacher may be viewed by students as an assistant rather than a co-educator.
• Can lead to an imbalance in classroom authority.

Here, one teacher holds the primary responsibility for delivering the lesson, while the second teacher circulates through the room. The assisting teacher answers questions, redirects off-task behavior, and provides quiet, individualized support to students who need it.

Pros:

• Provides immediate help to students without interrupting the flow of the lesson.
• Excellent for managing behavior and keeping students on task.
• Requires minimal co-planning time.

Cons:

• The assisting teacher might become a distraction if they move around too much.
• Students may begin to view the assisting teacher as a helper rather than a primary authority figure.
• Can lead to teacher burnout for the primary instructor if the roles are never reversed.

In parallel teaching, the class is divided in half. Both teachers teach the exact same content to their respective groups at the same time. This model significantly lowers the student-to-teacher ratio and allows for more frequent student participation.

Pros:

• Lowers the student-to-teacher ratio, increasing opportunities for student response.
• Allows teachers to separate students who may not work well together.
• Great for activities that require high levels of student interaction, like debates or discussions.

Cons:

• Requires excellent timing and pacing from both teachers to finish simultaneously.
• The noise level in the classroom can become a distraction.
• Requires significant collaborative planning to ensure both groups receive the same quality of instruction.

4. Station Teaching

Station teaching involves dividing the instructional content into two or more segments and presenting them at separate locations within the classroom. Each teacher instructs a different portion of the lesson at a station, and students rotate through all stations. Sometimes, a third, independent workstation is included.

Pros:

• Highly engaging for students due to the movement and variety.
• Allows for a lower student-to-teacher ratio.
• Both teachers play an equal, active role in instruction.

Cons:

• Requires a significant amount of joint planning and coordination.
• Pacing must be exact so groups can rotate at the same time.
• The classroom noise level can rise considerably.

5. Alternative Co-Teaching

This model involves one teacher taking responsibility for the large group, while the other teacher pulls a small group of students aside. The small group may receive specialized instruction, remediation, enrichment, or pre-teaching of vocabulary.

Pros:

• Highly effective for providing targeted intervention to struggling students.
• Great for delivering enrichment activities to advanced learners without holding back the rest of the class.
• Helps students catch up after absences.

Cons:

• The same students should not be repeatedly pulled aside, as this can create a stigma.
• Requires a space large enough to prevent the small group from distracting the large group.
• Demands careful planning to ensure the small group does not miss critical general instruction.

6. Team Teaching

Team teaching is often considered the most collaborative model. Both teachers deliver the lesson together to the whole class at the same time. They might bounce ideas off one another, debate a topic, or take turns explaining different aspects of a concept. They act as "one brain in two bodies."

Pros:

• Highly engaging and interactive for students.
• Models excellent collaborative and communication skills for the class.
• Both teachers share equal status and authority in the eyes of the students.

Cons:

• Requires the highest level of trust, rapport, and mutual respect between teachers.
• Demands a massive amount of co-planning time to execute smoothly.
• Not suitable for all lessons or teaching styles.

Choose the Right Co-Teaching Model for Your Lesson

Selecting the appropriate model depends on several factors. You must align your choice with your learning objectives, the specific needs of your students, and the group dynamics of your classroom.

First, consider your learning objectives. If your goal is to have students master a complex, multi-step process, station teaching might be best. If you simply need to deliver a broad overview of a new topic, team teaching or one teaching, one assisting could be more appropriate.

Next, evaluate student needs. If a small group of students needs intensive review before a test, alternative co-teaching is a logical choice. If the entire class needs more opportunities to speak and participate, parallel teaching will lower the ratio and give everyone a voice.

Finally, think about group dynamics and behavior. If your class struggles with noise and movement, parallel and station teaching might cause chaos unless you have strong classroom management protocols in place.

Help Your Co-Teaching Journey

If you are looking to elevate your teaching practice or step into the classroom for the first time, earning a degree can give you the tools you need to succeed. WGU offers flexible, online education degrees designed for busy adults. Whether you want to specialize in special education, elementary education, or instructional design, our competency-based programs allow you to learn at your own pace.

Take the next step in your career and learn how to build inclusive, collaborative classrooms. Explore WGU's school of education degrees today and prepare to make a lasting impact on your students' lives!

Co-Teaching FAQs

• What is co-teaching? Co-teaching is an instructional strategy where two or more educators share the responsibility for planning, delivering, and evaluating instruction for a diverse group of students in a single classroom space.
• What are the different types of co-teaching? There are six widely recognized models: One Teaching, One Observing; One Teaching, One Assisting; Parallel Teaching; Station Teaching; Alternative Co-Teaching; and Team Teaching.
• How can co-teaching help students? It provides students with more individualized attention, diverse teaching styles, and immediate feedback. It also promotes inclusivity, allowing students with varying needs to learn together in the same environment.
• How can I implement co-teaching in my classroom? Start by building rapport with your co-teacher. Set clear expectations, dedicate consistent time for co-planning, and communicate openly. Begin with a simpler model like one teaching, one assisting, and gradually work your way up to team teaching as your partnership strengthens.