A study of reading achievement gains in classes of special education teachers using the Beginning Teacher Assistance Program indicators of competence

• Main Author: Henshaw, Cynthia
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: W&M ScholarWorks 1989
• Subjects: Educational Administration and Supervision; Special Education and Teaching
• Online Access: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd/1539618330; https://scholarworks.wm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1540&context=etd

In Virginia, the State Board of Education has specified fourteen areas in which every teacher who is granted a Collegiate Professional Certificate must be competent and has established the Virginia Beginning Teacher Assistance Program (BTAP) for the purpose of assessing the competence of beginning teachers. The basis of BTAP is a "set of measurable or observable indicators through which beginning teachers can demonstrate their competence in each competency area specified by the Board of Education." In studies of teacher effectiveness in regular education, these competency areas have been consistently related to increased student achievement. Few studies in special education have sought to demonstrate that these competency areas relate to increased achievement for handicapped students. The purpose of this study was to validate the BTAP indicators of competence for special education teachers. Classroom observation data on teaching behavior of subjects and reading achievement data on mildly handicapped students in subjects' classes were collected. Data were analyzed for relationships between teaching behaviors of subjects and reading achievement of students.