An Examination of "Critical Teaching Skills" Present and Absent in First Year Special Education Teachers

Responses from 143 individuals to a questionnaire mailed to 180 special education administrators from all regions of the country found that many first-year teachers enter the profession lacking skills critical to successful teaching and that those with only undergraduate degrees are at greater risk for failure than those with graduate training. Recommendations for modifying teacher education programs to correct shortcomings perceived by these administrators include: (1) increasing research requirements in undergraduate and graduate special education programs; (2) increasing credit-hour requirements for practicum experiences; (3) requiring extensive practicum experiences associated with all methods courses; (4) providing courses/programs to develop parent interaction skills; (5) exposing students to successful teachers who employ widely divergent instructional techniques; (6) requiring training and practical experience in use of observational measurement techniques and behavior analysis; (7) developing linkages with local and regional public schools as information sources on specific organizational/administrative practices; and (8) requiring all university faculty who teach methods courses to return at regular intervals to 180 special education administrators from all regions of the (every 3-5 years) to public school classrooms for an entire academic year. (VW)