Perceived Competencies of Elementary and Special Education Teachers

The purpose of this study, conducted with 180 elementary and special education teacher graduates of Bowling Green State University, was to identify competency areas needed in teaching and to analyze teachers' reported proficiency in these competencies. The elementary teachers' most needed competencies were in the areas of student motivation, utilization of audiovisual equipment, and maintaining order in the classroom. The special education teachers ranked maintaining order in the classroom, student motivation, and developing social skills as their most needed competencies. A moderately high relationship (p = .58 and .73, respectively) was found between elementary and special education teachers' reported need for a competency and their perceived proficiency within the competency area. The results were interpreted in terms of the existing literature and implications for teacher training.