Online ISSN: 2325-7466
2006
Triannual
National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET)
United States

Articles

Elements of Good Teaching and Good Teachers: A Theoretical Framework and Effective Strategies for Special Educators

  • Vance L. Austin, Ph.D (Author) Manhattanville College image/svg+xml
    Dr. Vance Austin is Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Special Education at Manhattanville College and also teaches part-time in a special high school for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. He has formerly worked full time as a special education teacher in both public and private schools where he accumulated over twenty-five years of teaching experience and has also taught at several colleges and universities. Dr. Austin’s interests in special education extend beyond the U.S. to include Canada and Vietnam. His current research focus is in the area of finding effective interventions for students with emotional and behavioral disorders as well as improving the quality of teaching in special education. He has authored many articles and book chapters, and presented at numerous national and international conferences on the topics of effective teaching and behavior management, and is completing a second book for teachers on the subject of working effectively with students with emotional and behavioral disorders.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.64546/jaasep.281
Abstract
Within schools in the United States, teachers must now acquire the skills and dispositions necessary to effectively teach students with a wide variety of needs. As an important first step, the effective behaviors of successful teachers need to be considered. The author has identified three key components that are integral to that process; namely, (a) relationship-building, (b) pedagogical skills, and (c) subject knowledge. One framework that appears to be useful in identifying specific skills common to "good" teaching and good teachers is Kennedy’s (2008) three criteria of effective teaching behaviors: (a) personal resources; the qualities that the teacher brings to the job (b) teacher performance; teachers’ everyday practices that occur in and out of the classroom and (c) teacher effectiveness; the relational teacher qualities that influence students. In a relevant investigation, the author and colleagues conducted research that identified effective teacher strategies, such as awareness of body language, flexibility in accommodating different learning styles, active listening techniques, the use of eye contact, teacher availability, and incorporating a variety of teaching methodologies. Other research-based strategies are discussed relative to their implications for effective (good) teaching.
Keywords
Educational Practices, Educational Strategies, Instructional Effectiveness, Interpersonal Relationship, Master Teachers, Pedagogical Content Knowledge
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How to Cite
Austin, V. L. (2015). Elements of Good Teaching and Good Teachers: A Theoretical Framework and Effective Strategies for Special Educators. Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals, 10(3), 7-20. https://doi.org/10.64546/jaasep.281

Fall 2015

Article Information

  • Article Type Articles
  • Submitted September 16, 2015
  • Published October 15, 2015
  • Issue Fall 2015
  • Section Articles
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