An analysis of supervision procedures to teach systematic instruction competencies to special education student teachers

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the comparative effectiveness of two supervision procedures on the acquisition, generalization, and maintenance of teaching skills by student teachers in their practicum sites. Specifically, two experiments compared an immediate supervision protocol which was conducted in the practicum setting with a delayed supervision procedure conducted in a setting other than the practicum site following an observation. Experiment 1 compared the effectiveness of both supervision strategies on the acquisition of teaching skills by four student teachers during their first practicum experience. Experiment 2 systematically replicated experiment 1 with two student teachers and additionally examined the generalized effect of the supervision procedures to classroom lessons incorporating teaching strategies that did not receive prior supervisor feedback. The immediate supervision procedure resulted in more rapid acquisition of teaching skills. The teaching skills maintained at or near criterion responding in the practicum sites for up to five weeks following the removal of supervision. The results of this investigation are discussed in terms of developing university-based supervision protocol to maximize the acquisition of teaching skills by preservice teachers.