Special education teacher candidate evaluation: Creating a pre-service to master teacher observation system

This chapter describes the conceptual framework of the observation system, and explains how to implement the observation tool within the pre-service program to support our special education teacher candidates' ability to effectively implement evidence-based practices (EBPs) to improve outcomes for students with disabilities. Although students with high-incidence disabilities reflect a very heterogeneous group to which no one instructional model can be recommended, there are some common principles that underlie effective intervention programs. While the instructional practices employed by special education teachers are critical to support information processing, a focus on instructional practice alone would fail to recognize the critical aspect of evaluating the content that is being presented to students with disabilities (SWD). The most common content areas in which students with high-incidence disabilities receive individualized instruction services are reading, writing, and math. Integrating the detailed RESET rubrics within the microteaching framework allows to focus the candidates' attention to EBPs for students with disabilities.