Inclusive Classrooms: Co-Teaching Models and the Paraprofessional's Position

What Is Co-Teaching?

Co-teaching is an arrangement in which a licensed general education teacher and a licensed special education teacher share responsibility for planning, delivering, and assessing instruction in a single classroom. The goal is to meet the needs of all students, including those with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), within the general education setting. As a paraprofessional, you will often work alongside a co-teaching pair. Understanding each model helps you know exactly where to stand, what to do, and—equally important—what to leave to the certified professionals.

The Six Co-Teaching Models

Marilyn Friend and Lynne Cook, whose collaboration framework is widely used in schools across the United States, describe six major co-teaching models. Each assigns different physical and instructional roles.

1. One Teach / One Assist

One teacher delivers whole-group instruction while the other moves through the room providing quiet, individual support. The paraprofessional's position: you may circulate to help with on-task behavior, materials, or brief clarifications, but you do so under the direction of the assisting teacher. You do not pull students out of instruction or make independent decisions about modifying assignments.

2. Station Teaching

Students rotate among two or more small-group stations, each managed by a different adult. A paraprofessional may staff an independent practice station, but the activities at that station must be designed and approved by a certified teacher in advance. You facilitate and monitor; you do not create new instructional content on the spot.

3. Parallel Teaching

The class is split into two groups of roughly equal size, and each teacher delivers the same content simultaneously to their group. The paraprofessional supports one group under teacher supervision. This model requires close pre-planning between the two certified teachers; you carry out that plan rather than adapt it independently.

4. Alternative Teaching

One teacher works with the larger group while the other works with a small group that needs pre-teaching, re-teaching, or enrichment. The paraprofessional may assist with the smaller group, but the certified special education teacher or general education teacher leads that instruction. Your role is to provide prompts, read aloud per the IEP, or manage materials—not to determine the instructional approach.

5. Team Teaching

Both certified teachers share the lead simultaneously, often finishing each other's thoughts, modeling dialogue, or demonstrating a concept together. This is the most integrated model and typically requires the greatest professional trust and planning time between the two teachers. The paraprofessional's role is the most limited here: circulate quietly, support individual students with documented needs, and stay out of the instructional dialogue unless directed to speak by a teacher.

6. One Teach / One Observe

One teacher delivers instruction while the other systematically collects data on student performance or classroom dynamics. This model is often used to gather information that drives IEP goal updates. A paraprofessional does not conduct formal observation or write IEP-related data unless a certified staff member specifically assigns and supervises that task. You may take informal notes only if asked to do so by the teacher.

The Paraprofessional's Subordinate, Supportive Role

In every model above, notice a consistent pattern: the paraprofessional supports the plan that certified teachers have designed. This is not a reflection of your value—it is a legal and professional boundary that protects students.

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), IEP services must be delivered or directly supervised by qualified personnel. A paraprofessional who independently modifies a student's assignment, decides to remove a student from the room, or changes the level of a task is stepping outside their legal scope of practice. This can put the student's IEP compliance at risk and expose the district to legal liability.

Practical reminders for every model:

• Always ask, never assume. If a situation arises that the plan does not cover, check with the lead teacher rather than act independently.
• Avoid hovering. Staying glued to one student, especially a student with a disability, can reduce that student's independence and signal to peers that the student is different. Move around naturally and step back when the student is engaged.
• Maintain confidentiality. Information about a student's IEP, behavior plan, or disability is protected. Do not discuss it in hallways, the lunchroom, or with parents unless a certified staff member directs you to and you are following an established communication protocol.
• Report, don't resolve. If you observe a behavioral incident, a safety concern, or a student in distress, your first action is to alert the certified teacher, not to handle it alone.

Safety Considerations

Classrooms that include students with physical disabilities, seizure disorders, severe allergies, or behavioral support plans carry specific safety requirements. Before you work in any such classroom:

• Confirm you have read and understood every student's emergency health plan or behavior intervention plan (BIP), as shared by the supervising teacher.
• Know the location of the nearest first aid kit and the school's emergency call procedure.
• If your CPR/First Aid credential is current, be prepared to act in a medical emergency—but always trigger the school's emergency response system simultaneously.
• During a physical behavioral incident, follow the school's approved restraint policy. Do not physically intervene using untrained techniques; doing so can harm the student and creates legal liability for you.

Putting It Together

When you walk into a co-taught classroom, ask yourself three questions: Which model is in use right now? What has the supervising teacher asked me to do? What boundaries should I respect? Answering those three questions accurately is the foundation of effective, ethical paraprofessional practice.