Co-teaching models give two qualified teachers a way to share one inclusive classroom without making one adult the permanent lead and the other a helper. The standard Friend-and-Cook framework has six models, from a focused observation to fully shared instruction. The useful question is not which model looks most collaborative; it is which structure gives this lesson’s students the right amount of practice, feedback, and support.
What co-teaching means in an inclusive classroom
Co-teaching is more than two adults occupying the same room. It means two or more qualified professionals, usually a general education teacher and a special education teacher, jointly take responsibility for planning, teaching, and assessment for a mixed group of students. That shared responsibility matters: a teacher paired with a paraeducator is not, by itself, a co-teaching team under the research-based definition.
The approach is a common way to provide specially designed instruction in the least restrictive environment. Under IDEA, students with disabilities should be educated in general education settings as much as possible. Co-teaching can bring specialized expertise, accommodations, and flexible instruction into that classroom rather than treating support as something that happens only elsewhere.
Marilyn Friend and Lynne Cook systematically described the six familiar models in 1995. They are not six rankings or six personalities. They are ways to organize teachers, students, and a lesson. A strong team shifts between them instead of trying to make every lesson fit one pattern.
The six co-teaching models at a glance
| Model | What the teachers do | Best fit | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| One Teach, One Observe | One teaches; one gathers agreed-upon data. | Beginning a unit, diagnosis, or IEP progress data. | Observation without a specific focus produces little useful information. |
| One Teach, One Assist | One leads; one circulates to support students. | Quick, in-the-moment help during a whole-class lesson. | Do not let the assisting role become permanent. |
| Station Teaching | Students rotate through three or more stations. | Practice, skill-building, and mixed content. | Transitions and independent work must be planned. |
| Parallel Teaching | Both teach the same content to two groups. | Discussion and lessons needing more feedback. | Groups need enough separation so they do not disrupt each other. |
| Alternative Teaching | One teaches the large group; one works with 3–8 students. | Reteaching, preparation, enrichment, or an alternative assessment. | The same students cannot always be the small group. |
| Team Teaching | Both teach and interact in front of the class. | Lessons that benefit from modeled dialogue and two perspectives. | It requires substantial trust and preparation. |
Every model keeps both teachers accountable for the class. The visible arrangement may change, but neither teacher should be reduced to a visitor in the other’s classroom.
Match each model to the work students need to do
Use observation to answer one question
In One Teach, One Observe, one teacher leads the class while the other collects targeted information, such as response rates, participation, or progress toward an IEP goal. Agree on the observation focus before class. For example, during a reading lesson, the observing teacher might record how often several students use a taught comprehension strategy. That makes the model useful for diagnosis, a unit launch, and progress monitoring. Used as the daily default, however, it leaves only one teacher actively teaching.
Use assistance without creating a helper role
In One Teach, One Assist, the second teacher moves around the room to clarify directions, check understanding, or briefly support individuals and small groups. It is easy to implement and can deliver help immediately. It is also the most commonly seen model and the easiest to misuse. Switch who leads, and use other models regularly, so students recognize both adults as teachers with instructional authority.
Use stations for practice, not a first explanation
Station Teaching divides the class into at least three groups. Each teacher leads a station, and at least one station is designed for independent work. Small groups of about 6–10 students make interaction and differentiation easier. A workable pattern is three stations lasting 10–15 minutes each. Because students must understand the task and transitions, stations work best for practice, consolidation, and mixed content rather than an entirely new concept.
Use parallel groups to create more talk time
Parallel Teaching splits the class into two roughly equal groups. Both teachers cover the same learning target at the same time, but they may use different examples, scaffolds, or pacing. That lower student-to-teacher ratio gives students more chances to speak and receive feedback. It is a practical starting point for a new partnership because both teachers actively instruct, although the room must allow two groups to work without competing noise.
Keep alternative groups flexible
Alternative Teaching puts most students with one teacher while the other works in the classroom with a small group of about 3–8. The group might preview vocabulary, revisit a missed skill, extend learning, or complete an alternative assessment. The point is targeted instruction without a separate pull-out setting. Change the group membership: a small group should sometimes receive enrichment, not just remediation, so it does not become a label.
Make team teaching visibly shared
In Team Teaching, both teachers lead together. One can pose a question while the other listens and deepens students’ answers, and both can model academic discussion or build on each other’s explanations. Students see two equal experts rather than a lead teacher and an assistant. It can be powerful, but it is usually not the first model a new pair can sustain. Shared routines, a well-planned lesson, and professional trust make the flow feel purposeful instead of fragmented.
There is no best co-teaching model
No single model is best for every class. The right choice depends on the instructional goal, the learners, the teachers’ experience, and the subject. A discussion-heavy lesson may benefit from parallel groups; a lesson designed to model academic conversation may call for team teaching. If the immediate need is to find out whether students are using a strategy, a focused observation can be the smarter choice.
Instead of naming a favorite model for the year, plan to use at least three or four models across a week or unit. A new team can begin with Parallel Teaching or One Teach, One Observe, where responsibilities are clear, and build toward more demanding shared instruction. What predicts success most strongly is not the label on the day’s model but the quality of the teachers’ joint planning and relationship.
- Name the learning goal before choosing the structure.
- Identify who needs more practice, more challenge, or a different route into the content.
- Choose the model that makes that support possible without lowering the goal.
- Decide who leads, who collects evidence, and when those roles will switch.
- Review the evidence together and adjust the next lesson.
Co-planning is where co-teaching becomes real
Shared planning time is the strongest predictor of successful co-teaching. Without it, two teachers may work alongside one another but not create one coherent learning experience. A practical target is 45–60 minutes of joint planning each week for each co-taught class. That time needs protection because teachers’ available planning minutes are often already limited.
Use the meeting to answer five questions: What is the learning goal? Which co-teaching model fits it? What differentiation is needed? Who does what? How will learning be measured? Co-planning is not one teacher handing over a finished plan. It is an equal process in which both teachers shape content, pacing, supports, and classroom routines.
Do not stop at instruction. Co-assessment is the third pillar alongside co-planning and co-instruction. After a writing lesson, for instance, both teachers can look at exit work: one may notice sentence-level patterns while the other tracks whether students met the lesson target. Their next grouping or model should follow that shared evidence.
Common co-teaching myths can quietly limit inclusion
- “One Teach, One Assist is what co-teaching looks like.” It is one legitimate model, not the permanent arrangement. Constant assistance can weaken the second teacher’s authority.
- “The general educator owns the curriculum.” Co-teaching requires shared decisions about content, pace, rules, and supports. Specialized knowledge belongs in the design of the lesson, not only in a reaction after students struggle.
- “Roles do not need to change if they are working.” Repeated roles create routine and can reduce student participation. Rotate leadership intentionally.
- “A small group should always contain the same students.” In Alternative Teaching, fixed membership can stigmatize students. Flexible groups allow support and enrichment to move where they are needed.
- “A paraeducator makes this a co-teaching class.” Paraeducators offer valuable support, but the co-teaching definition requires two qualified teachers.
Why this structure matters for inclusion
About 13.2% of children in U.S. public schools receive special education services. The number of students with disabilities who spend at least 40% of their school time in general education rose 25% from 2012–13 to 2023–24. Co-teaching is one primary way schools can make that inclusion meaningful: it puts flexible grouping, immediate feedback, and specialized instruction within the same classroom community.
Access is not uniform. Inclusion rates have risen in 42 of the 50 states plus Washington, DC, while some states moved backward, and a student’s location can shape access to inclusive settings. Resources matter in any school, but findings reported by the GAO also point to school culture and adult attitudes. A schedule with two teachers is only a beginning; shared ownership determines whether students experience genuine participation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 6 models of co-teaching?
The six Friend-and-Cook models are One Teach, One Observe; One Teach, One Assist; Station Teaching; Parallel Teaching; Alternative Teaching; and Team Teaching.
What is the best model for co-teaching?
There is no universally best model. Choose based on the lesson goal, student needs, subject, and the team’s experience, then vary models across a week or unit.
What are the 5 models of co-teaching?
Some five-model lists combine One Teach, One Observe and One Teach, One Assist. The original Friend-and-Cook classification treats them as separate models, for a total of six.
Is One Teach, One Assist really co-teaching?
Yes, it is a recognized model when two qualified teachers share responsibility. It becomes a problem when one teacher always leads and the other is treated as a permanent helper.
How much co-planning time do teachers need?
A useful target is 45–60 minutes of shared planning per week for each co-taught class. Use it to set the goal, select a model, plan differentiation and roles, and decide how to assess learning.
