Free Essay on the Role of Communication in a Consultative-Collaborative Model

Introduction

Communication is a critical component of collaborative consultation, which can be regarded as an interactive process that makes it possible for individuals with diverse expertise to develop creative solutions to commonly defined issues. Through collaborative consultation, the outcomes of the issues discussed can bring forth different solutions from those that individual team members would produce when acting independently. The fundamental outcome of this model is to ensure that the issues are discussed comprehensively, consequently leading to the desired efficacy. In light of assessing the role of communication to this model, the context considered is its applicability when handling students with special needs, as the desire for educators, regardless of whether they teach general or special education students, is to achieve the maximum possible constructive interaction.

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Synthesis of Sources

Educators continually focus on improving the services provided for children with special needs. For a considerable number of years, education stakeholders, including different communities, have been debating over the aspect of inclusion. The debates have been focusing on educator attitudes, including the attitudes of the school community members, regarding the coexistence of students that require special needs as well as their non-handicapped peers. Regardless of the political rhetoric that emphasizes on the need to strengthen inclusion and equality, Tzivinikou (2015) suggests that different entities are inflexible or are not willing to negotiate the educational processes and the outcomes that can fulfill the needs of a diverse student population. In addition to the unwillingness and inflexibility portrayed, learning institutions are under-resourced, which makes it difficult for different entities to ensure student inclusion.

Collaboration between special and the general education teachers can be regarded as one of the most effective and vital ways for identifying initiatives that would enhance the success of students with special needs as they pursue their education in an inclusive school environment (Ripley, 2019). However, parents, students, and different families are likely to feel that the school system does not promote a democratically inclusive school. Instead, educators utilize the rhetoric of inclusion, which is a provision that calls for the development of sufficient inventory for effective practices. In an inclusive setting, the key feature considered involves the coexistence of two teachers in a classroom. In such a setting teaching would be difficult, thereby calling for the need to embrace collaborative teaching.

Research evidence points towards the vital characteristics of professionals that can make effective co-teachers. The skills that should be at the disposal of co-teachers include the ability to solve problems effectively, personal confidence, suitable communication skills, effective organizational skills, and professional competence, among others (Tzivinikou, 2015). Through collaborative teaching, identified as an educational approach involving the general and special educators that work in a coordinated way to teach a heterogeneous group of students jointly, the needs of the individual student within the classroom could be realized (Tzivinikou, 2015).

Ripley (2019) shares this view by indicating that general and special education teachers working together in a classroom are equal partners, as they have an interactive relationship. For this reason, they have to communicate in the best way through which they can handle different aspects such as planning, teaching, as well as assessing the students.

The different areas that require consultative collaboration include the curricula and instruction, the assessment and the evaluation processes, as well as the management of the classroom and behavior of individual students. Walther-Thomas, Bryant, and Land (1996) suggest that the effectiveness of consultative collaboration between general and special educators is aided by the effectiveness of their communication process.

A collaborative relationship requires the commitment of different parties responsible for educating students to communicate effectively to combine their skills, perspectives, as well as their professional knowledge for the benefit of the students. For this reason, communication can be regarded as the distinctive feature of co-teaching. Educators are aware of their environment, as they know how teamwork can be achieved in the school setting. The similarity of their behavior as well as abilities, in addition to respecting the values of the team, is a vital ingredient for ensuring the effectiveness of their collaborative effort.

The widespread practice involving the inclusion of students with special needs to a regular classroom has heightened the expectations of teachers in terms of spearheading structural changes that would prepare them for appropriate educational programs. According to Radiae-Sestic et al. (2013), one way through which general teachers can be able to meet the needs of special needs students would be through the development of collaborative relationships with the special education instructors.

The collaborative relationships inform the idea that teamwork is vital for ensuring the successful inclusion of students with disabilities. It can be regarded as integral to the improvement of work processes between teachers in an inclusive educational institution. Ripley (2019) supports this provision by indicating that general teachers can contribute to the collaborative relationship by bringing content specialization, while the special education teachers can contribute through bringing assessment as well as adaptation specialization.

According to Jordan (2011), collective collaboration promotes a culture of shared vision within the school community. For this reason, through effective communication between the parties involved, the genuine commitment of the stakeholders can be assured. The sustainability of the shared vision can be achieved by communicating the common values, which are vital to the effectiveness of the collaborative community of teachers.

In a collaborative culture, Jordan (2011) posits that the members of the school community are likely to work together in an effective manner, as they will be guided by the need to fulfill a common purpose. For this reason, the goals that the school community set out to achieve should not only be clear but should also be easy to understand. This provision invites the other aspect of communication that should be observed in a consultative collaboration model, which is the idea that the clarity of messages in a collaborative relationship is important for fostering a mutual understanding.

The absence of collaboration between teachers in a school setting is dangerous. A study conducted by Venianaki and Zervakis (2015) the collaborative practices between the general and special needs teachers revealed that the unawareness of a collaborative relationship in this context was an obstacle to success. Regardless of the attitudes that teachers might have in terms of denying or accepting collaboration, their awareness is of utmost importance. In this light, teachers can only be aware of an existing collaborative relationship between different educational stakeholders when informed. This element highlights the importance of communication in this context. In this case, their awareness can foster collaboration, thereby enhancing inclusion in the classroom as well as the school environment.

Conclusion

The fundamental idea being communicated by the different sources on the role of communication on consultative collaboration is the idea that collective inquiry and reflective discussions are the foundation of actual collaboration. In such a setting, teacher isolation can be impossible, which is a vital component of ensuring the inclusion of students with special needs in the classroom environment. For this reason, the creation of a collaborative atmosphere can be regarded as one of the most vital factors needed for inclusion in a school improvement plan. The only way through which such an atmosphere can be created would be through employing effective communication, which can be applied during the development of a co-teaching curriculum or program. The needs of all students, regardless of whether they have special needs or otherwise, will be addressed.

Different concepts that include individualized instruction, the presence of multiple learning styles, co-teaching, teaching as a team, and evaluation processes, including detailed planning, are the direct benefits that the students can achieve through the application of the consultative collaborative model. In this regard, the fundamental purpose of the collaboration is to combine the expertise of teachers to fulfill the needs of all the learners. For this reason, it is important for educators to provide and receive classroom support, which can only be achieved through proper planning. Additionally, students are likely to be in a winning position when challenged by collaborating teachers that believe in their responsibility for all children, regardless of their capabilities. Effective communication when generating ideas for a collaborative relationship between teachers is important.

References

Jordan, K. L. (2011). How Does the Collaboration of General and Special Educators Improve the Progress Attainment of Students with Disabilities? (Ph.D.). Kennesaw State University. Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1456&context=etd

Radiae-Sestic, M., Radovanovic, V., Milanovic-Dobrota, B., Slavkovic, S., & Langoviae-Milicvic, A. (2013). General and Special Education Teachers' Relations within Teamwork in Inclusive Education: Socio-Demographic Characteristics. South African Journal of Education, 33(3). Retrieved from https://www.ajol.info/index.php/saje/article/view/91918

Ripley, S. (1997). Collaboration between General and Special Education Teachers. ERIC Digest. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED409317

Tzivinikou, S. (2015). Collaboration between General and Special Education Teachers: Developing Co-Teaching Skills in Heterogeneous Classes. Problems of Education in the 21st Century, 64, 108-119. Retrieved from http://www.scientiasocialis.lt/pec/files/pdf/vol64/108-119.Tzivinikou_Vol.64.pdf

Venianaki, A., & Zervakis, S. (2015). Collaboration Practices between Special Education Teachers and Mainstream Teachers in Secondary Education. Journal of Education & Social Policy, 2(6), 42-46. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Aikaterini_Venianaki/publication/322369754_Collaboration_Practices_between_Special_Education_Teachers_and_Mainstream_Teachers_in_Secondary_Education_Journal_of_Education_Social_Policy_2_6_42-46/links/5a567caca6fdcc30f86d570a/Collaboration-Practices-between-Special-Education-Teachers-and-Mainstream-Teachers-in-Secondary-Education-Journal-of-Education-Social-Policy-2-6-42-46.pdf

Walther-Thomas, C. S., Bryant, M., & Land, S. (1996). Planning for Effective Co-Teaching: The Key to Successful Inclusion. Remedial and Special Education, 17(4), 255-264. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/074193259601700408