Identifying critical-entry teaching competencies for beginning special educators: The Delphi study

Critical-entry competencies perceived as being necessary for beginning special educators working with students with learning or mild disabilities (LDM), or students with moderate or severe disabilities (MSD) were identified by two, 12 member panels, each consisting of six nominated expert classroom teachers and six nominated teacher educators. Each panel identified critical-entry competencies using a Delphi process with three rounds: (1) an initial identification of competencies, (2) a round of rating and (3) a round of re-rating. In round one, each panel member was randomly assigned to write competencies for three of six content areas: Instructional Methodology, Student Assessment, Programming for Inclusion, Collaboration and Consultation, Student Management, and Curriculum Development and Evaluation. The final sets of 133 (LDM) and 85 (MSD) critical-entry competencies achieved consensus by both classroom teachers and teacher educators.;The results indicated that for both panels, critical-entry competencies were perceived to fall within six foci: Instructional focus, Assessment focus, Curriculum focus, Student focus, Professional Communication focus, and Teacher focus.;The results substantiate current teacher training content for both disability levels studied, and further indicate a need to include training of other competencies which may only receive incidental consideration by teacher training programs at present. An examination of the competencies falling within Student focus, Professional Communication focus, and Teacher focus reveals that beginning special educators need to possess skills which may be currently considered to be within the domains of experienced and consultant teachers. The implications may show a need to refocus teacher training efforts in order to graduate teachers with more sophisticated teaching characteristics.