Team Teaching
Team teaching (also called co-teaching) involves two or more teachers collaboratively planning, delivering, and evaluating instruction for the same group of learners. It is not simply "two teachers in the room" — genuine team teaching requires shared responsibility for learning outcomes and coordinated roles during the lesson.
Models
| Model | Description | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| One teach, one assist | One teacher leads; the other circulates, monitors, and supports individual learners | Mentoring, mixed-ability classes |
| Parallel teaching | The class is split; each teacher teaches the same content to a smaller group | Reducing student-teacher ratio |
| Station teaching | Teachers set up different activity stations; groups rotate | Skills practice, differentiation |
| Alternative teaching | One teacher works with the main group; the other provides enrichment or remediation to a small group | Differentiated instruction |
| Team teaching (shared) | Both teachers actively co-deliver, trading roles within the lesson | Experienced pairs, demonstration lessons |
The "one teach, one assist" model is the most common starting point but also the least equitable — it can reduce the assisting teacher to a passive helper. Genuine team teaching requires both teachers to be active contributors with defined roles.
Benefits
For learners
- Lower student-teacher ratio during key activities
- More individual attention and feedback
- Exposure to different teaching styles, accents, and interaction patterns
- Smoother lesson flow when transitions are shared
For teachers
- Shared planning reduces individual workload (once the partnership is established)
- Real-time professional learning — watching a colleague teach and adapting in response
- Immediate, contextualised peer observation
- Emotional and practical support, especially for less experienced teachers
- Models collaborative practice for learners
Challenges
| Challenge | Mitigation |
|---|---|
| Role ambiguity | Define roles explicitly during planning — who leads which stage, who monitors |
| Personality clashes | Choose partnerships carefully; establish ground rules early |
| Unequal status | Ensure both teachers have meaningful responsibilities; avoid "main teacher + assistant" dynamics |
| Planning time | Co-planning takes longer initially; invest the time upfront to establish routines |
| Conflicting approaches | Discuss pedagogical beliefs and agree on principles before the first lesson |
| Institutional resistance | Requires timetabling flexibility and willingness to allocate two teachers to one class |
Team Teaching as Professional Development
When done well, team teaching is one of the most effective forms of ongoing CPD because it is:
- Situated — Learning happens in the actual teaching context
- Sustained — Not a one-off workshop but an ongoing partnership
- Collaborative — Knowledge is constructed through dialogue and shared practice
- Reflective — Post-lesson debriefing is built into the process
Pairing an experienced teacher with a newer colleague combines mentoring with collaborative practice. The experienced teacher models techniques; the newer teacher brings fresh ideas and questions assumptions.
In ELT Contexts
Team teaching is common in:
- JET Programme (Japan) — Native English speakers co-teach with Japanese teachers of English
- EPIK (South Korea) — Similar model with Korean English teachers
- International schools — Content and language teachers co-deliver CLIL lessons
- Pre-service training — Paired teaching practice on CELTA and similar courses
- Language schools — Occasional team-taught lessons for variety or large classes
Key References
- Bailey, K. M., Curtis, A. & Nunan, D. (2001). Pursuing Professional Development: The Self as Source. Heinle & Heinle.
- Richards, J. C. & Farrell, T. S. C. (2005). Professional Development for Language Teachers. Cambridge University Press.
- Friend, M. & Cook, L. (2017). Interactions: Collaboration Skills for School Professionals (8th ed.). Pearson.
See Also
- Peer Observation — team teaching provides continuous mutual observation
- Mentoring — pairing experienced and novice teachers in team teaching contexts
- Continuing Professional Development — team teaching as situated, ongoing PD