In-Class Programs

In-class programs are programs that use special teachers and aides as adjuncts to the classroom teacher within the regular classroom. When teachers regularly utilize small groups and partner learning, specialists can enter the room and work unobtrusively with students.

This approach requires a clear "game plan" for how the adults will work together. Some schools experimenting with in-class programs have found that specific training is helpful for the teaching personnel to learn how to best work together. For example, the special reading teacher may work with one of the small groups in a classroom while the regular teacher works with another; this approach avoids stigmatizing students. By observing Title I students in a classroom setting, the special reading teacher may come to better understand the children and be more able to support their reading in ways that complement what the classroom teacher has prioritized.