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SUMMARY STATEMENT
This presentation will present the results of an investigation into the use of videotape analysis in staff development. Teachers working with multi- disabled visually impaired (MDVI) children were video-taped. Their work was then analyzed by the teacher with their supervisor to identify the effective teaching strategies that were used. The main aim of this form of supervision is for teachers to increase the range of strategies they could use in their teaching. Observation schedules and videotape protocols will be presented, along with descriptions of the strategies found to be effective in teaching MDVI children.
ABSTRACT
This presentation will describe a research project in which classroom staff evaluated their practice with multi-disabled visually impaired (MDVI) pupils. The outcome was improved quality of teaching through the identification of most effective teaching strategies.
The presentation will be based on work carried out at RNIB Condover Hall School, England with the University of Birmingham. The project is currently (September 1996) in the first phase, of data collection; results should be completed by February 1997.
We know that many teachers use a small number of familiar strategies in their teaching. There is little information about the most effective strategies in teaching MDVI children. In this project, senior staff in the school held regular supervision sessions with teachers, observing their work and making video tapes of what happened in the classroom. The observation sessions were based on a recording sheet which enabled the teacher to identify the anticipated outcomes of the session, and to describe the teaching strategies they were likely to use. Through video analysis and discussion with their supervisor, teachers examined the strategies they used, and were led to expand the range of approaches they were familiar with.
The presentation will describe the structured observation system and also show an example of the video tapes that formed the basis of the supervision session discussion. Results will discuss the extent to which the teachers can change their understanding of potential teaching strategies, are able to identify most effective strategies, and their response to this style of staff development (supervision + action research). The strategies used by the teachers will also be presented.