Special Education Teachers' Foundational Reading Knowledge Lacking, Says Research

Strategic Insights -

Special education teachers require solid foundational reading content knowledge to teach early reading skills, but research reveals that this knowledge is often lacking, with teachers' understanding varying greatly depending on their experience, degree, and instructional time use. This knowledge gap can be addressed through structured literacy standards for teacher preparation programs and in-service training initiatives. A recent study examined the psychometric properties of a 20-item Teacher Knowledge Assessment: Structure of Language scale, using data from 337 special education teachers providing reading instruction to students with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the United States.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that special education teachers require foundational reading content knowledge, including phonemic awareness and phonics, to teach early reading skills.
  • None of the measures developed to assess this knowledge have examined item-level differences related to teacher characteristics, such as experience and degree.
  • The research used a 20-item Teacher Knowledge Assessment: Structure of Language scale, which had an average score of 13.2 out of 20 possible points among 337 special education teachers.
  • Rasch analysis revealed that two misfitting items were dropped, resulting in 18 items on the scale, with a mean score of 11.9 and a standard deviation of 3.3.
  • Differential item functioning (DIF) analyses showed that a greater number of items showed DIF for teacher experience (8 items) and instructional time use (8 items) than for degree (3 items).
  • The results indicate inconsistencies in teachers' acquired foundational reading knowledge based on experience, degree, and instructional time use.

Statistics:

  • 337 special education teachers participated in the study, providing data on their reading instruction to students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
  • The average score on the 20-item Teacher Knowledge Assessment: Structure of Language scale was 13.2 out of 20 possible points.
  • 18 remaining items on the scale had a mean score of 11.9 and a standard deviation of 3.3.
  • 8 items showed DIF for teacher experience, and 8 items showed DIF for instructional time use.

Sources:

  • Foundational Reading Knowledge of Teachers of Students With IDD: Examining Experience, Degree and Time Use. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 2025.
  • Kimberly A. McFadden, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States.
  • Esther R. Lindstrom, Qiong Fu, and Molly J. Ruiz, authors.
  • Journal of Intellectual Disability Research can be contacted at: Wiley, 111 River St, Hoboken 07030-5774, NJ, USA.