Perceptions of Korean pre-service special educators regarding teaching competencies for students with disabilities

The purpose of this study is to develop a Teaching competency index in special education and to investigate Korean pre-service special educators (PSSEs)’ perceptions regarding each item of the index. Based on a review of the literature on exemplary instruction in special education, we developed an index composed of 44 items. The six sub-domains of the index include ‘Organizing content’, ‘Writing lesson plans’, ‘Considering individual characteristics’, ‘Encouraging student participation’, ‘Enhancing interactions’, ‘Practicing effective teaching strategies’ and ‘Reflecting on one’s own teaching’. The survey participants included 37 PSSEs who just completed their practicum in special schools in Korea for four weeks. Results showed that there was a significant difference between the importance and implementation of the teaching competencies both in the total score and in the subtotal score of each domain. No significant difference was found across three certification areas (early childhood, elementary, and secondary) of PSSEs and across the disability types of the students who attend the practicum sites. Finally, discussions of the results and the implications of this study for personnel preparation practices in Korea are provided.