Mara Fuertes Gutiérrez & Inma Álvarez, The Open University, United Kingdom

Title: Coteaching in Higher Education: approaches, models and issues in language classrooms

Keywords: Coteaching; Team teaching; Higher Education; Language teaching; Scoping review

Abstract:

Coteaching (also known as team teaching or collaborative teaching) is an educational practice, hierarchical or cooperative, where two or more teachers share the responsibility of jointly instructing a group of learners. This paper reports on a scoping review of coteaching practices in language classrooms in Higher Education around the world to find out about the extent, range of approaches, successful models and current issues related to this practice in the context of language teaching. We carried out an exhaustive search of evidence reported in English between 2000 and 2019 in multiple databases (among others Academic Search Complete, CORE, DOAJ, Ebsco, Education Research Complete, EthOs, JSTOR, ProQuest Dissertation and thesis, and Web of Science), and assessed each study and the quality of the intervention. A thematic analysis was used to expose team teaching in the context of language classrooms and revealed limited evidence of coteaching models involving languages in the context of Higher Education. Team teaching practices seem to be underdeveloped due to the challenges encountered in specific settings and institutions, but also due to personal and professional factors. At the same time, pedagogies emerging from team teaching dynamics suggest important benefits for language learners such as improved learning outcomes, as well as for language teachers’ creativity. Further empirical research on effective practices in planning, teaching and evaluation through coteaching is critical to developing a relevant and innovative language curriculum but also effective teaching communities in the internet and globalization era.