The implementation of the IEP should be a shared responsibility. If the identification and planning stages are collaborative, then it follows that the management and implementation of the IEP should be equally collaborative. No one person owns the IEP - it belongs to all who contributed to it. It is assumed that the general principles of good practice regarding partnership and collaboration are understood, however in relation to the delivery of an IEP there are some more specific issues that need to be considered.
Clarification of roles
This is an important issue in every setting, but in a mainstream context it is crucial. The management and implementation of an IEP is not the sole preserve of the Support for Learning teacher. One of the main roles the Support for Learning teacher will play will be as a facilitator, co-ordinating the pupils’ learning experiences and managing the overall process. They may also do some of the teaching, but will not necessarily be the sole or main teacher for the pupil.
Part of this co-ordinating role will involve determining who else will teach which elements of the programme, and in what way they will do so (e.g. through co-operative teaching, class teaching, one-to-one etc.) The range of people involved in implementation might include:
Once the roles of each individual has been identified and agreed they should be written into the programme to ensure that everyone knows exactly what s/he is expected to do.
Role clarification is also required in relation to assessment. Who will be responsible for which elements of the assessment procedures? It is important to ensure that the planned assessment for the whole class and for the IEP is sufficiently comprehensive, and that some elements are not overlooked - or indeed over-assessed. In a secondary context for example, it is not necessary for all the teachers involved to assess every element of the IEP, but decisions must be taken about the focus of the assessment and who will carry it out.
The role of any parent or pupil helpers will need to be carefully negotiated and documented to ensure that they can make a positive contribution, but in a way which is not threatening to them, and is complementary to the roles of the other members of the team.
Decisions will also need to be taken about who shares responsibility for:
Finally, it should be recognised that roles are flexible. Good teamwork is about flexibility, and a readiness to change roles to meet the needs of the pupil and the demands of a particular situation.