How can teachers collaborate with special education for students developing reading skills?

Last updated: January 21, 2026

You’ve watched that student in your classroom—the one whose eyes go dull during reading time, who works three times harder than classmates just to decode a simple sentence, who you know is brilliant but whose reading skills haven’t caught up yet. You’ve felt that frustration of wanting to help more but not being sure how to bridge the gap between your classroom instruction and what the special education team provides. That pull between “I want to do more” and “I’m not sure what’s working” isn’t a sign you’re failing as a teacher—it’s a sign that you care deeply about a child who needs coordinated support. And if you’ve ever wondered whether your efforts and the special education team’s efforts are actually working together or accidentally working against each other, you’re asking exactly the right question.

TL;DR

Effective collaboration between general and special education creates consistent reading instruction that builds stronger neural pathways
Brief, regular check-ins and shared documentation systems prevent communication gaps
Using behavior-focused language and data helps identify specific skill gaps and track real progress
Consistent strategies and shared vocabulary across all settings reduce cognitive load and speed skill development
Unified advocacy with families creates the intensive, coordinated support that transforms reading outcomes

Understanding the Power of Team-Based Reading Support

When a child is developing reading skills in the classroom, the strength of their support team often determines how quickly they progress. Collaboration between general education teachers and special education professionals isn’t just helpful—it’s essential for creating the kind of consistent, systematic instruction that builds strong neural reading pathways. Research shows that children with reading differences can develop the same reading skills as their peers when they receive explicit, intensive instruction from educators who communicate and coordinate effectively.

The key to successful collaboration lies in recognizing that each team member brings unique expertise to the table. General education teachers understand curriculum standards, classroom dynamics, and how the child performs in whole-group settings. Special education professionals bring specialized training in multisensory reading approaches, individualized intervention strategies, and progress monitoring tools. When these perspectives combine, the child receives a more comprehensive support system than either educator could provide alone.

Many teachers worry that collaboration means more meetings and paperwork. In reality, effective collaboration often reduces overall effort by preventing duplicated work and ensuring that interventions complement each other rather than conflict. A child who receives consistent reading strategies across all settings—rather than different approaches that confuse their developing brain—makes faster, more sustainable progress.

Your student's reading success depends on how well you and special education work together—not just what each of you does separately. Tweet Now Follow Learning Success

Building Effective Communication Channels

Strong collaboration begins with intentional communication systems. Before formal meetings, establish regular check-ins—even brief ones—where you and special education colleagues can share observations about what’s working. A quick five-minute conversation after school can be more valuable than a monthly meeting where details have been forgotten. Consider creating a shared document or communication log where both teachers note successful strategies, concerning patterns, or questions that arise throughout the week.

When discussing students who are building reading skills, focus on observable behaviors rather than labels. Instead of saying “she struggles with phonics,” try “I noticed she consistently confuses /b/ and /d/ sounds during decoding practice.” This specific, behavior-focused language helps special education colleagues provide targeted recommendations and reading intervention strategies that address the actual skill gap.

Data drives productive conversations. Track and share specific progress data: how many sight words mastered this week, reading fluency rates, or success with particular phonics patterns. This objective information helps both educators adjust instruction based on what’s actually working, rather than relying on general impressions. Reading development research confirms that frequent progress monitoring combined with instructional adjustments leads to stronger outcomes than fixed intervention approaches.

Author Quote "

Neuroscience research shows that systematic phonics instruction literally rewires the brain for reading success in children with dyslexia.

Laura Lurns Learning Success Expert

Research Insight: Neuroplasticity research demonstrates that children with reading differences can develop the same neural reading pathways as their peers—but this transformation requires consistent, coordinated instruction across all learning environments. When general and special education teachers align their strategies, children receive the intensive practice their brains need to build strong reading foundations.

Creating Consistent Strategies Across Settings

Children developing reading skills thrive on consistency. When strategies in the general education classroom align with those used in specialized reading instruction, the child’s brain can practice and reinforce the same skills throughout the day. Work with special education colleagues to identify core strategies that both settings can implement. Perhaps the special education teacher uses specific hand motions for letter sounds—you can incorporate those same motions during whole-class phonics instruction.

Develop shared vocabulary around reading instruction. If the special education team teaches systematic phonics approaches, learn that vocabulary so you can reinforce concepts when they arise in your classroom. Simple consistency—using the same word to describe blending sounds, or the same term for chunking words into syllables—reduces cognitive load for students and accelerates skill development.

Consider how classroom accommodations can support rather than replace skill building. The goal isn’t to work around reading differences—it’s to build the neural pathways that enable reading success. Accommodations like extended time or audio support should be paired with intensive skill-building instruction. Ask your special education colleagues which accommodations genuinely support development versus which might inadvertently reduce practice opportunities the child needs.

Key Takeaways:

Consistent strategies across settings accelerate reading skill development

Regular communication prevents duplicated effort and conflicting approaches

Data-driven collaboration leads to better outcomes than fixed interventions

Advocating Together for Student Success

The most effective collaboration happens when general and special education teachers advocate as a unified team. Parents respond better when they hear consistent messages from all their child’s educators. When both teachers emphasize that the child is developing reading skills—rather than using deficit language about what the child “can’t” do—parents feel empowered rather than overwhelmed.

Use IEP meetings as opportunities to celebrate growth and adjust strategies together. Come prepared with specific examples of classroom progress, questions about how to better implement recommended interventions, and observations about what motivates the student. Educational advocacy research shows that collaborative, growth-focused IEP conversations lead to more effective programming than meetings where educators defend separate territories.

Remember that parent partnership research demonstrates parents are powerful allies in reading development. Share with families the strategies both teachers use so practice can continue at home. When general education teachers, special education professionals, and families all use consistent approaches and growth-oriented language, children receive the intensive, systematic support their developing brains need. Your collaboration doesn’t just help your current students—it models the kind of team-based approach that transforms outcomes for all children building reading skills.

Author Quote "

Children with reading differences can achieve grade-level reading with intensive, explicit instruction that’s consistently applied across learning environments.

Here’s what I know to be true: every child’s brain is capable of building strong reading skills when educators work together with purpose and consistency. The siloed approach—where general education and special education operate as separate islands—isn’t serving anyone, least of all the children caught between conflicting strategies and inconsistent expectations. That fragmented system wasn’t designed to help children thrive; it was designed to manage paperwork and protect professional boundaries. Your student deserves better. They deserve educators who communicate daily, align strategies deliberately, and refuse to accept that “we’ve always done it this way” is good enough. When teachers collaborate effectively, children with reading differences don’t just make progress—they build the neural pathways that enable lifelong reading success. And when you combine that school-based teamwork with parent involvement, the results multiply. Start your free trial of the Learning Success All Access Program and discover the research-backed strategies that help teachers and families work together to transform reading outcomes.

References

Science of Reading Research (National Reading Panel) - Reading is a learnable skill that can be developed through explicit, systematic instruction; children with reading differences can build the same neural reading networks as typical readers through intensive practice.
Neuroplasticity and Reading Studies - Intensive reading intervention literally changes brain structure and function; brain scans show normalized activation patterns after systematic instruction, with children developing the same neural pathways as typical readers.
Educational Expectation Effects Research - Student performance significantly improves when educators hold high expectations with appropriate support; collaborative, growth-focused communication leads to more effective programming than siloed approaches.