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PROJECT OVERVIEW
Project TEAMS prepares school psychologists and speech-language pathologists to meet the needs of English-learners, with or at risk of high incidence disabilities, through transdisciplinary collaboration in general education classrooms. TEAMS brings together San Diego State University's nationally accredited programs in School Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology with San Diego City Schools' Transdisciplinary Services Unit. TEAMS uses a unique cross-disciplinary, cross-cohort model of transdisciplinary education; designed to empower trainees while simultaneously developing new competencies that are shared between the professions and that reflect contributions of one discipline to the other. TEAMS is predicated on the belief that it may be impossible to "teach" collaboration; rather collaboration must be experienced. Trainees develop their knowledge and skills in three categories of competencies:
- Research-Based Strategies for Effective Cross-Cultural Transdisciplinary Collaboration
for example: knowledge of models for effective collaboration, teaming, and group problem-solving, understanding of and appreciation for the skills and responsibilities of teachers and the "other" discipline, cross-cultural communication skills for collaboration and consultation.
- Research-Based Strategies for Improving Educational Outcomes for English-Learners
for example: knowledge and skills to apply English Language Development Standards to assessment, articulation of goals, design of interventions, and evaluation of effectiveness in general and special education; knowledge of theories, models, methods and outcomes of bilingual education.
- Research-Based Strategies for Effective Prevention & Early Intervention in General Education Classrooms for example: knowledge of and skills to implement a Response-to-Intervention (RTI) model with tiered interventions; skills to apply curriculum-based measurement for English-learners; knowledge and skills to organize, analyze, and present outcomes of interventions.
Project TEAMS Activities
Intensive Institutes for Literacy Assessment and Intervention for English-Learners occur near the beginning of each semester and at the end of the academic year. Institutes specifically target competencies for classroom-based assessment-intervention. The Institutes ensure consistent exposure to content and skills, and thus creation of a common language amongst trainees and collaborating teachers.Transdisciplinary Collaboration Seminars where trainees contribute to others' learning by teaching, leading, guiding, coaching, and mentoring across disciplines, cultural groups, and cohorts in training.
Trainees and faculty co-construct the seminar each semester around a pre-determined theme offered in sequence across two years:
- Collaboration Models and Processes,
- Bilingual Education and Special Education,
- Authentic Assessment for Intervention, and
- Effective Prevention-Intervention.
Practicum in Transdisciplinary Assessment-Prevention-Intervention in a large multilingual elementary school in San Diego City Schools where more than 70% of the students are English-learners from a variety of home languages. TEAMS trainees, one from school psychology and one from speech-language pathology, are teamed with a general education teacher in a K-3 classroom for a 4-hour/week transdisciplinary collaborative experience. Each day begins and closes with triad collaboration. Trainees are responsible for establishing a baseline for their classroom's level of English language development and literacy, using standards-based authentic assessment and curriculum-based measurement. Together with the teacher, they develop inclusive classroom intervention plans focused on (a) students already identified with disabilities, (b) students at very high risk of disability identification and requiring individualized, intensive intervention, and (c) students who need intensified small group interventions in support of their literacy skills.
TEAMS trainees gain skills through the institutes and seminar, apply them in practicum, and critically analyze applications in seminar.
Other Activities include participation in professional conferences, project business retreats or meetings, participation in project evaluation procedures and reporting, and documenting English-learner knowledge base through California's CTEL exams.
TEAMS Traineeships Begin in 2006-07: Apply Now
Twelve traineeships are available annually: six in school psychology and six in speech-language pathology. Traineeships must be at least one year but no more than two years concurrent with enrollment in the preservice programs at SDSU. Priority is given to trainees who are fluent in one of the top languages of need in the schools and, for a second year of participation, must have demonstrated success on the project. TEAMS training is above and beyond the requirements of the graduate-credential programs.School psychology trainees must be students in good standing in SDSU's School Psychology Program. This program is a 4-year full-time sequence of studies that culminates in the Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree and California credential as a school psychologist. Program application procedures and forms are posted at the School Psychologist program page.
Speech-language pathology trainees must be students in good standing in SDSU's Speech-Language Pathology Master's Program and seeking California's credential in clinical-rehabilitative services for practice in the public schools. This program is an intensive 2-year, year-round program of studies. Program application procedures and forms are posted at the Master's of Arts application page.
The Financial Support Package provides approximately $9,000 annually and includes monthly stipends of $300 for year-round study plus allowances for California registration fees, conference travel, and other professional development expenses. Very limited additional funds are available to help offset the cost of out-of-state tuition. Potential trainees must be aware that this support is intended specifically for practitioners who will serve children with disabilities in the public schools following completion of their training programs. The U.S. Department of Education requires that two years of such service be given for each year of traineeship awarded. Failure to fulfill the service obligation results in a payback process to the federal government.
Project TEAMS is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, #H32K055105.
Application
Students interested in applying should contact Dr. Vera F. Gutierrez-Clellen and should see the application page.
