SPED Teachers’ Practices in Supporting On-Task Behavior and Self-Management Skills: Evidence from Parent Assessments

Abstract

This study examined parent-respondents’ assessments of special education (SPED) teachers’ practices in providing structures for on-task behavior and supporting self-management skills. It also determined whether the two practice domains were significantly related and whether parent assessments differed according to age, sex, and role in the family. A descriptive survey design with correlational and comparative analyses was used. The respondents were 30 parents of elementary school leaners from the Schools Division of Cavite. Data were gathered through a researcher-developed questionnaire that underwent expert, colleague, graduate-school, and proposal-defense review. The four-point instrument assessed practices related to classroom structure and learner self-management. Frequency, percentage, weighted mean, standard deviation, Kendall’s tau with the reported chi-square statistic, and Kruskal-Wallis testing were used at the 0.05 significance level. Parent assessments were generally positive, with an overall mean of 3.26 (SD = 0.44), interpreted as “Always True of the Teachers of My Child.” Providing structures for on-task behavior obtained M = 3.27 (SD = 0.45), while supporting self-management skills obtained M = 3.25 (SD = 0.43). The relationship between the two domains was very weak and not statistically significant (τ = 0.011, p = 0.564). No significant differences were found in assessments when respondents were grouped according to age, sex, or role in the family. The findings indicate that classroom structure and self-management support may be implemented as parallel practices rather than as an intentionally integrated process.