Modeling High-Leverage Practices Through Rehearsal and Role Play in Classroom Management Courses

Teacher educators need practical strategies to better prepare special education teacher candidates for classroom management challenges, as over 45% report feeling unprepared despite traditional training. This practitioner paper provides teacher educators with a systematic, yet flexible approach for embedding high-leverage practices (HLPs) into classroom management courses through rehearsal and role play. Ready-to-implement instructional sequences, lesson plan templates, and step-by-step guidance for facilitating experiential learning activities that allow teacher candidates to practice evidence-based strategies in supportive environments are discussed. Key components include modeling HLP 7 Consistent Learning Environments and HLP 16 Explicit Instruction while simultaneously teaching their implementation through structured rehearsal and role play activities.