Teaching assistants are an important resource in education. This free course, Teaching assistants: support in action, looks at how the role has developed across the UK over time. It explores the skills and attributes that teaching assistants use to provide effective support and contribute to productive teamwork. This OpenLearn course introduces diverse roles and distinctive contributions of teaching assistants.

Teaching assistants have become an integral part of classroom life, yet pioneering research by the authors has shown that school leaders and teachers are not making the most of this valued resource. Results from the Deployment and Impact of Support Staff (DISS) project showed that the more support pupils received from teaching assistants, the less academic progress they made. Yet it is not decisions made by the teaching assistants themselves, but decisions made by school leaders and teachers about how their support staff are used and prepared, which explains these provocative results. Prompted by the wake-up call the DISS project findings provided, this timely book of guidance will help school leaders and teachers in primary and secondary schools improve the way they use teaching assistants, and will add real value to what can be achieved in the classroom. Based on the authors' collaborative work with schools in the Effective Deployment of Teaching Assistants (EDTA) project, this book provides essential, practical tools and classroom-tested strategies that will allow schools to conduct a fundamental review of current practice and provides a framework for reforming teaching assistant deployment and preparation, and the way they interact with pupils. Maximising the Impact of Teaching Assistantsprovides much-needed and well-informed guidance on how to unleash the huge potential of teaching assistants working in schools and is essential reading for all school leaders.

Over the last decade, teaching assistants (TAs) have become an established part of everyday classroom life. TAs are often used by schools to help low-attaining pupils and those with special educational needs. Yet despite the huge rise in the number of TAs working in UK classrooms, very little is known about their impact on pupils. This key and timely text examines the impact of TAs on pupils’ learning and behaviour, and on teachers and teaching. The authors present the provocative findings from the ground-breaking and seminal Deployment and Impact of Support Staff (DISS) project. This was the largest, most in-depth study ever to be carried out in this field. It critically examined the effect of TA support on the academic progress of 8,200 pupils, made extensive observations of nearly 700 pupils and over 100 TAs, and collected data from over 17,800 questionnaire responses and interviews with over 470 school staff and pupils. This book reveals the extent to which the pupils in most need are let down by current classroom practice. The authors present a robust challenge to the current widespread practices concerning TA preparation, deployment and practice, structured around a conceptually and empirically strong explanatory framework. The authors go on to show how schools need to change if they are to realise the potential of TAs. With serious implications not just for classroom practice, but also whole-school, local authority and government policy, this will be an indispensable text for primary, secondary and special schools, senior management teams, those involved in teacher training and professional development, policy-makers and academics.

“Few areas of education can equal the growth rate of that forteaching assistants over the past seven years, doubling to more than133,000 in England between 1997 to 2004. TAs are vital in thedevelopment of inclusive education, yet their status, pay, conditions,qualifications and their relationship with classroom teachers are all ofdeep concern in the majority of cases. This excellent, practical bookis a welcome and much-needed authoritative study of the allimportantrelationship between TA and teacher.†Mark Vaughan OBE, Founder and Co-Director,Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education "This is an excellent book, founded in action research that enables it to go beyond the "seat-of-the-pants" methodology that informs much material on TA/teacher partnerships." TES This book is for teachers and teaching assistants seeking to improve theways in which they work together to meet the needs of children in theirclasses. It outlines the thinking behind the employment of teachingassistants in the classroom and spells out some of the teamworkingopportunities and problems that can arise. Drawing on original research, itexplores ways in which teachers and teaching assistants can worktogether to support children's learning and examines different models ofworking together. This unique book provides: Highly effective models for working together, tried and tested in schools A practical section with activities, hand-outs and photocopiableresources that teachers can use to develop these models in theirown schools This is a key text for classroom teachers, teaching assistants, traineeteachers and postgraduate education students, and those studying forfoundation degrees for teaching assistants. It is also of use to parents,headteachers, educational psychologists, and other support personnel.

This second edition of The Teaching Assistant’s Guide to Effective Interaction is the definitive guide to teaching assistant-pupil interaction, fully updated with examples from schools that have implemented techniques from the first edition. An invaluable professional development tool for classroom support staff and the teachers who work with them, this new edition answers the need for specific, practical guidance on the role of the teaching assistant. This practical and accessible guide sets out a role for teaching assistants that focuses on developing pupils’ independence and ownership of learning, with key learning points now summarised in each chapter. Based on a classroom-tested framework and covering the main contexts in which teaching assistants work, it includes a range of strategies and reflective activities to help improve the support provided to pupils in everyday settings. This book sets out successful strategies for: Responding to additional needs Understanding the principles behind effective classroom talk Carefully scaffolding pupils’ learning Delivering intervention programmes The Teaching Assistant’s Guide to Effective Interaction is an essential read for all teaching assistants and will also be of interest to school leaders, SENCOs and teachers in both primary and secondary schools who wish to improve their deployment of teaching assistants and their own interactions with pupils. Used in combination with Maximising the Impact of Teaching Assistants in Primary Schools, The Teaching Assistant’s Guide to Effective Interaction is a comprehensive and unrivalled resource for supporting school workforce improvement.

Drawing on the lessons from one of the world’s leading research and development efforts involving teaching assistants (TAs), this book is the authors’ most authoritative text yet on how to design a whole school plan to improve TAs’ deployment, practice and preparedness, and put it into action. The authors use robust theories and original research to explore an innovative and integrated approach to making the most of TAs, and recognising the valuable contributions they make to the classroom and the school. Structured around a unique and empirically sound conceptual framework, this book provides essential principles, practical tools and workable strategies, developed through collaboration with hundreds of UK schools. It focuses on ensuring TAs can thrive in their role, and presents the tools and techniques needed to do so accessibly, and is illustrated with case studies on school and classroom practices. Essential reading for all primary school leaders and SENCOs responsible for training and managing TAs, this book is also a useful resource for teachers and teaching assistants looking to optimise the TAs’ contributions. Used in combination with The Teaching Assistant’s Guide to Effective Interaction, Maximising the Impact of Teaching Assistants in Primary Schools is a comprehensive and unrivalled guide to supporting school workforce improvement.

By providing a thorough grounding in the theory behind behavior management, followed by suggestions for successful strategies to use in the classroom, The Complete Guide to Behaviour for Teaching Assistants and Support Staff gives the reader the confidence to manage the challenging behavior of children and young people in educational contexts. Written specifically for teaching assistants and support staff, this book covers behavior, motivation and discipline issues with their specific role and position in mind. Supported by the views and responses of current students on Foundation Degrees and those working towards HLTA status, the book reflects the difficulties, dilemmas and successes of this vital group of people working in today’s classrooms. Useful features include: chapter objectives exercises and activities case studies further reading

Providing research, anecdotes, and practical insights from leading scholars and professionals, The Role of an Education Assistant acts as a guide for navigating the complexities of the education assistant role, from collaborating with teachers and students in lesson planning to creating inclusive learning environments. This updated second edition includes expanded content across all chapters and new content highlighting diverse perspectives, Indigeneity, gender, and sexuality. In addition, there are new “Actions in the Field” segments at the end of each section which outline strategies and activities for field practice and professional development. Featuring topical scholarship, an emphatically Canadian perspective, discussion questions, and timely case studies, this is a critical text for college and university students in education studies, education assistant programs, and professionals currently working in the field. FEATURES - Guides students through the complexities of the role of an education assistant with research, anecdotes, and practical advice from scholars and professionals - Includes updated content on broadened perspectives in cultural diversity, gender, and sexuality - Includes the brand new “Actions in the Field” segments, providing students with strategies and activities for implementing what students have learned in their professional practice

Providing insight into current research, and comprehensive guidance on recent legislation and policy, this key text offers anyone working or preparing to work with children with SEND with essential academic and theoretical understanding to underpin and inform existing and future practice. Exploring prime areas in which professionals work directly with children with SEND, chapters broach current issues and debates relating to practice, and examine recent advances in research, policy and legislation in areas including education, health and social care. This interdisciplianry approach, coupled with case studies, points for reflection and clearly signposted activities throughout, gives readers the opportunity to develop a thorough understanding of the complexities surrounding SEND and enables them to relate these to their own practice. Packed with practical tips and examples of best practice, topics discussed include: approaches to inclusion, integration and segregation competing discourses surrounding SEND and their impacts on children, families and professionals safeguarding and the voice of the child multi-agency work and the changing role of the SEND practitioner working in partnership with parents and families research and practice in relation to issues such as Autistic Spectrum Disorder, chromosomal and gestational diversity, ADHD and Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities and Difficulties. Demystifying changes to policy, exploring legislation, and identifying best practice, this invaluable resource will support students, SEND practitioners and professionals to develop and enhance practice with children with SEND.

Achieving Outstanding Classroom Support in Your Secondary School shows how secondary school teachers and other school staff can work with Teaching Assistants to ensure that classroom support is maximised and an optimum working relationship is developed. Based on research taken directly from the classroom, all recommendations and guidelines explored in this book are based on the findings of those who have consulted Teaching Assistants about their work, in order to better understand the dynamics of classrooms where at least one of the adults present is supporting the other, directly or indirectly. Topics studied include: Understanding the roles and responsibilities of the Teaching Assistant What the research tells us about Teaching Assistants How to plan before the lesson How to involve the Teaching Assistant in the lesson How to provide feedback and advocacy for the Teaching Assistant after the lesson This accessible text provides a highly supportive framework to prompt teachers to be proactive and plan ahead for effective use of their Teaching Assistants in the classroom and will be of interest to all secondary teachers, SENCOs, heads of departments and school managers.