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Teaching assistants (Tas), or Learning support assistants LSas), or specialist teaching assistants (STas), or behaviour support assistants (BSas) or higher-levels teaching assistants (HLTas) are just some of the extra adults working in our classrooms. Quite a few different names! There has been a big shift in the number of extra adults now employed in classrooms, there with the proviso of helping to raise the pupils attainment. alongside the teacher, they have had to adapt themselves to the needs of a variety of pupils who come from an ever-changing multicultural society. What may well have been appropriate in the classroom ten years ago is unlikely to be so today.

Your job as the teacher is to make optimum and innovative use of all the adults working in your classroom – which can be a difficult management issue, especially for the inexperienced teacher. It can often mean you are moved out of your comfort zone and required to change your thinking and teaching, making it one of the most demanding of challenges.

Since 2003, there has been a continually evolving workforce in schools underpinned by a new professional framework for HLTas.

Every school now has the opportunity to develop its staff according to its own needs and priorities. There is a range of additional staff now working in schools with roles and responsibilities as varied as the schools from which they come. Successful schools have used these varying types of extra adults to support the learning needs of the children in their care. Teaching assistants have been seen as vital in developing these news ways of learning within the classroom. Knowing that children need differing levels of support at different times to suit their individual needs has led to teaching assistants being integral to the progress made in classrooms, with the best classroom practice involving teaching assistants in much of the planning process. This also means that teachers can more easily begin to address some of the issues around personalized

learning that can, perhaps, be difficult without added adult support.

The teaching assistant’s role has changed in recent years. There is a huge cultural shift happening in schools now around the most effective use of these staff. and the schools embracing this change are the ones finding the most benefits. Gone are the days of a Ta sitting next to one child in the class whispering in their ear explanations of what the teacher is saying; now they are at the forefront, alongside the teacher, of new and innovative teacher-led activities that are only just being explored. This new teamwork approach can reap many, many dividends; not least the accelerated progress of the children.

a lot to think about then! But fear not! Through this chapter we will address some of the issues and provide you with ideas to help make fantastic use of what can be a wonderful resource!

How quality of teaching can be improved

a teaching assistant, working as part of a team dedicated to learning and teaching, can substantially improve the quality of teaching.

In order to be an outstanding teacher you need to show you can make outstanding use of any extra support you may have in your classroom. Teaching is improved when the teaching assistant:

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◆ works in close partnership with the teacher, made obvious through the planning, and has good arrangements in place with the teacher for monitoring and feeding back on children’s behaviour and learning

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◆ is knowledgeable enough to extend children’s learning

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◆ has good questioning skills

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◆ interacts with the teacher to make the lesson more lively or create discussion

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◆ deals with minor behaviour issues, enabling the teacher to carry on teaching the whole class

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◆ helps the teacher to organize groups so as to more closely match the ability of the children to the work set.

Let’s look at these areas in more depth.

Close partnerships

In order to have a partnership with your Ta, you need to include them in everything you possibly can. But most of all value them. and

tell them so. Lots. They can help make your life so much easier and really help to push the learning of the children.

Include them in your planning as much as possible. If it’s not possible to spend some time with them during the time you plan – and it’s definitely worth asking your senior managers if your Ta can come out of the classroom for half-hour or so during your PPa (planning, preparation and assessment) – then make sure you find some time for their input. This can be as simple as a ‘working lunch’ in the classroom (I know this isn’t ideal, but you will find that your Ta will love the fact that you value their opinion – and make sure you supply the biscuits/cake/chocolate, etc.), or even something more simple. Quickly jot down your thoughts on your planning for the following week, give them to your Ta, and ask if they can have a look and come back to you with any ideas or suggestions for anything particular for specific children. (There’s more on this later in the chapter.)

Find time (5 minutes at any point during the day) to ask for their feedback on any learning for any child they’ve been working with.

Support sheets work well here. Make a very quick tick sheet (with some room for comments) for use during the week, with space for learning objectives, success criteria and so on for your Ta to use during lessons. When you are doing your assessment for learning stuff (and you know where to find all that useful info!), a quick nod in the direction of your Ta will allow them to record any child who isn’t confident with their learning on that concept, and allow you to do something about it later. This is outstanding classroom practice, and really shows anyone observing how closely you and your Ta are working. not to mention the obvious benefit to the kids.

Planning together

If you are able to plan together, try to include these areas in your discussions.

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◆ Learning objectives and success criteria. Discuss how you will use these and what activities you will be using to secure the learning outcome you desire.

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◆ Discuss your role, and the role of your Ta, in the lesson. Is there anything you want them specifically to do at a given time? any questions to ask?

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◆ Discuss the learning of any particular children (special needs or otherwise). What help can your Ta give to help with this?

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◆ Barriers to learning. What are these/what could they be, and how can they be overcome?

Knowledge and questioning

In order to forward the learning of the children, your Ta needs to have decent subject knowledge. If it’s something they’re not as confident about, then it’s your job to help them. Supply them with material that will improve their knowledge; make sure you give them plenty of time to brush up on it too, so that means planning given to them well in advance. Ensure they are aware of how important quality questioning is; give them this book and ask them to look at Chapter 8! You will be surprised at the difference that will make.

Interaction

This shows how well you and your Ta get on, as well as showing how well you work together. Let your Ta know you value their opinion and encourage them to share that opinion with you and the class during the lesson. Encourage them to ask questions (even if, in the early days of trying this, you prompt them with the questions you want them to ask and when!).

Involve your Ta whenever you can. ask them questions during the lesson.

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◆ ‘What do you think of that point, Mrs Smith?’

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◆ ‘Is there anything you would like to add?’

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◆ On a nod from them: ‘Is there someone from your group who has a good point to make?’

You could ask your Ta to scribe for you on the board while you continue questioning the class (this can be beneficial if you have any behaviour issues that may arise when you turn your back!), again making sure you always include their thoughts too.

Have a laugh!

never underestimate the value of humour in your classroom. Even if being observed, don’t feel that you can’t include your Ta in any light-hearted moments, especially if that’s what you would normally do.

It shows the observer how good your relationship is and lets them know that this is normal classroom practice.

Dealing with behaviour

The number of adults working in today’s classroom may have detrimental effects on some children’s behaviour. What you need to establish, from the word ‘go’, is that for the purposes of behaviour management all adults working in the classroom should have the

role of behaviour manager. Be explicit with your Ta what about your expectations; ensure these expectations are fully understood by the Ta and that they can/will follow them. The Ta, as much as you, is a role model and should carry some responsibility to proac-tively manage the behaviour of children. If you do not agree on these guidelines and roles, and make them quite clear to the children too, problems can arise, as these examples show.

Child: ‘You can’t tell me what to do; you’re not the teacher!’

Teacher: ‘Why isn’t the Ta intervening here? It would make my job much easier.’

TA: ‘Is it my job to intervene? Should I get involved?’

These situations can lead to confusion and difficulties. and, knowing how children can be, there will certainly be some who will try to play off one adult against another. So make this all clear from the outset. You might want to use some of the following to help remind you and your Ta.

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◆ Be aware of classroom rules and ensure a consistent approach.

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◆ Make sure your Ta, even if only assigned to one child, shares some of the responsibility for classroom behaviour management.

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◆ Let your Ta know they can use reward and sanction systems as appropriate.

The role of the teaching assistant is an ever-expanding one, and it is your job, as their line manager, to ensure they have the oppor-tunity to make the best possible difference in that role. Share with them everything you feel is needed for them to do their job effec-tively; remember, it is your responsibility for this to happen. In your classroom, you are responsible for all the adults who work within it.

Teaching assistants can reduce your workload and stress levels as well as improving what goes on in the classroom. They can also be an invaluable help with afl by tracking and monitoring specific children while you teach. By following these guidelines, you will be able to maximize the potential of the extra adults in the room, make and keep those great relationships and ensure that your children get the best possible support. Oh, and you’ll tick that outstanding box too, but . . .

Remember:

You must be showing that you are making outstanding use of your teaching assistant during all aspects of your lesson. They should never just be sitting and/or watching you. Involvement is key.