How Teaching Assistant practice in the classroom can promote teaching and learning

Wednesday 24th June 2015By Vargini LedchumykanthanSENCO

Learning Objective To understand the roles and responsibilities of the Teacher and

the Teaching Assistant Identify the ways in which Teachers and TAs currently work at

Twickenham Identify the collaborative approaches promote teaching and

learning Identify key skills and techniques to promote small group/

independent work To understand the key features of effective questioning To understand how ‘Bloom’s Taxonomy’ of higher order thinking

promotes progress in learning To use Blooms Taxonomy is used to generate questions to

promote learning and engagement

Teachers’ Standards – 2012 and Ofsted 2013

Teaching Standards 2012:Two key strands of wider professional responsibilities:

Develop effective professional relationships with colleagues, knowing how and when to draw on advice and specialist support

Deploy support staff effectively.OFSTED Guidance 2013: Outstanding Lesson: Teachers and other adults generate high

levels of engagement and commitment to learning across the whole school.

Good Lesson: Teachers and other adults create a positive climate for learning in their lessons and pupils are interested and engaged.

The LSA Role…Their role is to help “Raise standards” by: Support for the pupil. Support for the teacher. Support for the curriculum. Support for the school. Support staff can help to: Raise the performance of individual pupils Provide coping strategies for pupils Assist in management of pupils behaviour Promote pupils’ independence Support the development of differentiated curricular approaches to meet the diversity

of pupils’ learning needs

Collaborative approaches to promote teaching and learning Before the lesson During the introduction/starter Whole class teaching time Small group /Independent work

Before the lesson… Teachers should: Wherever possible plan with the TA Discuss the lesson with the teaching assistant/LSA – Give a copy of

the lesson plan? Consider pupils with IEPs and where support will be required throughout the lesson.

Consider whether the LSA knows the purpose/context of the lesson- what are the main outcomes? Why are the pupils learning this?

Consider whether any resources may need adapting – discuss with LSA.

During the Introduction/Starter The LSA/Teaching Assistant should never be stood/sat

doing nothing, indicate where support would be best at the beginning…(scribing on the white board, modelling a technique

Is there a group who don’t need this introduction – could the TA take a group straight away and get them going sooner? Challenging higher level/independent learners? Or scaffolding SEN pupils?

Could the LSA facilitate understanding of the learning objective?

Are there any pupils that would need support ‘getting started’?

During ‘Whole Class’ Teaching… The teacher should designate where the LSA/Assistant would be best, it might

be that there are groups that do not need the input of others and might be able to split into a group… it might be that the LSA can scaffold what the teacher is saying to specific groups/individual pupils…

Ensure the LSA knows where they are supposed to be. Identify key pupils/groups and make them accessible to the LSA Don’t expect an LSA to keep children focused when the time is too long or the

activity is inappropriate. Use the LSA as a role model – demonstrating appropriate behaviour. Don’t

allow the LSA to distract the pupils – identify when they should intervene. Indicate that the LSA should focus on the PUPILS not you as the teacher –

they should already have ‘learnt’ what the lesson is about and shouldn’t need the input!

Small Group/Independent Work Again, it is the teachers role to ensure LSAs know what is expected of them AND the

pupils. Make sure the assistant knows where to work with the child or group and what

resources they will need (in advance!) Ensure that the assistant knows why they are working with a child or group and what

support to give (are they observing? Facilitating? Monitoring?) If they are monitoring/working with a group they should be expected to keep records

of pupils progress as evidence to relay back to the teacher. Ensure again that the assistant knows the LEARNING OBJECTIVE – this isn’t the same

as the activity, how will the assistant know if the pupil is successful (success criteria?) The assistant might worry that the purpose is completing the task, good

communication regarding the objective/success criteria will allow them to focus on the learning rather than getting finished!

Give them extension work/key questions to allow them to assess correctly the group they are working with.

Reducing Dependency… Teachers should avoid allowing pupils to rely on an LSA to allow them to be

included in the lesson, LSAs should be there to facilitate the learning of ALL the pupils not just those with SEN.

Teachers should: Differentiate the learning objectives. Modify/Adjust the lesson based on the IEPs/Knowledge of individual pupils

to promote independence. Find opportunities for pupils to work using peer support or provide

resources to allow inclusion. Use the support staff to model the task, answer questions and then move

away and monitor. Model ways or include ways in the lesson that encourage pupisl to become

more independent.

How teaching assistants engage students in the class

In summary… The role of the Teaching Assistant is very

important. The effective deployment of support staff can make the difference between a child succeeding or failing. Much of the Teaching Assistant’s role is directed by the teacher, but an outstanding TA is also intuitive and responds to the needs of the children.

It is important that both teacher and Teaching Assistant work together with the aim that all the children in the class are learning throughout the lesson. Children should make progress through suitably challenging activities and questioning. Thinking time is good; down time is not.

A sheet like this would allow LSAs or Teaching assistants to be a part of the assessment process and ensure teachers are aware of how pupils have fared with their learning and where to move them onto next.

Working with teaching assistants

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XcPVf1UPGU