What is the Role of a Teaching Assistant?

What is the Role of a Teaching Assistant?

What does a Teaching Assistant (TA) do? there are many variations to this role making this not a straight forward question to answer. There are class teaching assistants, Special Educational Needs (SEN) teaching assistants, specialist subject teaching assistants, Higher Level teaching assistants (HLTA’s) to name a few. The job role will differ from school to school as TA’s are present in schools from Early Years classrooms through to senior and upper schools, making the role of a TA an extremely diverse and varied one.

“The term ‘teaching assistant’ (TA) is the government’s preferred generic term of reference for all of those in paid employment in support of teachers in primary, special and secondary schools. That includes those with a general role and others with specific responsibilities for a child, subject, area or group”

(R Tyler et al, 2004, p9)

Predominately the TA is based in a classroom supporting the teacher, setting up resources, carrying out administrative duties, assisting in classroom behaviour management and supporting children during the delivery of the lesson plan. Theorist Lev Vygotsky believed within his Cognitive Development Theory a way of learning can occur when using a more knowledgeable other. This is an example of this with the Teacher introducing the lesson plan material and passing on the knowledge to the children and other adults within the classroom. Thereafter the TA will be working with a child or group of children following the plan delivered by the teacher and providing vital support to allow the children to extend or be assisted with their learning. The Teacher and TA will be actively working in conjunction with each other using strategies and differenti...

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Linda Hammersley-Fletcher, Michelle Lowe, Jim Pugh (2006), The Teaching Assistant’s Guide, Abingdon, Routledge

Petty,G. (2004) Teaching Today: A Practical Guide, 3rd Edition, Cheltenham, Nelson Thornes.

Richard Tyler, Stuart Gunn, Chris Lee, Maureen Parker, Mary Pittman, Mark Townsend, (2004) A Toolkit for the Effective Teaching Assistant, London, Paul Chapman Publishing.

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