Teaching Assistants are increasingly relied upon to provide for children who experience difficulties in learning. Key Issues for Teaching Assistants is an essential companion for any Teaching Assistant who wants to understand more about inclusion and diversity in today's classrooms. While focussing particularly on the diverse roles of teaching assistants in supporting inclusive education, this book will be invaluable for all those involved in the development of inclusive learning and teaching. This highly accessible resource explores the values and the possible contradictions in policies and beliefs, enabling Teaching Assistants to develop a deeper understanding of the fundamental principles of inclusive education. Contributions from leading experts in the field consider common classroom issues such as: inclusion and special needs dealing with hard-to-reach parents tackling bullying and supporting those bullied boys, girls and the different ways they achieve being the class 'TA' not 'PA'. Each chapter contains an overview of topical debates, current research and initiatives, emphasising inclusive approaches and the importance of understanding the perspectives of children, regardless of their difference. Useful questions for reflection and a helpful list of suggested further reading material are also provided. Teaching Assistants, whether in practice, or as part of their study, will find this book an indispensable resource.

Teaching Assistants are increasingly relied upon to provide for children who experience difficulties in learning. Key Issues for Teaching Assistants is an essential companion for any Teaching Assistant who wants to understand more about inclusion and diversity in today's classrooms. While focussing particularly on the diverse roles of teaching assistants in supporting inclusive education, this book will be invaluable for all those involved in the development of inclusive learning and teaching. This highly accessible resource explores the values and the possible contradictions in policies and beliefs, enabling Teaching Assistants to develop a deeper understanding of the fundamental principles of inclusive education. Contributions from leading experts in the field consider common classroom issues such as: inclusion and special needs dealing with hard-to-reach parents tackling bullying and supporting those bullied boys, girls and the different ways they achieve being the class 'TA' not 'PA'. Each chapter contains an overview of topical debates, current research and initiatives, emphasising inclusive approaches and the importance of understanding the perspectives of children, regardless of their difference. Useful questions for reflection and a helpful list of suggested further reading material are also provided. Teaching Assistants, whether in practice, or as part of their study, will find this book an indispensable resource.

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.

Teaching assistants are an integral part of classroom life, yet pioneering research by the authors has shown schools are not making the most of this valued resource. Evidence shows the more support pupils receive from TAs, the less academic progress they made. Yet the reason for this has little to do with TAs. It is decisions made about them by school leaders and teachers that best explain this provocative finding. The fully updated second edition of this book draws on the experiences of schools that have put this guidance into action via the Maximising the Impact of Teaching Assistants programme. Revised to reflect the latest research evidence and changes within education, including the 2014 SEND Code of Practice, this book will help school leaders and teachers in primary and secondary settings to rethink the role, purpose and contribution of TAs, and add real value to what can be achieved in classrooms. Setting out a field-tested process, structured around a coherent and empirically sound conceptual framework, this book: helps school leaders review, reform and reenergise their TA workforce provides practical strategies to implement in the classroom illustrates key points with new case studies provides photocopiable templates and resources to support decision-making and action. Maximising the Impact of Teaching Assistants provides much-needed and evidence-informed guidance on how to unleash the huge potential of TAs, 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.

Are you looking for a book that explains all the key ideas on how children learn, and how to best support children in that learning? Covering all the major themes, this book offers: o An introduction to the main theories of learning and development, from birth to primary; o A chapter on brain development; o An introduction to what motivates learners to learn, and how much learners understand about how learning takes place; o A glossary of key terms; o Case studies, research summaries, tasks for reflection, chapter summaries and advice on further reading. This book will be essential reading for Teaching Assistants studying for Foundation Degrees, or for the Higher Level Teaching Assistant qualification. Students on any course looking at how children learn (such as Early Childhood and teacher training courses) will likewise find this book covers all the key themes. Lyn Overall is Principal Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University.