This book offers the first collection of international academic writing on the topic of teaching assistants. It serves as an indicative summary of current research and thinking in this field and as a point of departure for future research and development. With contributions from leading researchers, the book draws together empirical work on the deployment and impact of teaching assistants from various perspectives and from a range of methodological approaches. It highlights and celebrates the vital everyday contributions teaching assistants make to their schools and their communities: from their role within classrooms, to their moment-by-moment interactions with pupils and teachers. The book examines the effect that teaching assistants can have on pupils’ learning and wellbeing, and considers issues of over-dependence on classroom paraprofessionals and the unintended consequences to which this can lead. Bringing together work from a journal special issue with brand-new and updated chapters, the contributions offer insight into the liminal space between educator, caregiver, behaviour manager, and facilitator of learning and of peer relations, which characterizes the teaching assistant role. This timely and important book will be essential reading for academics, researchers, and students interested in special educational needs, disability, and inclusion, and those interested in the wider topic of paraprofessionals in labour markets.

There are greater numbers of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) now attending mainstream schools. This fully updated and revised edition of Meeting Special Educational Needs in Secondary Classrooms is written by an experienced teacher, adviser and SEN consultant and explains the challenges that these children face. This is a practical book full of guidance for teachers and teaching assistants who support children with SEND in mainstream secondary classrooms. Now fully updated to include the requirements of the 2014 Children and Families Act and SEND Code of Practice, this book: covers all aspects of teaching children with SEND, including planning, teaching and learning promotes successful communication between teachers, parents and students contains photocopiable resources and templates. With practical guidance on how to make the curriculum more accessible for children with SEND, this book will help teachers and TAs work together to support pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities more effectively.

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.

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.

The second edition of The SAGE Handbook of Special Education provides a comprehensive overview of special education, offering a wide range of views on key issues from all over the world. The contributors bring together up-to-date theory, research and innovations in practice, with an emphasis on future directions for the role of special education in a global context of inclusion. This brand new edition features: " New chapters on families, interagency collaboration and issues of lifelong learning " The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities " Policy reform proposals " Equity and social justice in education " The impact of new thinking on assessment " Issues and developments in classification " The preparation and qualifications that teachers need The Handbook′s breadth, clarity and academic rigour will make it essential reading for researchers and postgraduate students, and also for practitioners, teachers, school managers and administrators.

Based on the latest national legislation and the importance of achieving ‘inclusive communities’ within schools, this book provides succinct and practical information on working with children with a full range of additional educational needs.

Aimed at teaching assistants who work closely with children with special educational needs, The Effective Teaching Assistant: A Practical Guide to Supporting Achievement for Pupils with SEND is a practical and accessible resource tailored precisely for teaching assistants’ specific needs, which explores both the opportunities and limitations presented by their role. Each chapter provides both training activities and teaching resources designed to assist TAs/HLTAs in reflecting on their own experience while enhancing current practice. The chapters address key topics including SEND and inclusive teaching Multi-sensory teaching Supporting differentiation or adaptive teaching. Supplemented with checklists and useful diagrams, this text is essential reading for teaching assistants, students and practitioners. It is particularly relevant for students working in undergraduate, post graduate and professional development programmes.