The role of teaching assistants

The subroutine of dogma assistantsThis essay will discuss the diametrical roles of inform assistants in primeval schools, through first hand observation and also by way of other resources such as government guidelines and journal articles. belief assistants (TAs) were originally given the title of non- direction assistants, however, the non was dropped when it became clear that teaching assistant provided invaluable input into the everyday workings of the disuniteroom. TAs were introduced in an attempt to reduce the workload of teachers which would in turn raise the standards of the classroom in which the work (DfES, 2000). in the midst of 1999-2001 the government injected considerable funds into Local fosterage Authorities to modify them to employ and train around 20,000 new teaching assistants (Ofsted, 2002). The DfES (2003) states that teaching assistants ar providing effective and valuable support in a wide chain of put uptings and envisages an enhanced role for teac hing assistants to free teachers from non related tasks. My observations seem to reverberate the governments guidelines and proposals for utilizing TAs to reduce the workload of teachers.From my observations of teaching assistants in the classroom, I countenance piece that they bring many roles and responsibilities. I have also observed that opposite teaching assistants have different roles. For example the main TA for the class has duties varying from gathering resources and taking photographs, to playground duties and helping small groups of children stick by on task in the classroom. This disrupticular TA also has the duty of teaching small groups of children for Rocket Reading. In rocket translation, children gather from different classes and are grouped by ability rather than age. The TA has the business of teaching the key sounds and words for their train. There is also a vagrant teaching assistant who moves between classes, as and when she is needed. This TA appe ars to mainly pore on tasks which do not involve the children such as photocopying resources and devising up the display boards.However there is research that suggests, if not utilize effectively, that TAs could possibly have a detrimental effect (albeit inadvertently) on the educational and social wellbeing of some pupils, particularly those who have special educational needs. Children with special educational needs often have a TA who works almost exclusively with them. There is research which suggests that excessive propinquity of teaching assistants could lead to things such as behavioural problems and social closing off as the child becomes to dependant on the TA (Giangreco Doyle, 2007).I have observed rare occasions when the teaching assistant has had responsibility for the square class. However, this is only for very short tots of time and usually during transition propagation for example, between the end of lunchtime play and the start of the afternoon session. I have not seen any evidence that the TAs are expected to do any whole class teaching. In the absence of the class teacher, a supply teacher is used rather than giving the responsibility to the teaching assistants. This may be due to the lack of adequate training of the TAs or the preference of the head teacher, unfortunately I have not, as up to now had the opportunity to find out this information. However, the Secretary of State has suggested that the role of teaching assistants could be expanded to include supervising classes undertaking work set by the class teacher, administering tests and covering teacher absence (Ofsted, 2002).Cajkler Suschitzky ( 2007) suggest that TAs should be quite deeply invloved in the everday workings of the classroom. This should include knowing to the highest degree the curriculum, schemes of work, policy and slighton planning. However, from my observations, the TAs do not have any input into what is taught or how but just follow instructions given by the teacher. These are usually things such as keeping children on task rather than giving any indepth help on the lesson being covered. The TAs often have to refer back to the teacher when asked a question by a child. The TAs do seem to be expected to know the curriculum in any depth, schemes of work or policy. These things do not appear to be relevant to the tasks which are expected of them. The only task in which i have seen the TAs using and needing any indepth knowledge is in the rocket reading exercises. Some of the TAs in the school have had training in this scope and therefore have the extra knowledge which is used to the advantage of the dwell of the teaching staff and also benefits the children as they can be taught in much smaller groups.Many reports and studies show that the use of teaching assistants in the classroom benefit the teacher as well as the children. However, a report by the Institute of Education suggests that less progress is make by children who have the support of a TA than those of a convertible age and ability who do not receive the same level of assistance. The report claims that the more support they recieve the fewer gains they make. The findings are based on two main problems that are interlinked. It is claimed that teaching assistants are often delegate to the children in most need of educational help. However, this means that the child has less time with a qualified teacher , therefore reducing the amount of actual teaching they receive (Times, 2008).From my observations i would somewhat agree with these findings. wiz child in the class has recently oined the class after arriving from Poland.he receives extremly undersize support, guidence or teaching fom the class teacher.his day is spent either with a non speaking TA or working independently. However he is halcyon enough to have another six year old in the class who is also Polish but speaks very good slope who translates for him.In conclusion, i feel that that TAs a re an extremely important part of the dailybrunning of the classroom. The main roles in which they are involved in allows the teacher to centre on actually teaching the class rather than concentrating on what could be seen as less important tasks. However, i feel that TAs need to be trained in all aspects of the roles which they are expected to undertake.Cajkler, W., Suschitzky, W. (2007). Teamwork in the primary classroom. In J. Moyles (Ed.), Beginning dogma Beginning Learning in primary feather Education (pp. 181-191). Maidenhead Open University Press.DfES. (2003). Raising standards and tackling workload a matter agreement. London DfES.DfES. (2000, October). Working with Teaching Assistants. Retrieved March 8, 2010, from www.tda.gov.uk http//www.tda.gov.uk/upload/resources/pdf/w/working_with_tas.pdfGiangreco, M. F., Doyle, M. B. (2007). Teaching assistants in inclusive schools. In L.Florian, The Sage Handbook of Special Education (pp. 429-439). London Sage.Ofsted. (2002, Apr il 16). Ofsted. Retrieved March 8, 2010, from Ofsted https//ofsted3.openanswers.com/Ofsted-home/Publications-and-research/Browse-all-by/Education/Leadership/Management/Teaching-assistants-in-primary-schools-an-evaluation-of-the-quality-and-impact-of-their-work/(language)/eng-GBTimes, T. (2008). Pupils using teaching assistants make less progress. Retrieved march 8, 2010, from Teaching Times http//www.teachingtimes.com/articles/teaching-assistants-less-progress.htm