Chapter 1
Unit 1: Provide support for learning activities
In this chapter we will look at three elements:
- Support the teacher in planning learning activities.
- Support the delivery of learning activities.
- Support the teacher in the evaluation of learning activities.
The relationship between your own role and the role of the teacher within the learning environment, and your role and responsibilities for supporting pupilsā learning and the implications of this for the sort of support you can provide
As a teaching assistant you are a valued member of the school community. All schools advocate a collegiate approach to working; that is, for a school to run smoothly and effectively everyone has a role to play. A TAās role in supporting pupils will be summarised in your job description. Most job descriptions will state that:
- You will assist the teacher in implementing the lesson plans. Specifically you will work with the pupils assigned to you and help them to meet the learning objectives as outlined by the teacher.
- Schools are not just about learning academic facts; they are also about developing social and emotional skills. As a TA you need to develop a good relationship with the pupils you support, as well as helping and encouraging them to develop positive relationships with each other. In doing this you will teach pupils how to manage conflicts and how to deal with their emotions positively.
- As a TA you will have high expectations in regard to pupil achievement and behaviour. You can help a pupil by reminding them of what they are supposed to be doing and encouraging and praising them for their efforts.
- As a TA you are not there to do the work for the pupil, rather you are there to help them to learn to do the work for themselves. You can help pupils set clear goals for themselves. In order to do this you need to be able to talk to the pupil in a way that they can understand.
- As a TA you will give feedback to the teacher regarding how the session went. For example, you will need to make comments on: who could do the work; who found the work difficult; who would benefit from extra time or help in that area; who was disruptive and who was very supportive and encouraging.
The school policies for inclusion and equality of opportunity, and the implication of these for how you work with pupils
School policies for inclusion
Those involved in the field of education often talk about inclusion. The aim of inclusion is that all children or pupils, regardless of abilities, disabilities or special educational needs (SEN), are educated together in age-appropriate mainstream local schools. In the past the emphasis has been on difference or deficit. The problem with this approach is that differences between children can be attributed to āwithin child factorsā. So, if student A is doing better than student B; is this because Student A is simply more able than Student B? Explanations regarding the variation between pupils in regard to academic achievement could be due to individual differences in the ability to learn or differences in opportunities to learn. An inclusive approach focuses on how the school environment can be changed to enhance learning for all.
Inclusion involves changing the educational environment to match the individual needs of the pupil. As a TA you need to consider:
- How do the students I support learn?
- What range of teaching strategies do I use?
- How do the teaching strategies I use match how the students learn?
Inclusion means that all pupils are involved in all aspects of school life. Inclusion is about creating relationships and valuing differences. Inclusion is not a place or a specific policy but rather a journey that all involved in supporting teaching and learning embark on. Inclusion is a feeling and a school is inclusive to the extent that all pupils feel valued, included and engaged in learning.
In working to create an inclusive school, particular attention needs to be given to those students who are considered vulnerable. Vulnerable children could include young people:
- in care;
- who have English has an additional language;
- who frequently move from place to place;
- who present with emotional or behavioural issues;
- who have medical conditions, sensory or physical impairments;
- who experience difficulties with learning;
- a combination of the above.
Legislation regarding inclusion
Inclusive education is enshrined in law, notably by the Children Act (1989), various education acts, the Special Education Needs and Disability Act (2001), the Children Act (2004) and the Disability Discrimination Act (2005). More details on these and other pieces of legislation are given in Chapters 17 and 18. Schools have a legal requirement not to discriminate against pupils with disabilities and are required to make provision for them. Plans must be put in place to make every school accessible to persons with disabilities. No school can refuse to admit a pupil on the grounds that they feel unable to meet their needs.
Schools will state how they promote equal opportunities and disability awareness in school policy documents. As a TA enrolled on an NVQ 2 course it is important that you obtain a copy of these policies and that you read them.
Individual Education Plans (IEPs)
In meeting the needs of pupils, schools will follow the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (DfEE 2001). The Code of Practice is a government document that outlines levels of intervention that the school will follow.
Monitoring (early identification)
This is an unofficial first step. This is where the school will keep an eye on a specific pupil. It could be that the pupil is having problems with reading, writing or maths. At this stage the child will receive differentiated work, which is work that is set for the pupilās specific ability.
School Action
If there is still concern for the pupil, after receiving differentiated learning opportunities, the pupil is put on the schoolās SEN register. This concern could be that the:
- pupil is making little or no progress, even with differentiated work;
- pupil shows signs of difficulty in literacy or maths that could affect their work in other subject areas;
- pupil presents with ongoing emotional and behavioural problems that are not being dealt with by existing school behaviour management techniques;
- pupil has sensory, or physical difficulties and even with specialist equipment is making little or no progress;
- pupil has communication and/or interaction difficulties and makes little or no progress despite differentiated learning opportunities.
Once the pupil is on the SEN Register, at the School Action Stage, the SENCO will collect all available information, seek new information and carry out further assessment. The result of this will be the formulation of an IEP. An IEP will outline the support the pupil will be given. Specifically an IEP will outline:
- short-term targets;
- teaching strategies;
- provisions to be put into place;
- when the plan should be reviewed;
- what the pupil needs to do to meet the targets. This has been called the success or exit criteria;
- a review of the IEP, that is, whether the pupil has met the targets.
School Action Plus
If, after receiving an individualised programme of support, which is described in the IEP, the pupil is still making little or no progress, the pupil can move to the next l...
