MARINELA IOANA PARASCA

68 WOODSTOCK ROAD

GOLDERS GREEN

NW11 8QJ

Student Number: s114978

Course: Teaching Assistant Level 3

Final Paper

1. In your own words summarise the major learning points from the whole of the study
programme with particular reference to:
- Supporting the teacher
- Supporting the pupil
- Supporting the curriculum
- Supporting the school
- Supporting ICT in the classroom
- Supporting pupils with special education needs
- Supporting literacy development
- Supporting numeracy development
- Working with others

2. With reference to your own learning summarise how you will be able to utilise these
theories when working in everyday situation.

1. The major learning points with particular reference to

-supporting the teacher are: the classroom environment-the quality learning environment,
the school behaviour policy, recording observations.

The classroom environment: the TA should contribute to maintain an efficient learning

environment; to keep resources in a good order, to check the equipment, to prepare the
resources for learning, to make sure that the resources and materials are appropriate for
pupils age, to ensure that the learning environment is safe, to give indication about using
the internet safely.

Regarding a quality learning environment the Ta should understand how children develop
and use the materials, resources, the equipment that takes account of childrens
development needs and the skills they need to develop to become confident learners.

The school curriculum specifies what equipment and resources can help a pupils learning,
like: scientific equipment-laboratory activities; art and craft activities using appropriate
resources; PE equipment; written materials and consumables needed for learning activities.

Regarding the school behaviour policy and pupils behaviour, the Ta should promote positive
behaviour and the school must have a behaviour policy which describes the ways in which
the adults promote positive behaviour and how they react in case of inappropriate
behaviour.

The TA must observe children and make records about pupils progress, their strengths and
weaknesses, how they relate to others, about reading and use of vocabulary, about their
cognitive skills.

For example: the TA choses one activity and observes the child. He can interfere by asking
questions, prompting the child, suggesting what to do next. The observation must be dated
and the TA must describe exactly what he sees and hears, leaving the conclusion at the end.

-supporting the pupil are: the childs identity, his relation with others, the control of his
feelings/emotions and how he responds to them in certain circumstances (Social and
emotional development). Regarding these aspects and understanding what children can and
what they cant do at a certain stage of their age, a TA can be supportive and empathic.

Children can be affected by a genetic illness or disorder, by location factors, psychological,

and these can affect their development. TA must recognise the child abuse, if he is neglected,
if he has learning difficulties, if he is sad more often, isolated, if he cries, if he has speech
disorders.

Children need support to express their emotions, to talk to their parents, they must know
that teachers cant offer unconditional confidentiality, but they will be supported no matter
what.

Regarding care and support, the TA must ensure that the child understood what the teacher
said by repeating or explaining instructions provided by the teacher or, if the child is with
disabilities, he must help him to be ready for PE.

The TA should use an effective language, communication skills, establish a good relationship
with pupils, give respect to get respect, to listen to pupils, to focus on positive behaviour, to
be helpful, to maintain a caring environment, to be firm and fair.

If accidents happens the TA should be able to recognise signs of illness in children, to report
signs of health problems to the teacher, to know who is qualified to deal emergencies and
also a TA must be able to recognise signs and symptoms of abuse like cuts, burns, bite marks,
bruises. A TA must always ask a child first how he was injured, then he must report to the
appropriate person.

First aid must be given by a qualified first aider, but if a first aider is not available, then a
teacher or assistant will be asked to deal with the emergency.

The TA must assist pupils in meeting their health and hygiene needs. Children can learn
about hygiene from stories and pictures or from conversation with adults. TA can encourage
pupils to wash their hands, put hygiene items in the classroom where pupils can see them,
maintain a clean classroom daily, should provide advice to help children to have respect for
their health.

The school must have a school policy which promotes a high standard of hygiene. The meals
provided must be nutritious and children will eat according to their dietary requirements.

If children have any infection they must stay home. If a child becomes ill during the day, the
parents must be notified and asked to come to collect the child.
The first aid equipment must be kept clean, somewhere where staff can have access to it as
well.

Regarding medication every school must have an effective medicine policy, a health care plan
that includes child and health details, dietary needs, medication needs and side effects of
medication, what to do in emergency situation, who to contact in an emergency situation,
the role of staff.

If a TA recognise a sign of abuse he will need to know what to do, meaning to follow the
school agreed procedures for alerting the senior staff and reporting accurately, exactly what
he had seen or heard.

-supporting the curriculum are: National Curriculum for England which describes what
teachers must teach at different Key Stages: Key stage 1 and 2 for primary school and Key
stage 3 and 4 for secondary school. The National Curriculum has main subjects like English,
mathematics and science, and foundation subjects like design & technology, history,
geography, art & design, music, PE, modern foreign languages and citizenship.

At key stages 1, 2 or 3 children dont fail nor pass National Curriculum Tests; this is designed
to measure pupils progress. At key stage 4 pupils select subjects to continue to study for
GCSE examination.

There are other 2 Curriculums: National Curriculum for Wales and Northern Ireland
Curriculum.

The TA should work collaboratively with the classroom teacher, to contribute to the planning
of the learning activities by providing ideas, materials and learning strategies.

Also the TA must support the teacher in delivering learning activities by explaining points of
view and repeating instructions given by the teacher; by reading stories to children, by
listening pupils reading stories, by explaining words, by supervising practical work, observing
children; but not only that. The TA should help pupils (as well) to follow instructions. The TA
might use strategies like translating or explaining words, modelling the vocabulary,
prompting shy children, ensuring that pupils understand the teachers instructions.

-supporting the school are: the role and responsibilities of teaching assistant, legislation that
covers childrens right and policies school.

TA works in partnership with the teacher, gives support to pupils, works with different
children in the classroom, in all curriculum areas; TA is fully involved in the life of school;
attends meetings, goes in trips, participates in trainings.

There are a multitude of laws that covers childrens rights: The Children Act 1989, The
Children Act 2004, Childcare Act 2006, The Human Rights Act 1998. All these protect children
from harmful effects of poverty, family and parenting problems, child abuse and neglect.

Any staff member who suspect that a child suffers significant harm must report their concern
to the appropriate person as soon as possible. The pupil must be told that the information
cannot be kept confidential; that it must be reported to the designated member of staff in
school.

Every school must have a school policy which includes a general context about the schools
name, telephone, address, the name of the governing body, schools values, class
organisation, details of teaching techniques, information about the schools National
Curriculum assessments results, a mission statement, first aid, health and safety, equal
opportunities, child protection.

The school will be inspected by OfSTED inspectors. The TA may be asked to join a staff
committee to explore issues and seek suggestions.

- Supporting ICT in the classroom are: preparing and supporting the ICT equipment

The TA must plan what equipment will be used to facilitate class teaching, must check the
availability of ICT equipment, if that is in good working condition; may have to ensure that
faulty equipment is made safe pending its repair. The TA must know how to use the ICT
equipment and also to guide pupils in their correct use. Its essential that TA can explain how
to do things and why. Some pupils might need more support and the TA might prepare some
activities to help them to learn.

The TA can support pupils to maintain self-confidence and encourage self help skills in the
use of ICT equipment, using learning programmes from disk, CD, tape, video, internet; using
electronic communication like e-mail, fax. TA must show pupils how to set up the equipment,
must conduct a risk assessment and must ensure that equipment is left safe after each use.

- Supporting pupils with special education needs are: inclusion-special educational needs
and support for learners.

Inclusive education is the process by which people with special educational needs and
disabilities are included into mainstream schools with the purpose of integrating them. TA
may support children with SEN: helping pupils with reading difficulties, supporting speech
therapy programmes; they may encourage their independent learning as well.

The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Act 2001 empowers children with SEN to
attend a mainstream school, unless their parents have other options. The new legislation
expects mainstream schools to include all pupil with SEN.

The SEN code of practice mentions that children with SEM must have their needs met, that
their needs will be met in mainstream schools, that parents have a vital role in their
childrens education, the views of children should be taken into account

This code enables pupils with special needs to reach their full potential, to be included fully
in school communities.

The ones who give support to pupils in school are class teacher, TA, occupational therapist,
learning support teacher, speech and language therapist, SENCO and many others. The TA
can contribute to an individual educational plan. The child can benefit from one to one
support from TA.

TA must have access to information about the children they work with and they must keep
confidentiality. TA must take care not to talk with their friends about children they work with;
they must keep written information about children in a safe lockable file.

- Supporting literacy development are: supporting the development of reading skills, of

writing, speaking and listening skills.
Pupils need to learn to read and write, need to learn sounds, words, language, stories and
books. They need to develop the ability to speak, to listen, understand. TA can use pictures
and objects to help pupils to understand how to use words to talk about them; he can use
letters and words, sounds to make them see how they rhyme, begin and end with the same
letter; he can read them stories, listen to them and give them the chance to ask questions, to
clarify their ideas. Children become familiar with the relationship between phonemes and
graphemes and they apply this knowledge in their reading and spelling.

TA can talk to the teacher about pupils progress and work on a support plan together. He can
talk to the parents to encourage them to talk and read to their children.

Children are encouraged to develop an interest in all kinds of books enabling them to read
for purpose and pleasure and to practice, explore and enrich their vocabulary.

Writing is used to support and consolidate speaking, listening and reading as children
develop a basic knowledge of the writing system, spelling and structure of the language.
Children should practice writing letters; TA might ask the pupils to describe the letter out
loud as they write it; spelling is another strategy used by TA; TA might give exercises to the
pupils to help them understand grammar and punctuation; might teach them how to use a
dictionary to learn word meanings.

Children are also encouraged to speak and listen. Pupils will develop their oral abilities and
vocabulary at their own levels, develop listening and comprehension skills through a range of
activities, be able to express opinions.

In learning a new language pupils reproduce sounds, create phrases and sentences, and
engage in simple conversations. The learning of a new language allows children to revise and
consolidate basic discrete listening skills, for example, to look at the person speaking, ignore
distractions, predict what they may hear, use the context to increase understanding; makes
pupils aware that different languages have different sounds; requires pupils to learn material
off by heart as a natural part of the learning process (songs, short dialogues, presentations).
TA can engage pupils in dialogue in which they are encouraged to develop and use spoken
language skills; he can assess the ways that children talk, for example when they are working
together in a group, he can encourage pupils to repeat what has been said, to write it down,
to practice listening skills every time someone speaks, to ask clarifying questions.

- Supporting numeracy development are: supporting the development of number skills, the
development of problem solving and data handling skills, the understanding of measures,
shape and space.

Numeracy skills involve understanding numbers, counting, solving number problems,

measuring, sorting, noticing patterns, adding and subtracting numbers. In the teaching of
number skills TA might use strategies like: planning (activities to explore, to consolidate and
apply knowledge and skills), stimulate (capture children imagination and show them how
mathematics can be used creatively), explain and use symbols, images, diagrams as tools to
support thinking and problem solving; repetition, review. TA can also support pupils by
reminding them of teaching points made by the teacher; by questioning and prompting;
explaining the correct use of mathematical vocabulary.

Regarding problem solving TAs aim is to show pupils how to develop techniques like using
mental calculations, interpreting and analysing mathematical data, using mathematical
language with confidence, by identifying the problem, analysing the problem, generating
potential solutions and selecting and testing the solution. He (the TA) can help pupils to use
strategies in the problem solving process, strategies like: drawing a diagram, looking for
patterns, simplifying, estimating, using logical reasoning.

TAs role in developing skills in measurements, shape and space is to remind pupils of
teaching points made by the teacher, to question and prompt the pupils, to help them to
interpret and follow instructions, to explain words used by the teacher. Pupils must
understand mathematical concepts like: mass, length, capacity, time. For example: to
support childrens understanding of volume and capacity children may play with containers
and bottles of different sizes and shapes; they should develop their knowledge of volume
and capacity.

- Working with others are: working in teams, working with colleagues, working with other
professionals and parents.

It is very important to be a member of a team, to be clear about the roles of all members. As
TA youll be expected to give the best for pupils, to seek support and advice from colleagues
and work alongside them effectively.

The Learning Support team will help any pupils so they can maximise their potential. They
must go the meetings, to monitor and provide strategies for pupils progress, to report
writing, to communicate effectively, to be assertive, to respect and value the contributions of
other team members, to offer support to other team members by recognising their
strengths, by communicating in an open and constructive way; by contributing with ideas
and solutions.

TA must support colleagues, they should always communicate openly and honestly, talk to
their colleagues about aspects of their work, report any issue in a constructive manner, give
time, resources and advice when appropriate. TA will have access to information about the
children they work with, but they must take care when they have conversations with friends;
they must keep written information in a secure place, which is accessible to other staff
member.

The school policies ensure that all aspects of the school setting give equality of opportunity
to all staff, children and their families, regardless of gender, racial origin, ethnic, cultural
religious, family background. All staff have the responsibility to inform themselves of the
content of the equal opportunities policy, to promote equal opportunities in all aspects of
their work, to participate in training.

Teachers and support staff must work together in a professional way and they must work
with other professionals as well, like: nurses, GPs, speech therapists, career staff. A positive
working relationship is one that encourage support, trust, confidence. TA should take
advantage and make contact with others and observe the practice of other professionals.
Each one must know his own role and be confident about his own standards, be open to
others idea, share information, remain professional, comply with policies and procedures
relating to confidentiality.

Parents will be informed by the teacher about children progress through regular news
letters, daily diaries.
 2. With reference to your own learning summarise how you will be able to utilise these
theories when working in everyday situation.

As a teaching assistant I'll support teachers and help children with their educational and social
development, both in and out of the classroom.

I will get the classroom ready for lessons, listen to children read, read to them or tell them
stories; help children who need extra support to complete tasks, help teachers to plan learning
activities and complete records, support teachers in managing class behaviour, supervise group
activities, look after children who are upset or have had accidents, clear away materials and
equipment after lessons, help with outings and sports events, take part in training, carry out
administrative tasks.

I'll also support children with particular needs, working with them individually or in small groups.

I will also report any concerns regarding safeguarding children to the child protection officer
within school.

I will avoid telling the learner exactly how to accomplish the task I wont solve the problem for
them; Ill use in various contexts: modelling a task, giving advice, providing coaching; I will help
with classroom management during lessons; when the teacher will be busy working with a
student, I the assistant - will answer questions other students have, assist students with their
work, and give feedback or encouragement when needed. While the teacher is giving
instructions or lecturing, I can help maintaining order by breaking up student conversations and
minimizing distractions. I can also help when students form groups or move desks in between
activities to shorten the amount of time these things take and thus ensure that students have
more time to practice.

I will have an enthusiastic and friendly attitude, Ill be open and honest, with a positive thinking,
Ill be helpful, Ill share information, value the ideas and contribution of others, ask questions and
get clarification.