CHAPTER 3

Supporting teaching and learning – making an effective contribution

A ll teaching assistants will be required to support teaching and learning in some way as this is the main focus of their role. However, you may be asked to support individuals, groups or even whole classes, depending on your experience and knowledge. It is also likely that at some stage you will be asked to support pupil learning outside the classroom, for example on school visits, outdoor activities or as part of extended school provision. At all times you will need to encourage independent learning through being an enabler to pupils and to support their understanding – remember you are not there to carry out the task for them! If you need to give pupils too much support, they are not able to manage the task and you should refer to the class teacher.

you are not there to carry out the task for them!

When you start in a new role you should always find out if you will be expected to cover whole classes – policies vary between local authorities but in most cases you should not be asked to do this unless you are an HLTA or have been specifically trained as a cover supervisor. You will need to have a good understanding of what you are expected to do and make sure that you are working towards clear learning objectives and that pupils are also aware of them. Even from the earliest stages it is useful to talk to pupils about what they are trying to find out and why they are working on a particular task or in a particular way.

Planning

Even if you do not have time to plan with teachers individually – although some assistants do – you should try to find out in advance what you will be expected to work on with pupils. This may be a challenge depending on the relationship you have with teachers and how regularly you are able to speak to them. If at all possible you should ask to see a lesson plan so that you are best prepared to support pupils – in some classrooms you will find that these are displayed on the wall. If you are unable to see plans it is important that you find out the following before a lesson:

• •The learning objective (or what pupils are expected to be able to do at the end of the lesson).
• •Who you are going to be working with.
• •Any resources that you are expected to use and how to use them.

If you do not have this information before walking into the class, it will mean that you are not making full use of your time as a support to both teacher and pupils (for more on planning see Chapter 2).

Supporting different learning styles

An important thing to remember when supporting pupil learning is that everyone learns differently. Older pupils or adults may be aware that they learn best when they are listening to music or writing everything down, or that they won’t be able to settle down to work unless they have been for a jog beforehand! However, younger pupils may learn best in a more practical way. Learning styles is the term given to the way that individuals learn – Howard Gardner wrote in 1983 that we each possess a particular learning style which comes under one of eight general headings. These in turn will influence how we learn, and how we work best:

everyone learns differently

• •Verbal/linguistic – these people learn best by reading and writing.
• •Logical/mathematical – these people learn best through logical activities and have a good numerical ability.
• •Musical – these individuals respond best through auditory activities and are sensitive to sounds and music.
• •Body/physical – these people learn best when they are moving or doing something physical.
• •Visual/spatial – these people work well when they are able to visualise and use spatial judgement.
• •Naturalistic – these learners respond best to natural surroundings.
• •Interpersonal – these people tend to be extroverts and enjoy interacting and communicating with others.
• •Intrapersonal – these people tend to be introverted and work best on their own.

Although Howard Gardner’s learning styles are now sometimes considered superfluous, as it is widely acknowledged that most of us possess a range of learning styles. Whatever age you are supporting, it is important that different ways of learning are acknowledged and planned for. It is also important that lessons are not all about sitting still and listening to an adult – there is a limit to how much information can be absorbed unless the learner is actively engaged in the learning process. It is helpful to think about three main styles which are visual, auditory and kinaesthetic.

• •Visual learners learn best through looking, seeing and reading.
• •Auditory learners learn best through speaking and listening.
• •Kinaesthetic learners need to be able to learn in a ‘hands on’ way, for example through taking on information in a more practical way.

Using praise

Whenever you are supporting learning, and at whatever age, you should not underestimate the power of praise. Pupils will always respond positively to encouragement and recognition for the task they are undertaking. It is likely that you will do this anyway without thinking about it, but it is important to be aware of its impact on pupil learning: verbal praise in particular can be very powerful. Your school may also have a system for giving out stickers, stamps or team points to pupils depending on their age. However, you should check which of these are used where you are working as you will need to make sure that it is school policy.

you should not underestimate the power of praise

Feeding back to teachers

Although everyone in schools always seems to be extremely busy, you should make sure that you always give feedback to teachers about your work with pupils. Some teachers and teaching assistants do this as a matter of course, but in some schools it is harder than others to find time, and secondary school staff in particular can find it very difficult due to the way in which the curriculum and timetable is structured. Although it can be quicker to give verbal feedback to teachers, this can sometimes be ‘lost’ in the course of a busy day. Some assistants might jot down notes and give them to teachers at the end of the session, particularly if the pupil or pupils with whom they are working have found the task very difficult or too easy. It is sometimes also helpful to write down specific phrases or vocabulary which a pupil has used. In some schools it is the policy to complete more formal feedback sheets which will give a clear breakdown of each pupil’s response, whilst in others teachers may ask you to mark pupils’ work and leave comments such as ‘Supported by TA’ with a breakdown of how pupils managed the task (an example of a feedback form is given in Appendix 2).

Factors affecting pupil learning

You may well find that whilst you are working with pupils that you regularly come up against difficulties – this is bound to happen and will affect the most experienced practitioners! The kinds of problems you may face will vary (see Figure 3.1) and the more experienced you become the more likely it is that you will see them coming – sometimes before they have happened – and are able to avoid them. The important thing is to remember that your response will make a difference to how this resolves itself – or doesn’t.

Figure 3.1 Children’s learning has many different influences

Source: Burnham, L. (2007) S/NVQ Level 3 The Teaching Assistant’s Handbook: Primary School

Problems you may encounter include the following.

Intelligence and creativity

Pupils will always have different levels of ability and will have skills in different areas. They may also feel that they are not able to achieve in a particular area, for example in writing or Maths, or in more creative subjects such as Art or Music. This may affect their motivation and what they are able to do. You should always try to encourage them to try new things and to take risks with their learning.

encourage them to try new things

Age and maturity

Pupils will develop at their own pace and learning will occur at different rates in different children, though there will be an average age at which children achieve various milestones. Remember also that in any one class there will be a spread of ages – some may be born in September whilst others may not have their birthdays until the end of the academic year. At the earliest stages of schooling this may well make quite a difference and it may be worth finding out about children’s birthdays.

Gender

Some pupils may come from a background which gives them more or fewer learning opportunities due to their gender. For example, a boy might be given more academic encouragement than his sister due to family expectations. As school staff it is important that we do not discriminate on the basis of gender, for example, by only allowing girls to do cooking activities, or only boys to do football.

Physical factors

There are a number of reasons why physical factors might affect learning. Depending on their age and maturity, some pupils may have less control over their fine and gross motor skills which might impact on their ability to carry out a task. Fine motor skills are skills such as holding a pencil or using a knife and fork effectively, while gross motor skills are skills such as running, jumping, skipping and whole body movements. Also, if pupils have special educational needs such as a visual impairment, this might mean that they need more support in order to access the curriculum. Depending on the environment, you may find that the area you are working in has been booked by someone else, there is insufficient space for the number of pupils, or is too hot, too cold or too noisy. Always check the area first if at all possible. If you have been unable to do this beforehand and it turns out to be unsuitable, you will need to find an alternative to ensure that the pupils are able to benefit from the activity. There is no point in attempting to work there if, for example, there is a lot of noise immediately outside the room, or if the temperature in the room is not conducive to learning.

always check the area first if at all possible

Ability to remain on task

Pupils of different ages will vary in their ability to concentrate on a task – broadly speaking, the younger the child, the shorter the concentration span. They may also look for more reassurance from adults and those around them. As pupils become older, most will be able to concentrate for a set time without becoming distracted. At any stage, if one or a group of pupils’ ability to concentrate is very different from that of their classmates, this may affect the learning of others.

Linguistic factors

Language is the key element to pupil learning. If pupils have problems such as a speech and language disorder or have not been encouraged to socialise with others, they may find learning more challenging. This is because language is the route through which we begin to learn to rationalise our thoughts in an abstract way. We need to encourage the development of language as much as possible in children from the earliest stage so that they are given as much opportunity as possible to develop their confidence and vocabulary. As well as speaking to pupils as much as possible during learning activities, we must also encourage discussion and a wide range of stories and first-hand experiences. Pupils who speak English as an additional language can also find it harder to learn if they are not supported effectively (see Chapter 6). In more extreme cases, those who have limited language may also have behavioural difficulties if they are unable to vocalise their feelings, which can in turn lead to frustration.

Emotional factors

Pupils will naturally be affected by their home background and whether this is happy and settled. There can be a huge number of reasons why this is not the case, such as bereavement, separated parents or new parental partners, alcoholism in the family and so on. Pupils may also become upset about things which may seem insignificant to an adult, such as being unable to say goodbye to a parent that day or an argument with a sibling. In cases like this you may need to take the pupil aside and speak to them about what is upsetting them so that you are able to continue. If they are too upset to work you will be unable to make them do so.

Social, cultural and ethnic background

All pupils will be affected by their background and whether they have had positive social experiences. This will affect their learning, for example, if they have had limited experience of meeting others, which may in turn give them less confidence. In areas of social deprivation you may find that pupils have come to school without eating, or without enough clothes. These kinds of issues will also affect their ability to learn. Depending on pupils’ culture or ethnicity they may have learned to do things in a particular way which may not be in keeping with that of the school. Remember, if you have reason to be concerned about a pupil you should refer this to a member of teaching staff.

all pupils will be affected by their background

Motivation

We all know what it feels like to be motivated by something and pupils are no different. Motivation will clearly affect their learning as it is the interest which they have in a task. If a pupil does not see a purpose to what they are doing, the task is unclear or they are unable to do it, they will quickly become demotivated. It is important that any adults working with the child ensure that they are able to carry out the task and that it makes sense to them.

Problems with resources

You should make sure in advance that you have sufficient resources, particularly if they are slightly different from the usual. Even if the teacher has set up for you it is still worth checking to make sure you have enough of everything. If you are working with pupils who have additional needs you will need to make sure that all the resources are appropriate for them and that they will be able to access the curriculum as much as the other pupils. Remember that if you are working with technology such as computers you should always have alternative plans if for some reason they don’t work!

Supporting individuals

There may be a number of reasons you are supporting an individual pupil. The first is that you have been specifically employed to support them in the classroom because they have a statement of special educational needs. However, if you support different classes or are based in learning support you may also work periodically with pupils who have specific learning needs such as dyslexia. If you are working with an individual pupil you should make sure you know something about them before you start – even if this is something about their interests or talents. This will be invaluable to you whilst you are supporting teaching and learning. This is because it may help you to draw them out and develop a relationship with them. If you are employed to work one-to-one with a pupil you will also need to find out as much as you can about their needs and individual educational targets on paperwork such as Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and Personal Support Plans (PSPs). You should speak to your school’s SENCO or inclusion manager to clarify how you should work on specific targets and how much time you will need to work alone with them, or whether you should support them as part of a group. Remember to always speak to teachers if you are not clear about your role when supporting individual pupils.

Supporting groups

Most teaching assistants will work with groups on a regular basis. This may be as part of an intervention programme within the school which you are involved with, or simply as part of your work within the classroom. If you have been asked to work with a group, it may sound obvious but you should remember to involve all pupils – it is easy to just focus your questioning on those who are eager to answer. Quieter pupils will often benefit from working in small groups as it will help their confidence, so try to draw them in wherever possible. Look out for those who are losing concentration as they may start to distract others or gain attention in a negative way. You may also have been given a group who do not work well together – do not be afraid of speaking to the teacher about it if the group does not ‘gel’.

remember to involve all pupils

Supporting whole classes

You may be asked to cover whole classes as part of your role in a mainstream school. If you have had specific training or are very experienced you may be equipped to do this. However, you should make sure that you are covered by insurance (for example, you should not take PE lessons unless you have specific training) and know what you are expected to cover, as teachers should draw up a plan for you.

Teaching assistants are also sometimes asked to cover for planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) time for teachers, and this has been the subject of discussion in the educational press. There is no legal reason why you should not take whole classes as some teaching assistants are very experienced and qualified. However, if you are uncomfortable or do not feel experienced enough to do it you should say so. If you are unhappy with what you are being asked to do you should check your contract and job description to see whether it includes any mention of cover under your duties.

Cover supervision

Cover supervisors are most often found in secondary schools but can also be found in primary and special schools. They may be asked to take lessons on a regular basis and cover for staff absence although they should not be asked to plan lessons themselves. If you are a cover supervisor you should have advance warning that you are going to take a class so that you are able to discuss plans with teachers, or at least be left detailed plans. You should not be asked to plan and mark work for teachers.

Monitoring and modifying activities whilst you are working with pupils

It is likely that at some stage you will need to modify the work that pupils are carrying out with you – this is completely normal, but you need to be ready for it. An example might be if you are working with a group and some pupils finish their work before others: you may need to give them additional work to do (often called an extension activity). You should check with the teacher whether you need to do this and if they have something in mind before you start working with the group. It is also possible that a pupil is working much faster or much slower than the rest of the group. In this situation you should speak to the pupil and ask them to check their work before moving on to the next activity.

When to refer to others

You may find that while you are working with pupils you need to refer back to the teacher. This could be for a number of reasons, although you should make sure that you have done what you can first. You will need to be sensitive when doing this, particularly if the teacher is occupied with other pupils – make sure you choose your moment carefully!

make sure you choose your moment carefully!

Reasons may include:

• •pupil behaviour;
• •activity is too hard or too easy for pupils;
• •a pupil who has special educational needs is unable to access the task.

If you are unable to speak to the teacher for the time being, make sure you give pupils an alternative activity or, in cases of poor behaviour, separate them from one another.

Carrying out pupil assessments and observations

You should be carrying out assessments on pupils all the time as part of the work you do in supporting teaching and learning in schools. Teachers have to monitor and assess pupil achievement throughout the academic year and your role is to support them in doing this so that they can feed back to headteachers.

Types of assessment

Assessment may take different forms.

Formative assessment

This is everyday assessment which takes place through observations, questioning, and talking to pupils to check their understanding. You should always monitor what pupils say to you whilst carrying out learning activities, as this will enable you to do this.

Summative assessment

This is used to check learning at the end of a topic, year, or scheme of work so that teachers can recap and assess how much pupils have achieved. It could be that this takes the form of SATs, or end of year tests prior to writing school reports.

Assessment for Learning (AfL)

This is increasingly used by schools to monitor pupil learning using peer- and self-assessment. Assessment for Learning informs and promotes the achievement of all pupils as it encourages them to take responsibility for their own learning. The process involves explaining learning outcomes to pupils, giving them feedback on their progress and enabling them to develop their self-assessment skills so that they are ultimately able to reflect on and recognise their own achievements. This will usually start with pupils taking part in peer-assessment to build up these skills and discuss their work before moving on to thinking about their own work. Pupils will need to be able to carefully consider their learning throughout the process and keep coming back to the learning objective or what they are expected to learn. At the end of the session they will then revisit the objective and decide whether they have been successful.

Benefits for teachers

Effective Assessment for Learning will enable the teacher to pass on the responsibility to the child over time for managing their own learning so that they will become more actively involved in the process.

Benefits for pupils

The process will inform pupils about how they approach learning and tackle areas on which they need to work. They will be able to consider areas for improvement by looking at assessment criteria and develop their ability to self-assess. Their increased awareness of how to learn will develop their confidence and help them to recognise when to ask for support.

Benefits for you

Assessment for Learning will inform how you approach pupil questioning based on what you have discovered about how they learn. You may need to pace the progress of learners depending on their needs so that less able pupils are given opportunities to revisit areas of uncertainty.

For more on Assessment for Learning, see page 119.

Observations

Although you will be observing pupils all the time, you may be asked to carry out specific observations without working directly with a pupil. The reasons for this may be:

• •to observe how the pupil interacts with others;
• •to observe as part of the Early Years Foundation Stage;
• •to monitor a pupil’s special educational need;
• •to monitor behaviour.

When carrying out observations, check with the teacher how you should record the information, whether there is a specific format and how much detail is required. For example, when carrying out Early Years observations the main criteria may be that they are timed (two to three minutes) and should include a large amount of detail.