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Institute of Education report (2009) “invaluable resource” more time was spent supporting the school than pupils secondary TAs “roved around the class”; primary level support staff tended to “work with groups of pupils”. Prompted more-active and sustained interactions with pupils offer specialist help, allowing more teaching, affecting HTs and maths SLs: subject knowledge training, regional networks and training for HLTAs & teachers to work together more efficiently Joe Murray Consulting
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Joe Murray [email protected]
Working effectively with teaching assistants
Annual Secondary Mathematics Conference National STEM Centre, University of York
Thursday 21st June 2012
Objectives• Examine what TAs currently do in school / in
mathematics lessons?• Examine TAs’ impact children’s learning?• To enable teachers to improve their ability to manage
and use teaching assistants effectively• To identify good practice in the management and
deployment of teaching assistants.• To identify priorities and formulate actions to address
them.
Joe Murray [email protected]
Institute of Education report (2009)
• “invaluable resource”• more time was spent supporting the school than pupils• secondary TAs “roved around the class”; primary level support
staff tended to “work with groups of pupils”.• Prompted more-active and sustained interactions with pupils• offer specialist help, allowing more teaching, affecting
HTs and maths SLs: • subject knowledge training,• regional networks and training for HLTAs & teachers to work
together more efficiently
Joe Murray [email protected]
NCETM portal: HLTA forum
Subject Leaders: • “subject input they offer” • “knowledge of pupils’ progress”
HLTAs: • “support needed from maths SLs”, • “improved acceptance” • “Pedagogy CPD: courses aimed at KS4”
Joe Murray [email protected]
What do we want TAs to do?
• Help slow learners• Teach small groups• “mind” difficult children• Maintain wall displays• Printing & copying• Cutting out / laminating materials• Extra tuition for more-able• Supporting assessment
Joe Murray [email protected]
How effective are TAs in mathematics?
Group task / discussion
[5 minutes]
Joe Murray [email protected]
Sutton Trust
• duties differ dramatically from school to school, • main tasks tend to be working with small groups of children who
need extra support• helping teachers’ preparation [photocopying, sorting equipment, etc]• very small or no effects on attainment [though pupils’ perceptions and
attitudes more positively affected]• positive effects in terms of teacher morale and reduced stress • implication is that if teaching assistants are used with the intention of
improving the learning of pupils, they should not undertake the tasks they are routinely assigned.
• greater impact when TAs are given a particular pedagogical role in specific curriculum interventions ..... particularly with training and support
Joe Murray [email protected]
Sutton Trust
Joe Murray [email protected]
Low cost High cost
Low impact
Parental involvementAbility groupingBlock scheduling and timetablingSchool uniformsLearning styles
Summer schoolsAssessment for learningReducing class sizesTeaching assistants
High impact
Effective feedbackMeta-- cognition & self-‐regulation strategiesPeer tutoring / peer assisted ‐learningHomework
Early interventionOne to one tutoring ‐ ‐ICT
TAs in mathematics: the future?
• It is essential that their skills and talents are used to the full and deployed in the best ways.
• Is school fully matching maths department’s needs with skills of TAs; especially where TAs managed by SENCO.
• A key priority is to develop consistent, effective deployment practices to make the most of the department team
• Specialist maths TA??• Training???
Joe Murray [email protected]
Developing effective TAs in mathematics
• Line management?• Audit provision
• Subject knowledge• Pedagogy• NCETM support
“Other Adults.....” micro-site Self-evaluation tools
Joe Murray [email protected]
“TAs and Other Adults..” micro-site
NCETM portal• Resources• Micro-sites• “Teaching Assistants and Other Adults.....”
Advice and resources Case studies Video case studies CPD activities
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Self-evaluation tools
NCETM portal• Personal Learning
Self-evaluation toolsSubject knowledge Pedagogy Embedding
• Tick-box assessment• Competency graph• Advice and sources
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Personal Learningthe Self Evaluation Tools
Content knowledge Pedagogy Embedding in practice
enhanced ‘next steps’
hundreds of pages of steps to explore if teachers identify that they need work in understanding some aspect of mathematics or mathematics pedagogy
Action planning
Identify 3 key actions that you and/or Maths SL to enhance teaching assistants work:
teaching and learningplanningassessmentapproach providing CPD for TAs?
Joe Murray [email protected]
Possible actions immediately
Some actions you may wish to take immediately:• Ask your subject leader to put the role of teaching assistants on the
agenda for the next departmental meeting.• Talk to the lead intervention teacher for English about their use of
teaching assistants.• Ensure that the department has copies of the relevant extracts of
documents relating to teaching assistants• Audit provision
Joe Murray [email protected]
Possible actions within a term / year• Action plan based on the audit in collaboration with your subject
leader• Lead other key staff in the department through ideas from this
workshop• Discuss the role of teaching assistants with your lead intervention
manager and secure support for the action plan
• Manage the implementation of the action plan in collaboration with your subject leader.
• Meet the lead intervention manager regularly to update him/her on progress
Joe Murray [email protected]
