[Senco-forum] TES- effectiveness (or not) of TAs

Fri Mar 2 08:02:16 GMT 2012

In primary schools, class teachers and TAs should be working as a team so that every pupil in the class is able to access the planned curriculum or differentiated curriculum and make progress. The level and nature of TA support will vary from class to class depending on individual pupil needs. Sometimes the TA will work with an individual or group where there are special needs but it should not always be the case that the pupil with SEN works with the TA ... the teacher should also be focussing on individual pupils and supporting them, teaching them in small groups, tracking their progress etc.
Where there is a child with behaviour issues who is disruptive or reluctant to engage, a TA can be invaluable at implementing strategies to change  and monitor behaviour or to supervise the child outside the class if this is necessary. In these days of 'inclusion' where children with a range of learning and behaviour difficulties are part of mainstream classes, an experienced 'extra pair of hands' is necessary to enable all the children to be taught and for them to achieve the levels expected. Some TAs have been trained to a high level of expertise and work together with the class teacher very effectively. In some cases, however, TAs are not as experienced and, although well meaning, their input can be less than effective.
Staff training is key and teachers need to work well with TAs to ensure an efficient and effective partnership.
Don't knock the use of TAs .... use them well and be grateful ... I certainly see their input as value for money and can evidence that through my provision mapping and the sense of achievement that pupils experience as they make progress.
Gill
Primary SENCo

Gill Thompson

________________________________
 From: KATE RUTTLE <kate.ruttle at btopenworld.com>
To: gdmorewood <gdmorewood at supanet.com>; 'Richard Cook' <richard_cook at blueyonder.co.uk>; 'senco-forum new list' <senco-forum at lists.education.gov.uk> 
Sent: Thursday, 1 March 2012, 21:16
Subject: Re: [Senco-forum] TES- effectiveness (or not) of TAs

Hi Gareth,
I think it matters which stage of their education a child is in. While I am not defending children being taught only by TAs, I think that the Toolkit of Strategies is aimed more appropriately at children in secondary and upper primary schools; on the  whole our SEN nursery and Reception children are less good at consciously engaging self-regulation strategies.
As you say, the sound-bite oversimplification of the article is inevitably harmful. I was in a school recently where there was a young teacher in charge of a Y1 class. The TA was ill. In the class, the teacher had a string of children with various levels of need, together with a high-maintenance ASD child. Simply managing the ASD child was a full time job and certainly there was no chance of the rest of the class receiving any useful input. Without the support of a highly skilled TA in there, none of the children would learn anything and the profession would quickly lose the committed young teacher who was reduced to tears of frustration by the end of the day because she felt that she had failed all of the other children in the class. (I've been there too.)
It's too easy these days to reduce teaching to a cost-benefit analysis in terms of value added to APS.  In primary schools, we still need people to help to teach and guide the children. Although teachers are certainly the best people to offer appropriate support academically, our TAs are often parents who are often as well, or better, placed to guide the children as they develop socially and emotionally. 
:-)
Kate

________________________________
 From: gdmorewood <gdmorewood at supanet.com>
To: 'Richard Cook' <richard_cook at blueyonder.co.uk>; 'senco-forum new list' <senco-forum at lists.education.gov.uk> 
Sent: Thursday, 1 March 2012, 20:08
Subject: Re: [Senco-forum] TES- effectiveness (or not) of TAs

Hi Richard, this is correct - insofar as there was a TES article and (I
assume) your Deputy is referring to the research (now a book - Reassessing
the Impact of Teaching Assistants: How Research Challenges Practice and
Policy by Peter Blatchford, Anthony Russell and Rob Webster, 23 Nov 2011) by
Peter Blatchford.

Data from Sutton Trust reports do indicate that TA support is costly and has
relatively low-impact, in improving attainment.

The Blatchford research (in my layman's terms!!) actually goes a stage
further to say TAs can hinder/reduce progress!!!

Ultimately this is a 'bandwagon' topic - everyone jumping on 'headlines' and
not really understanding the detail.

TAs doing everything for students are most definitely a thing-of-the-past
....

New methodology (especially in
 relation to Pupil Premium monies, for
example, suggests that in considering low-cost - high-impact provision, (see
the following) there are the most-effective measures for lower cost (see -
Higgins, S. et al (2011) Toolkit of Strategies to Improve Learning: Summary
for Schools Spending the Pupil Premium. The Sutton Trust, London):

.         Metacognition and self-regulation strategies

.         Peer tutoring and peer-assisted learning

.         Effective feedback

However this should not mean the loss of the TA forever.  Just a re-defining
of how additional funding is used.

This is an area I am very interested in - we have approx 50 Statements of
SEND, and 10 Teaching Assistants.  Our whole-school approach to supporting
individuals through quality first teaching, all staff developing key skills
and education of the
 peer group (essential in my view) and work with
individual with SEND to develop their own independence ... means TA-heavy
models are not required - therefore money can be spent more directly.

I think there is need for SENCos to ensure Heads/Deputies don't just see
headlines and 'run with ideas' from papers/TES articles etc; but make them
take time to realise that there may be more effective ways of supporting
individuals through more holistic approaches .....

Look forward to others thoughts .... best wishes, Gareth, Secondary SENCo &
Member of the Advisory Group

-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Cook [mailto:richard_cook at blueyonder.co.uk] 
Sent: 01 March 2012 19:53
To: senco-forum new list
Subject: [Senco-forum] TES- effectiveness (or not) of TAs

My Deputy has informed me of a
 study, reported in the TES last week, or a
couple of weeks ago, that has confirmed that TAs are ineffective (in terms
of cost effectiveness over impact). There was an earlier study (last year?)
that reported the same.

Anyone read it?

Views?

Richard
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