FAQs about teaching assistant training.

Transcription

1 FAQs about teaching assistant training.

2 Who is a classroom teaching assistant? A teaching assistant is someone who actively participates in the delivery of education in the class and works closely with the classroom teacher. As a teaching assistant you would support teachers with their everyday work in the classroom so that they can concentrate on teaching How important is the role of the Teaching Assistant? Thousands of schools across the UK have been given increased budgets to employ teaching assistants in the classrooms. This is due to the government currently aiming to provide better adult-to-child ratios in delivering learning and the use of teaching assistants is a very cost effective method to achieve this increase. There is a huge demand for teaching assistants around the country. This course will help you stand out from other applicants. What are the functions of a Teaching Assistant? The duties of a classroom assistant is to assist with those classes where numbers are high and the teacher is required to spend most of his or her time teaching the entire class as opposed to spending time on a one to one basis. Typically classroom assistants will help with any of the following: Preparing the classroom for lessons Listening to children read Telling stories or reading to learners Assisting with numeracy and literacy Working with learners for whom English is no their first language Assisting with school outings or sports days Not an exhaustive list but a list which certainly contains many of those tasks which make the classroom assistant an invaluable aid for any teacher especially those teachers who have high class numbers or classes containing problematic children.

3 In Secondary school education, a teaching assistant would normally be found to be assisting those pupils who have learning difficulties or some form of physical or learning disability as it is now common place for pupils with SEN (Special Education Needs) or behaviourally disadvantaged children, to be taught in mainstream education. Who is the certifying body for my training? The training is certified by NCFE one of the oldest awarding bodies for vocational qualifications. At what level is my training delivered? The teaching assistant training is delivered at Level 2 and Level 3. The highest level for qualification is Level 3. Other levels, Level 4 for example is specializing in behaviour and learning. How long will it take to qualify? Three months are recommended but your training can easily be completed in thirteen weeks. What are the units covered in my training? The units covered in the training to qualify as a teaching assistant are Core units H/601/3305 Child and young person development A/601/7411 Support learning activities K/601/3323 Safeguarding the welfare of children and young people F/601/3313 Communication and professional relationships with children, young people and adults D/601/3321 Equality, diversity and inclusion in work with children and young people T/601/7391 Help improve own and team practice in schools D/601/7403 Maintain and support relationships with children and young people

4 T/601/7410 Support children and young people s health and safety T/601/7407 Support children and young people s positive behaviour Optional D/601/6526 Support children and young people with disabilities and special education needs How is my training delivered? Your training is delivered through lectures, group work, portfolio-building and school placement. How does school placement work? It is important that every trainee be placed in a school. School placement is also very important because by being in a school for an extended period of time allows greater exposure for the trainee to be hired. What do I need to know about my placement? Placement is supervised and monitored by both the school and the centre. It is the centre s responsibility to ensure that trainees are placed in schools that will offer them the greatest support in their training and will work or have already worked in close collaboration with the centre. How important is my placement? Two in every three teaching assistants who are placed in school get hired because schools identify the need for teaching assistants and both school and pupils would have gotten accustomed to the trainee over the period of time. What is the cost of my training? The training costs What does this include? Your training fee includes all your lectures, class handouts, placement monitoring, registration with the awarding body, tutorial session and any

5 additional support needed in portfolio building, visitation to the school for monitoring and a portfolio folder. What should I know about CRBs? Every trainee will need to have a CRB done to be placed in a school for Placement. CRBs can take from six to eight weeks. Trainees are advised to complete their CRB before they commence their training. CRBs are processed at the centre and all trainees are given a list of the documents they need for processing their CRBs. CRBs cost is non-refundable. What additional support can I expect? The centre provides additional support to all trainees. These additional services are FREE OF COST. They include ESOL classes for any trainee for whom English is not their first language. Trainees are also given an orientation on Smart board skills. What are the next training dates for 2011? Orientation date Start date End date Thursday July 21/2011 Thursday July 28/2011 Thursday October 27/2011 Tuesday September 13/2011 Tuesday September 21/2011 Tuesday December 13/2011 Thursday November 03//2011 Thursday November 10/2011 Thursday February 17/2011