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1
Making Best Use of Teaching Assistants –
The Case for Change
Jonathan Sharples – Education Endowment Foundation
Rob Webster – UCL Institute of Education
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Mobilise Project
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Aims:
• Improve outcomes for all children and young
people in Lincolnshire, closing the gap for
disadvantaged
• Strengthen already established school-
improvement partnerships and support sector-
led work
• To become ‘evidence-ready’ – long-term
capacity for research-based evidence
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LLP/EEF ‘Mobilise’ Autumn workshops
Session 1 (8 & 9 September): ‘Making the case for change’ • The context of TA use in schools • Dig deeper into the evidence and recommendations • Relate to your school • Introduce a process for managing change
Gap tasks – Complete audit (survey, RAG, observations) and vision Session 2 (18 and 19 October): ’Acting on the Evidence’
• Revisit audit • Look at the recommendations from the perspective of
changing practice • Overcoming common barriers • School leader input on implementing the evidence • Action planning • Next steps
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Visioning: starting with the end in mind
Where do you want to be in Sept 2018?
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Reviewing TA deployment: audit process and tools
• RAG self-assessment
• Surveying staff (anonymously): MITA survey app
• Observation schedule*
• Focus groups (pupils, staff)*
• Listen to TAs’ interactions with pupils*
• Skills audit of TAs’ qualifications, training, experience,
specialisms and talents*
* Maximising the Impact of TAs, chapter 2
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Audit and vision review
• Get into groups of 3 schools
• 5 minutes per school
• Say something about:
1. The process (tools used; problems overcome)
2. One finding that surprised you
3. One finding that did not surprise you
4. Outline your vision (as it stands)
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The Toolkit is a starting point for making
decisions
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“Addressing the current
situation is a school leadership
issue.
School leaders must rigorously
define the role of TAs and
consider their contribution in
relation to the drive for whole
school improvement”.
A fundamental rethink
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7 recommendations on
‘Making best use of TAs’
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• Has been drift towards TAs taking on role
of ‘primary educator’ for low-
attaining/SEN pupils. Well-meaning, but
flawed.
• Results in greater separation from the
classroom, teacher, mainstream
teaching/curriculum coverage, and their
classmates. Associated with significantly
lower learning outcomes.
• School leaders must review roles of TAs and
teachers. Take a wider view of how TAs
can support learning and improve
attainment.
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• Schools must break away from the ‘Velcro’
model of TA deployment.
• If TAs have a direct teaching role, it is
important to ensure they supplement
rather than replace the teacher.
• Teachers need to use TAs more
strategically to enable themselves to work
more often with lower-attaining/SEN
pupils.
• High quality teaching, by the teacher,
is the foundation for all the
recommendations.
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Start with high quality teaching…
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• Rotating groups/tables
• Readiness for learning (e.g. refocus, preparation)
• Secondary objectives (e.g. literacy in science)
• Freeing up the teacher
• Demonstrating, scribing
Supplementary forms of TA support
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Freeing up the teacher. Demonstrating & scribing
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• Rotating groups/tables
• Readiness for learning (e.g. refocus, preparation)
• Secondary objectives (e.g. literacy in science)
• Freeing up the teacher
• Demonstrating, scribing
Supplementary forms of TA support
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Readiness for learning. Secondary objectives
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Supplementary forms of support exercise
• How does this relate to your school? Where is good and less good practice?
• What does supplementary forms of TA support look like in your school?
• How can you develop this key principle with staff?
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Differentiated, but coordinated roles
Know your dance routine
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• Improve the nature and quality of
TAs’ talk to pupils to help pupils
develop the independent learning skills
associated with improved learning
outcomes.
• Instead of prioritising task completion
and correction, TAs should be
encouraged to give pupils ‘the least
amount of help first’.
• TAs’ interactions should help pupils to
develop ownership of tasks and to be
comfortable to take risks with their
learning.
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Rethinking TAs’ interactions
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‘What is the
least help you
need from me?’
Rethinking TAs’ interactions
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Scaffolding framework
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Teaching
assistants
Source: Sutton Trust/EEF’s Teaching and Learning Toolkit
Rethinking TAs’ interactions
Teaching
assistants
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Self-scaffolding: observing, responding
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Prompting & clueing
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Modelling & redirecting (off-task)
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• Lack of opportunities for out-of-class
liaison can result in poor teacher-TA
collaboration in the classroom.
• Schools must provide sufficient time for
teachers and TAs to prepare for
lessons and for feedback afterwards.
• TAs should not ‘go into lessons blind’.
Teachers must provide the essential
lesson ‘need to knows’ ahead of time.
• TAs must be fully trained for roles they are
given; for example, in having effective
interactions with pupils.
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Planning and communication
• Adjust TAs’ working hours • Set expectations
• Monitor
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Planning and communication
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Planning and communication 1
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Planning and communication 2
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BREAK
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What does this all look like in practice?!
Oct 18th – Maria Constantinou – Deputy Head & Inclusion Lead, St. Mary's C of E Primary
School, Barnet
Oct 19th – Maureen Andrews – Headteacher, Pye Bank C of E Primary School, Sheffield
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• Given the right support and training, TAs
can make a significant contribution to
pupil attainment delivering 1-2-1/small
group interventions (0.2 – 0.3 ES, 3 to 4
additional months progress) .
• Positive effects only observed in
structured settings, with high-quality
support and training.
• When TAs deployed in informal,
instructional roles they can negatively
impact on pupils’ learning
(DISS study).
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Project Summary Age Toolkit areas Effect size Padlocks
and stage
Catch Up
Literacy
One-to-one tailored TA support on
phonics and comprehension.
Years 3-6 Phonics +0.12 (2
months)
Effectiveness
Catch Up
Numeracy
One-to-one TA numeracy
instruction for struggling learners
Years 2-6 - +0.21 (3
months)
Effectiveness
Nuffield Early
Language
Intervention
Oral language intervention for
nursery and reception pupils,
delivered by TAs
EYFS Communication
and language
approaches (Early
Years toolkit)
+0.27 (4
months)
Efficacy
REACH Language and comprehension
intervention for struggling readers,
delivered by TAs
Year 7 Reading
comprehension;
Oral language
+0.34 (4
months)
Efficacy
Switch-on
Reading
10 week TA intervention drawing
on Reading Recovery
Year 7 Reading
comprehension
+0.24 (3
months)
Efficacy
Talk for Literacy Speaking and listening
interventions delivered by TAs.
Year 7 Oral language 0.2 (3 months)
Efficacy
Teaching Assistants: all results
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• Brief (15-30mins), regular (3-5 times per week)
sessions maintained over a sustained period (8-20
weeks). Carefully timetabled.
• Extensive training and coaching from experienced
trainers/teachers (5-30hrs).
• Structured supporting resources and lesson plans,
which are followed closely.
Characteristics of effective interventions:
• Assessments used to identify pupils, guide areas for
focus and track progress.
Examples of evidence-based interventions include Catch Up Numeracy, Catch Up
Literacy, Switch-on Reading, Talk for Literacy, Reading Intervention Programme
See EEF website for latest evaluation findings and new TA projects
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100+ programmes
used in 20 schools
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Overall use of interventions:
• One or two well-chosen, evidence-
based interventions, used judiciously to
support pupils that are struggling with their
learning.
• At least compensate for time out of class.
Don’t assume pupils can make connections
with the general curriculum.
• Supplement ‘quality first’ teaching in the
classroom, with clear links made between
learning in each context.
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Interventions ‘Health Check’
• Are you using evidence-based interventions? If so, are they
being used as intended, with the appropriate guidance and
training?
• If not, do they reflect the characteristics of effective
interventions?
• What does your data show for those pupils involved in
intervention work? Is it in line with the expected progress from
the research?
• Is appropriate planning provided for timetabling out-of-class
sessions so that they complement classroom teaching?
• How effective are TAs and teachers reviewing work taking place
in intervention sessions? Are pupils supported to make links
being made with general classroom work?
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• Change team led by headteacher
• Dedicated strategy time
• Full audit
• Small pilot team
• Gradual rollout (over 2-3 terms) wins
support
Acting on the evidence
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‘Acting on the evidence’ process
Create a shared vision, action plan and policy
Deliver it!
Take stock – be honest and listen
Work out what good looks like
for you
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www.educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/resources/making-the-best-use-of-teaching-assistants/
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TES course: Making Best Use of TAs
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Structure of the Year Sheffield Hallam University Audit (available from 1st September)
EEF Roadshows Part One - 8th or 9th September
CBL 2-day training – 26th/27th September or 29th/30th September
EEF Roadshows Part Two – 18th or 19th October
Independent HR consultant meetings 7th November
CBL 3rd-day training – 9th or 11th November
Cluster Lead monthly Basecamps
Cluster Meetings each ½ term
Individual school PLC each ½ term following cluster meeting
Interventions Roadshows – Spring Term
Opportunities for training
Sheffield Hallam University Audit – Term 6
Mobilise team collect RAG rating at start, mid-way and end
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www.educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk
www.maximisingtas.co.uk
@maximisingtas @Sharples_J
@EducEndowFoundn
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Contact Details:
Mobilise: [email protected]
07769 661479
Regional Research Leads:
Vanessa Hopkinson: [email protected]
James Siddle:
Mobilise Website: http://mobilise.kyrateachingschool.com/