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Making Best Use of Teaching Assistants –
The Case for Change
Jonathan Sharples – Education Endowment Foundation
Rob Webster – UCL Institute of Education
Mobilise Project
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
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
Visioning: starting with the end in mind
Where do you want to be in Sept 2018?
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
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)
The Toolkit is a starting point for making
decisions
“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
7 recommendations on
‘Making best use of TAs’
• 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.
• 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.
Start with high quality teaching…
• 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
Freeing up the teacher. Demonstrating & scribing
• 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
Readiness for learning. Secondary objectives
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?
Differentiated, but coordinated roles
Know your dance routine
• 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.
Rethinking TAs’ interactions
‘What is the
least help you
need from me?’
Rethinking TAs’ interactions
Scaffolding framework
Teaching
assistants
Source: Sutton Trust/EEF’s Teaching and Learning Toolkit
Rethinking TAs’ interactions
Teaching
assistants
Self-scaffolding: observing, responding
Prompting & clueing
Modelling & redirecting (off-task)
• 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.
Planning and communication
• Adjust TAs’ working hours • Set expectations
• Monitor
Planning and communication
Planning and communication 1
Planning and communication 2
BREAK
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
• 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).
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
• 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
100+ programmes
used in 20 schools
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.
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?
• 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
‘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
www.educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/resources/making-the-best-use-of-teaching-assistants/
TES course: Making Best Use of TAs
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
www.educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk
www.maximisingtas.co.uk
@maximisingtas @Sharples_J
@EducEndowFoundn
Contact Details:
Mobilise: [email protected]
07769 661479
Regional Research Leads:
Vanessa Hopkinson: [email protected]
James Siddle:
Mobilise Website: http://mobilise.kyrateachingschool.com/