Supporting Learning in Primary Schools: (Teaching Assistants' Handbooks Series)

Teaching assistants play a key role in children′s learning and a vital part in the school team. This handbook will help them in their day-to-day work with children in primary schools, providing an overview of key teaching and learning issues, as well as helping them to develop personally and professionally. It combines underpinning theoretical knowledge and practical classroom ideas which help teaching assistants develop their skills and abilities. Self-assessment activities are included throughout to help teaching assistants reflect on what they do and why they do it, and there is clear guidance on ways of improving practice.

Table of Contents:
The role of the teaching assistant Children′s development The skills needed to support learning Organising effective learning experiences Appendix 1: communication skills Introduction Appendix 2: study skills

About the Author :
Professor Rosemary Sage is a qualified Speech and Language Therapist, Psychologist and teacher with experience in health and education fields. For the past 20 years she has worked in higher education both in London and Leicester and was made Professor of Communication in Education at Liverpool Hope University in 2007. She is also long-standing Visiting Professor at the Women’s University, Nara, Japan and has been Visiting Professor at the University of Havana. Rosemary was a Trustee for both the Association for Speech Impaired Children and the Independent Panel for Education Advice; President of Human Communication International; Education Advisor to the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists; Member of the Research Committee of the British Stammering Association and a Member of Sir Michael Rutter’s Advisory Committee on Language Research. Before joining the School of Education, Min worked for many years as a teacher, mostly in Nursery and Key Stage 1 settings, but also with Key Stage 2 and with Year 9, 10 and 11 pupils. She additionally worked for Leicester College where she developed both the Cache Specialist Teacher Assistant Award and the Btec HNC/D Early Childhood Studies, targeting professional development for Nursery Nurses. Here at the School of Education, Min is committed to the development of the Foundation Degree in Educational Studies, designing course content and materials, and assessments to enable mature, talented people working in schools to attain a professionally recognised status, and move toward teaching if they wish. She is the Programme Leader, Course Co-ordinator and Admissions Tutor for this programme.

Review :
"An invaluable resource of theoretical knowledge" (Spare Chair; www.spare-chair.com)