Duties of a Teaching Assistant

Teaching assistants are people who aid and support a teacher

What are the duties of a Teaching assistant?

They help in facilitating any teaching-related tasks and activities in a classroom. They need to conduct teaching assistant duties and work closely with teachers in order to provide a safe, caring, and fun learning experience and environment for pupils.

You don’t necessarily need to have a degree in Education to qualify as a teaching assistant, although previous experience in nursery work, play work, or childcare will come handy. A an accredited teaching assistant course will definitely give you an edge. As a teaching assistant you would be working with children most of the time, so it’s important that you have a great deal of patience and the right attitude.

Duties of a Teaching Assistant

The scope of work and main duties of a teaching assistant is generally the same, although specific responsibilities may vary from school to school.

Work one-on-one with a pupil

One of the main duties of a teaching assistant is to help individual pupils who may require additional assistance, either because of language barriers (e.g. if English is not the student’s first language) or specific learning difficulties (e.g. a pupil who is having a hard time following instructions).

You may also need to closely supervise and assist a pupil diagnosed with a learning disability, making sure that he can keep up with the pace of the class. A teaching assistant may also need to observe and assess individual performances of pupils such as reading aloud or spelling.

Supervise small group of pupils

Sometimes, a teaching assistant acts as additional support and supervises group activities, checking and ensuring that each group performs the assigned class activity correctly. As part of your teaching assistant duties, you have to be observant and keen in identifying which groups need help and quickly attend to them. This way, the teacher and the teaching assistant divides their energy and time among pupils efficiently.

Prepare the classroom for lesson

Also included in the main duties of a teaching assistant is the preparation of materials and equipment needed for the class. The teaching assistant is responsible for organizing the things that the class will use to ensure that the lesson will run smoothly, and the dedicated class period is maximized for learning. This may include setting up activity equipment, photocopying worksheets, organizing tools, or preparing books and charts.

Maintain cleanliness and orderliness

The teaching assistant helps the teacher maintain the peace and order in the class. As children can get rowdy and noisy at times, you must be able keep the pupil’s attention without being too strict. A teaching assistant is also in charge in keeping the classroom organized and tidy, especially after the lesson.

Create display boards for pupil’s work

Pupils are encouraged every time they see their work displayed in the classroom, and a teaching assistant often has to design a display board for these. Aside from being a stage that highlights the works of pupils, a well-designed display board also gives the classroom a bright and friendly atmosphere, making it more conducive and fun for learning.

Despite the numerous duties of a teaching assistant, the most important thing that you must keep in mind is to make the learning process fun and exciting for students, and light and easy for teachers.

How to get a teaching assistant job

You should find it easier to obtain an interview and indeed get a job if you either have a qualification, or are currently undertaking an accredited teaching assistant course. On the other hand, if you are already enjoying the job of teaching assistant, accredited training can help you become more effective and secure in your role.