Teaching Assistants (TAs) are in a unique position to help students in a variety of ways. They can provide academic support, act as role models, and serve as mentors. In this article, we will discuss the different interventions that TAs can run at school. Keep reading to learn more!
Boosting Reading Potential (BRP)
This intervention aims to help students who can read but need more practice with fluency, story voice, and pace. The goal is to develop independent reading skills and enable children to enjoy reading while understanding the text.
Trained adults will give your child 3 one-on-one weekly sessions with the Boosting Reading Potential intervention program. Each session will last 15 minutes and focus on:
- Focus on independent reading with texts they know
- Constantly reassess understanding
- Work towards unfamiliar text with assistance, eventually building to working alone and comprehension.
Abracadabra (ABRA)
Abracadabra (ABRA) is an online toolkit that helps with phonics, fluency and comprehension. The activities are based on a series of texts according to age group.
A recent study compared the results of a 20-week program using ABRA activities to an offline, paper version of the same program. The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) and Nominet Trust funded the trial as part of a focus on using digital technology to improve outcomes for disadvantaged children.
Results showed that impacts were substantial and comparable to 2-3 months’ worth of extra progress, with a bigger difference for students who qualify for free school meals. These findings parallel what the Teaching and Learning Toolkit suggests – technology is most impactful when used as a means rather than an end itself.
They also support the Key Stage 1 Literacy Guidance’s recommendation of a balanced approach to teaching reading.
Reciprocal reading
The EEF Toolkit rates reading comprehension strategies, focusing on learners’ understanding of a written text, as high impact. Reciprocal reading is a structured approach to teaching students how to improve their reading comprehension through specific strategies (questioning, clarifying, summarising and predicting).
Reciprocal teaching has been gaining traction in English-speaking countries, though it is less common to see in the United Kingdom. Although more research needs to be done, past evaluations have shown promise for reciprocal teaching– one meta-analysis of 16 studies showed an average impact equivalent to around 4 months’ worth of further progress.
Better Reading Partnership
BRP is a limited, targeted intervention that improves children’s reading skills in only ten weeks. Each session consists of fifteen minutes per child, three times a week. This Every Child a Reader intervention has been proven to be an effective model of good practice.
All the kids love coming to BRP, and they learn new reading levels much faster than before. It’s always enjoyable for us Teaching Assistants, too, because we can see how quickly the children grasp the material and grow in their understanding of reading.
Magic Link Handwriting Programme
The Magic Link handwriting program is easy to follow, with step-by-step video lessons and accompanying worksheets. It produces clean, simple handwriting without any confusing loops or flourishes. This makes it easier and faster to learn. The non-joined and joined programmes are both structured, fun, and motivating.
Pupils can progress at their own pace with the help of these programmes. The non-joined option is for 5-year-olds, while the cursive course is meant for 6 to 18-year-olds. Our system has successfully yielded results for right-handed and left-handed people.
Reading Rockets
The purpose of Reading Rockets is to help improve writing and reading comprehension performance. The different types of writing we focus on are:
Writing basics skills are crucial to developing strong writing. These include abilities such as proper spelling and capitalization, good handwriting or keyboarding, and sound sentence structure (like avoiding run-on sentences and fragments). Sometimes people refer to these foundations of writing as “mechanics” of writing.
Text generation is putting your thoughts into written words, or what we often think of as the “content” of writing. This includes everything from choosing the right words (vocabulary) to adding details to making sure your comments are clear.
The writing process, which includes planning, revising, and editing, is essential to success in writing. This is especially true as students progress into the later grades.
Writing skills: A writer’s capacity to understand and create various types of texts and write for a specific audience. For example, understanding that a research paper is organized differently than a short story. Another writing skill would be conveying meaning clearly and concisely to people who will read your work.
Lifeboat
The Lifeboat Read and Spell Scheme is a ten-book series that teaches lessons through 100 photocopiable activities. Each lesson follows the same format throughout all ten books.
The series is comprehensive, well-organized, simple to administer, and utilizes multiple senses during instruction, making it ideal for a wide range of literacy learners. Its straightforwardness also allows Classroom Assistants and parents alike to lead lessons effectively. To save time on grading student work, each book contains answer keys for all the worksheets.
Experienced SEN professionals originally designed the Scheme for children with dyslexia and other literacy difficulties. In the opinion of Professor TR Miles, former editor of Dyslexia Journal, it “…so represents a good practice that one can recommend it as being suitable for teaching reading and spelling to all students, whether dyslexic or not.”
In conclusion, Teaching Assistants have many options regarding interventions they can run in school. Programs such as Every Child a Reader, Magic Link Handwriting Programme, Reading Rockets and Lifeboat Read and Spell Scheme are some ways that teaching assistants can help students reach their full reading potential.
With these tools, Teaching Assistants can ensure that all students are equipped with the reading and writing skills they need to succeed.
When implemented correctly, these interventions have helped countless teaching assistants make a positive difference in the lives of their students. With careful planning and dedication, Teaching Assistants can continue to create a lasting impact on their student’s academic success. So why wait? Start making a difference in your students’ lives today!
If you are interested in learning more about these interventions, please refer to our links for further information. We hope this article has been helpful and given you more insight into what school interventions Teaching Assistants can run.
FAQs
Q: What interventions can Teaching Assistants run at school?
A: Teaching Assistants have many options regarding interventions they can run in school. Programs such as Every Child a Reader, Magic Link Handwriting Programme, Reading Rockets and Lifeboat Read and Spell Scheme are some ways that teaching assistants can help students reach their full reading potential.
Q: How can I make sure that the interventions are effective?
A: With careful planning and dedication, Teaching Assistants can ensure that all students are equipped with the reading and writing skills they need to succeed. It is essential to take into consideration the specific needs of each student when implementing an intervention, as well as to provide enough practice and support. Additionally, monitoring the progress of the intervention is essential to adjust accordingly.
Q: Are there any other resources for Teaching Assistants?
A: Many resources are available for Teaching Assistants, such as books, websites, articles and blogs that discuss teaching strategies and interventions. Additionally, professional development opportunities are available for Teaching Assistants to learn new skills and refine existing ones.
It is always essential to stay up-to-date with the latest developments in the teaching field to provide the best possible experience for students.
Q: Can TA’s resign immediately?
TAs need to give 30 days’ notice to resign.
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