Some Useful Pointers
The following advice has been produced by the Association’s Additional Support Needs Advisory Panel:
Preamble
Teachers are responsible for devising strategies and for identifying appropriate methods for ensuring all pupils can access the curriculum. This includes strategies for the provision of differentiated teaching. Examples of differentiated teaching may include group teaching, differentiating written resources and differentiation by support. Differentiation by support can be provided by working with and managing pupil support auxiliaries in classes where there are pupils with additional support needs.
Pupil support auxiliaries are a valuable resource for ensuring equal access to the curriculum for pupils with additional support needs. However, their time needs to be managed effectively if the best use is to be made of their support.
Support or help?
The role of a pupil support auxiliary is not to do the work for the pupil. They are there to enable the pupil to access and complete their school work. Support is not the same as help. Help disables; support enables. The success of support can be measured by how independent the pupil becomes. Effective support should reduce, or at least change, over time.
Pupil Support Auxiliaries should receive appropriate training in order to provide meaningful and effective support.
The teacher/pupil support auxiliary relationship & effective communication
It is vital that pupil support auxiliaries are provided with full information about the pupils whom they are supporting. Pupil support auxiliaries will at times work closely with individual pupils and are likely to get to know that pupil well. Effective feedback and communication between the pupil support auxiliary and teacher will help the teacher determine how best to meet the needs of each pupil.
Pupil support auxiliaries need to know what is required in any particular lesson. Are they there to scribe from the board, to assist with the navigation of resources, to read out text that is too small or to act as a practical assistant? The teacher should explain the purpose of an activity and discuss with the pupil support auxiliary how their pupils with additional support needs can be best supported.
4. Working alongside pupils
Pupil support auxiliaries are not there to teach, but to ensure that pupils are able to access the curriculum. They are there to offer differentiation by support. If there are questions regarding the content of the lesson, or any lack of understanding, pupils should ask the teacher.
It is also important that pupil support auxiliaries are not regarded as a natural ‘partner’ for pupils when the class is working in pairs. When placing pupils in groups, pupil support auxiliaries should only be expected to work with ‘their pupil’ under exceptional circumstances. This is because it is important for pupils to learn how to work together.
5. Adapting resources
Pupil support auxiliaries are sometimes required to adapt learning resource materials. If pupils are to access appropriately modified learning materials at the same time as the rest of the class, forward planning is vital.
