Institute of Education London

Developing PGCE trainees' understanding of how teaching assistants support pupils in London's Secondary schools

Overview

In the United Kingdom, Teaching Assistants (TAs) work alongside teachers in many Secondary School classrooms, helping pupils with their learning on an individual or small group basis. At the Institute of Education, London, pre-service teachers were required to act as TAs for one period a week during their teaching practice and this project researches the impact of this innovative initiative with regards how pre-service teachers develop their understanding of pupils' learning needs, especially those with special educational needs.

Methods

The research we undertook included a comprehensive literature review of the changing role of TAs, questionnaires to two cohorts of student teachers and three focus groups.