This depends in part on the qualifications of the teaching assistant. In schools I know it is the main teachers who has the main responsibility for the student with special needs. Sometimes the students with special needs is in need of a teacher with a special needs education. In these cases the special needs teacher is sometimes appointed the main responsibility for the student. My worry is when this resposibility becomes unclear more than whom is the resposible teacher. What is best for the student? What will optimize the learning situation for the student? Emir Omer Emre

Hi,

During my teaching career at the university I encountered several time with students with special educational needs of various sorts. They usually brought a form that informed me about their limitations. They studied as part of the class, only sometimes they needed additional explanations, and exceptions from several class duties, such as a reading a paper to the class, or having more time to write a final paper. Usually, this did not bother me at all, and did not disrupt the class routine.

This depends in part on the qualifications of the teaching assistant. In schools I know it is the main teachers who has the main responsibility for the student with special needs. Sometimes the students with special needs is in need of a teacher with a special needs education. In these cases the special needs teacher is sometimes appointed the main responsibility for the student. My worry is when this resposibility becomes unclear more than whom is the resposible teacher. What is best for the student? What will optimize the learning situation for the student? Emir Omer Emre

Yes . I think so that

To me, the class teacher has the main responsibility concerning the students of the main question of the discussion thread. Unfortunately, the lack of specialized personnel for these students is usually the case.

Regards

The teacher of the class has overall responsibility for the education of the children in her class. However there are some teaching assistants (clue in the title) that have additional skills that can be targeted to help the pupil more effectively. Usually I would expect a discussion along the lines of. T - I want to teach this. TA - I could use this strategy to support the learning. So the teacher has the big picture and the specialised TA the fine detail. Sadly it’s not often that that kind of cooperation happens. Ego’s Can often get in he way.

Another problem is when the teacher and the TA do not have up to date knowledge and understanding, particularly of the hidden disabilities and keep triggering poor behaviour choices.

Although somewhat dated, I can think of a couple of useful studies that might be helpful:

Minondo et al. (2001) The Role and Responsibilities of Teaching Assistants in Inclusive Education: What's Appropriate?

Article The Role and Responsibilities of Teaching Assistants in Incl...

Groom and Rose (2005)

Supporting the inclusion of pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties in the primary school: the role of teaching assistants.

Article Supporting the inclusion of pupils with social, emotional an...

While I think that a cooperative teaching team would be a more ideal configuration, as a former teaching assistant I was often assigned to work with one or more students with exceptionalities at a separate table/area while the classroom teacher worked with everyone else. This was the more common configuration I encountered in the public system. I think this may speak to many teachers’ lack of training and experience with Universal Designs for Learning and adaptive instructional practices - though there may of course be regional and school-based factors to consider as well.

I think it's important to remember that the classroom teacher has the ultimate responsibiliout for carrying out the educational programs for their students with special needs. However the reality is that classroom assistanto are an Intercal part of making sure that the classroom runs smoothly. For any new information or skills or strategies that are being taught should come directly from the classroom teacher. If it is a matter of repetition and repeated practice which most of the students need, then it is appropriate for the classroom assistant to carry out the repeated practice.

That said. it is also the responsibility of the classroom teacher to oversee that the instruction given by the assistant is done with fidelity. The classroom teacher needs to provide guidance and training for the assistant.

Here in Catalonia (Spain) is the classroom teacher who has the main responsibility. However, I think that it is a school or community responsibility!

We wrote about TA in Catalonia:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13603116.2018.1545876?journalCode=tied20

It is absolutely the class teacher's responsibility for all of his or her students. However, how they choose to deploy their teaching assistant will depend on the task set, the students' needs and the TA's skills set. However, even if the TA works with SEN children, the overall responsibility still remains with the class teacher.

Education and quality training can only be assumed by a person skilled in the field, all the more so when we talk about special needs educators. Teacher training is required to succeed in supporting the recovery / integration of the child with ESC (special educational requirements). In order to achieve a correct and quality teaching for all children, the teacher must have the psycho-pedagogical skills necessary to identify the needs of his pupils and to achieve the necessary intervention. But we can not claim that one teacher works in the same educational space with all students, regardless of the needs they claim. Therefore, a support teacher or other specialist (psychologist, speech therapist, physical therapist, etc.) where pupils with ESCs are required to work with those children.

Erica Danniels David Wooff Aristidis Matsoukis Colin Mcgee

I agree with the most of your answers, but there are some challenges in detail. Either class teachers or teaching assistants are the main responsible person for the students with SEND, both sides mentioned that they don't feel they have enough knowledge to teach to pupils with SEND and they add that they had very little or no training for that. it seems like everyone tends to blame others. In this case: What is the solution?

For more info:

http://maximisingtas.co.uk/assets/content/worldsapart.pdf

Adriana Denisa Manea Maria Crawford-Smith Andrea Jardí Joann Migyanka

Actually it's not really needed as students should show interest first

I agree that it depends on the experience of the teaching assistant, but the reality is that the classroom teacher is the one held responsible for the teaching of students with special needs. Those who have worked in my classroom have had a variety of skills and experience. Some have had extensive qualifications in special needs, and some no quals whatsoever, but amazing experience. I have always seen the teaching assistant as someone who will assist the student/s with special needs but will work with me to enhance the overall learning experience in line with the objectives for that lesson or series of lessons. This process is also shaped by the needs of the student concerned. In most classes, I only had a TA for 1-2 lessons a cycle, so the issue of continuity became a challenge. I also could not guarantee that I would have the same TA each time. Not ideal, so in those circumstances, the teacher must take the responsibility.