The Role and Development of Teaching Assistants from 1997 to 2000

THE ROLE AND DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHING ASSISTANTS FROM 1997 TO 2000 DOROTHY ANNE WATKINSON THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY AT THE INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF LONDON 2002 ABSTRACT This research has studied the role and context of teaching assistants (TAs) in one authority, and in particular in two primary schools. The purpose of the study was to find out how these assistants support the teaching and learning of pupils in the classroom; to identify the factors which influence their effectiveness; and to identify strategies which could enhance their work. The study began with a literature review of the historical perceptions of the role, effectiveness and development of teaching assistants. In order to gain further insight into the assistants' role and needs within the local authority employing the researcher, the study proceeded with a survey of primary schools within the authority, the results of which were circulated to these schools. The results provided sufficient information to enable a rationale for professional development to be defined. The next stage was a close look at the work of TAs in two primary schools which differed in the rationale for employing assistants. An ethnographical approach was used, including observation strategies, some video work, semi-structured interviews and field notes. The results were analysed and categorised. A reflective diary recorded the changes taking place during the period of study. This, along with an updated literature review enabled the findings of the research to be set in a wider national context. The key findings were: • that assistants support teaching and learning in a variety of ways, often operating concurrently, and which include many characteristics of qualified teachers; • their personal characteristics, opportunities for continuous professional development, and the school climate are important factors in their effectiveness, regardless of the nature of their employment; and • while external agencies need to recognise and support their work, the way in which they are employed and deployed by the school is crucial. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my grateful thanks to those who have contributed to the completion of this thesis: • Professor Barbara MacGilchrist for encouraging me to study for the degree in the first place and for her continuous encouragement, patience and training in the research process which she provided; • Other staff of the University of London Institute of Education, particularly Dr. Jane Hurry and Professor Denis Lawton for their critical appraisal; • Fred Corbett for encouraging me to undertake the research while still a full-time member of the Essex County Council Learning Services Directorate staff and for facilitating the use of my time and the resources of the authority to support the work involved; • Essex County Council Learning Services Directorate for the various resources at my disposal, and permission to use the survey material as part of this thesis; • Alison Williams, for her help over designing the survey and particularly to Jo Charman and Sally Lance who never ceased to be cheerful and encouraging in the face of the extra work incurred by the survey; • the headteachers, teachers and particularly the teaching assistants of the two study schools, who gave so generously of their time and the rich data they so willingly provided; • the children and parents of the two study schools who allowed me to observe and video the staff who work in their classes; • my work colleagues in Essex County Council Learning Services Directorate, Essex schools and more recently the DfEE, for the opportunity to enter into informed critical debate on the subject matter; • and to my husband Frank for his support and encouragement throughout, including his never- ending patience with my ICT system. iii CONTENTS Page Preface Chapter 1: Introduction 1 1.1 Who and what are teaching assistants? 1.2 Rationale for the study 1.3 The research questions 1.4 The framework of the study Chapter 2: The research design 11 2.1 The context: practical and ethical considerations 2.2 The theoretical stance 2.3 Research strategies - methodology 2.4 Methods of data collection 2.5 Interpretation and presentation Chapter 3: The background literature to the study 35 3.1 Working with learners : Identification of role 3.2 Working with teachers: Deployment in classrooms 3.3 Working in the school: The role of management 3.4 Working in a locality 3.5 The national context 3.6 The mixed approach Chapter 4: The Local Education Authority survey 59 4.1 The history of the development of the survey 4.2 Questionnaire design 4.3 The response 4.4 The headteacher responses 4.5 The teaching assistant responses 4.6 Initial conclusions, issues raised and subsequent action 4.7 Conclusions for the purpose of this study continued... iv Chapter 5: The case studies of teaching assistants working in two primary 84 schools 5.1 Introduction 5.2 A description of the two schools 5.3 The observations 5.4 The Interviews 5.5 The questionnaires and meetings 5.6 Outcome data 5.8 Conclusions from this chapter Chapter 6: Developments during the study — a reflective account 143 6.1 Methods used 6.2 The role - Category 1 6.3 The TAs themselves and their performance- Category 2 6.4 The people TAs work with and their relationships — Category 3 6.5 The school, its ethos and culture — Category 4 6.6 Professional development - Category 5 6.7 The external influences: Locality, LEA and national - Category 6 6.8 Conclusions from Chapter 6 Chapter 7: Conclusions and recommendations 165 7.1 The suitability of the study methodology 7.2 The role of the TA 7.3 The TAs themselves 7.4 The people TAs work with 7.5 The school 7.6 Professional development 7.7 External influences 7.8 Recommendations for future action 7.9 Conclusion Appendices 197 Bibliography 227 V LIST OF DIAGRAMS page Diagram 1: The context in which the teaching assistants work 8 Diagram 2: The relationship of methods used in the study to the context surrounding 9 the teaching assistant Diagram 3: The model developed when collating the interview transcripts, to show the 140 systems supporting the role of the TA Diagram 4: A model developed to describe the learning process 169 Diagram 5: The teaching and learning PACT — the interdependence of the teacher 184 and learner Diagram 6: The teaching and learning PACT — the interdependence of the TA, 184 teacher and learner Diagram 7: The interactions of teachers, TAs and pupils in the classroom 185 Diagram 8: Looking at the TAs by themselves 194 Diagram 9: TAs supported in the classroom and by the school 195 The references given in the thesis in square brackets refer to pages in the thesis itself. vi LIST OF TABLES page Table 1: Education support staff in English primary schools from 1992 and English 3 secondary schools from 1995 to 2000 Table 2: The variation in the TA team size over three terms of 1998 for 150 primary 64 schools Table 3: The age profile of the responding TAs compared to a national survey 67 Table 4: The qualifications given by the responding TAs 68 Table 5: Paid hours worked by the responding TAs per week in term time 69 Table 6: Voluntary hours worked by responding TAs 70 Table 7: The pay scales of the responding TAs 71 Table 8: Numbers of responding TAs being called by a particular name 72 Table 9: Areas of the curriculum supported by the responding TAs 73 Table 10: Aspects of classroom support given by the responding TAs 74 Table 11: Aspects of support given to the school by responding TAs outside the 75 classroom Table 12: Size of groups of children with which the responding TAs worked 76 Table 13: The responding TAs' suggestions for change 77 Table 14: The age profile of responding TAs and the distribution of those who 78 expressed a wish to become teachers Table 15: The hours worked by education support staff in 'new' Essex from 1996 to 82 2000 for all categories of school except nursery schools Table 16: The activities and behaviour of TAs observed in School 2 105 Table 17: The activities and behaviour of TAs observed in the two schools 108 Table 18: The skills of TAs set alongside the list of Kyriacou 176 Table 19: The observed work of TAs set alongside the Ofsted categories of teaching 178 vii LIST OF CHARTS Page Chart 1: Graphical display of Table 1 showing Education support staff in English 4 primary schools from 1992 and English secondary schools from 1995 to 2000 Chart 2: Graphical display of Table 2 showing the variation in TA team size over 64 three terms of 1998 for 150 primary schools Chart 3: Graphical display of Table 5 showing the distribution of paid hours worked 69 by responding TAs in term time Chart 4: Graphical display of Table 6 showing the voluntary hours worked by 70 responding TAs Chart 5: Graphical display of Table 7 showing the pay scales of the responding 71 TAs Chart 6: Graphical display of Table 9 showing the curriculum areas supported by 73 the responding TAs Chart 7: Graphical display of Table 10 showing aspects of classroom support 74 given by the responding TAs Chart 8: Graphical display of Table 11 showing the aspects of support given by 75 responding TAs outside the classroom Chart 9: Graphical display of Table 12 showing the size of groups of children with 76 which the responding TAs worked Chart 10: Graphical display of Table 14 showing the age of responding TAs and the 79 distribution of those who expressed a wish to become teachers Chart 11: Graphical display of Table 15 showing the hours worked by education 82 support

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