Module 1 Activities
If you are not currently working as a teaching assistant, you may need to do some
research in order to fully answer these questions.
Q1.1
Why is it important that you are able to communicate effectively with people in
your job role?
Q1.2
Explain your different styles of communication when:
a)
noticing that a Foundation age child is becoming distressed
during a group activity in the Numeracy session
b)
noticing that a Year 7 child is becoming distressed during a group
activity in the Maths lesson
c)
supporting a child with Asperger’s Syndrome during a role play activity
about going on holiday
d)
supporting a child with a hearing impairment during a role
play activity about going on holiday
Q1.3
You are concerned about the behaviour of one of the children with whom you
are involved. You believe that this is due to learning development problems,
and suspect that this may be due to underlying medical issues.
Explain how you would ensure that effective communication is maintained
when discussing these issues with the child’s parent, the assigned teacher and
other external professionals.
Q1.4
How can a HLTA help pupils to understand why it is necessary to behave
appropriately during lessons?
Q1.5
Speak to a classroom teacher and ask them about the most important things
they expect from their pupils in terms of behaviour. Record them below and
state whether you agree or disagree with their expectations.
Teacher expectations
Agree/disagree
If there are expectations you did not agree with, think about why you did not
agree. Record your thoughts here and discuss with the teacher.
Q1.6
Say how you as a HLTA would deal with each of the following situations
(figures in brackets give the age of the pupil).
Amy (13) calls Jasmine (11) a ‘chav’
Susan (8) pulls the hair of the girl sitting next to her.
During a whole-class activity, Jack (11) gets up and wanders round the
classroom, looking at other pupils’ work and distracting them.
You hear Tom (13) threaten to ‘knife’ Paul (12) when they get out of school.
You ask Mohammed (5) to stop talking while the teacher is talking and he
swears at you.
Carla (13) and Rani (13) have an argument over a pencil. Carla is racially
abusive to Rani and grabs Rani’s wrist to force her to give her the pencil.
You come across Chris (14) and Sam (15) smoking at the top of the playing
fields.
You overhear Charlotte (14) and Jenny (14) discussing a sexually explicit
scenario involving one of the male teachers.
Q1.7
List the activities/materials/experiences you provide in your school to
encourage a positive attitude to diversity/multi-culturalism.
If you are not a teaching assistant describe activities/materials/experiences that
could be provided.
Pupils
Parents, guardians or carers
LEA support staff
Trainee teacher
Inspectors
Other TAs
School administrative staff
A SENCO
Educational Psychologists
Other therapists
Q1.8
Choose three people with whom you work/would expect to work closely as a
HLTA (try to include a teacher and a pupil). Write down what you consider to be
the key features of the communication/relationship that you have/would have
with them.
Person
Key features of communications/relationship
Q1.9
Case study:
The assigned teacher is not present for a PE session with a class of children
within the age range you work with (if you are not working as a teaching
assistant, choose an age range you prefer). You have been asked to take the
class and have a TA with you.
Explain what role and direction you would give to the TA to ensure that the
required learning takes place.
Q1.10
Taking the scenarios from Q1.6, explain how you would ensure that the TA
understands the needs of the children within the class, and is directed to use
appropriate behaviour-management strategies.
Q1.11
Use the line tool to match the definitions to the management styles below.
Consider which style is the closest to your own way of working with your
colleagues and other adults in the school.
Laissez-faire
Decisions are
made by you.
Autocratic
Consultative
Democratic
Decisions are
made by the team.
Everything is
team-run and
there is no strong
leadership.
The team is
consulted, but you
make the final
decision.
List three positive points that you have found in how this style motivates the
staff in the school.
Q1.12
Case study:
You have been asked to organise the annual school visit to the theatre to see a
pantomime.
Explain what aspects you would need to consider, in terms of the number of
adults accompanying the visit.
How would the volunteers be recruited, and what specific requirements would
you need to know beforehand?
How would you communicate to the adults in terms of transport plans, their
role during the visit and the feedback you would give after the event?
Q1.13
Read the following case study and then answer the questions that follow:
The class teacher is involved in an activity with a group of children to make a
leaflet on the dangers of smoking. The resources available include information
from websites and various leaflets from the health authority. You have just
completed a course regarding this issue and feel that there are a lot of different
ways the teacher could approach this topic to make it very interesting and
relevant for the children’s age range. You want to give the teacher the
opportunity to benefit from your experience in a way that allows her to take
advantage of it without feeling resentment towards your additional knowledge.
Describe how you would approach the teacher to make sure that your criticism
is constructive and positive.
When and where would you talk to her?
What type of language and stance you would use?
Feedback/Support Form
Student Name:
Start
Time:
Date:
Programme
Title:
Tutor Name:
Finish
Time:
Type of Support (please place a cross (x) in relevant box)
Written
Telephone
Discussion
Guidance
ALS
End
Test
Other
Were all agreed actions fully completed?
Work Submitted
Module No(s):
Yes ❒
No ❒
(If No please state)
Learner Achievement Summary:
Specific Areas of Noteworthy Recognition:
Further Areas of Development Required:
Action Plan including date(s):
Signed
Tutor:
Target date for
next submission:
For Office Use Only
Work completed and returned by Tutor within 10 days
Y
N
Tutor communicated all achievements
Y
N
Action Plan confirming further process provided
Y
N
Work filed electronically/paper
E
P
Issued August 2012