Parents of children who have additional learning needs - TA request.

[HopingForTheBest25]

Sorry for clunky title. Can I ask a favour? If your child has additional learning needs and has support from a TA in class, would you mind telling me what the TA does for your child that has been helpful? Or things you would like them to do differently?
I know that some of what they do will be geared specifically to your child's personality and needs, but I'm going to be working in this type of role in the future and want to do a good job, so would appreciate any general suggestions you have, based on your own children's experiences.

When my daughter was in mainstream school, her TA helped to keep her engaged and broke down her work for her (DD has severe learning difficulties and ASD). She also supported her in group interactions within the classroom. She used to support my daughter in re regulating if she struggled with her emotions as well. A lot of the time this would involve sitting under the table
With her. For the most part she was just someone my daughter could trust and feel safe with.

My daughter is now in specialist school and has developed a very close relationship with one of the classroom TAs. DD needs less academic support now, but the TA often takes her to the sensory gym or for a walk around the school grounds to re regulate when she's overwhelmed. She also helps navigate social situations as well.

I couldn't fault either of them to be honest

Thank you for the reply. Every TA I have come across has been fab - it's a huge responsibility and I don't want to let any child down by not being as good!

My ds TA makes sure he's used the loo before home time ( otherwise he wets himself on way home) regularly sits under a table with him to coax him out, makes sure he has ketchup for fish and chip Fridays and is so enthusiastic every morning coaxing him into the class room when he's screaming and clinging on to my leg every day. My dd TA breaks work down for her, reminds her to drink her water and tries to keep her calm and recognises when she's had enough and needs a little break, she's also been projectile vomited on twice by dd and her main concern was making sure dd was ok. Both amazing ladies who make my kids lives so much better in school.

I'm both a SEN TA and a parent to a (now adult) with Autism and LDs.
As a parent, all I wanted was for my son to feel safe... everything else was a bonus. He was supported in mainstream nursery by a TA and then went into special school. His TA were his closest educators and carers. They would write daily in his home school diary (which if mainstream don't use... suggest it) as he wasn't verbal for many years and I needed to know if he'd eaten, pooed, been happy, had any problems.
His TA helped with breaking down tasks, personal care if needed. As he gained skills she encouraged him to try things for himself.

I'm a TA in Special school and that's pretty much our remit. Some of our children need full personal care (nappy changes up to adulthood, feeding, meds, seizure care) others need support with social interaction, managing emotions and behaviour... it's so varied. But most of all we need to be trusted by our children.. kind but clear boundaries .

My ds has asd and global development delays. He has 30 hours 1:1 a week. His 1:1 is there to do things like-

Break down tasks into manageable chunks
Scribe
Facilitate sensory breaks
Do social stories/emotional regulation work
Facilitate small group activities
Supervise/keep on task
Supervise outdoor play and transitions
Manage/recognise if he is becoming overwhelmed
Support him to achieve targets in sen plan

Probably loads more too!

Thank you so much everyone - this is so helpful.

Primary or secondary?

My DD has ASD and severe dyslexia, her TA reads and scribes for her, explains work if she hasn't understood and takes her out if she gets overwhelmed, and helps her get started on tasks that she's able to manage. Also does daily reading with her etc. it's a shared TA which is more common these days.

Please please don’t list all the things that have gone wrong during the day at pick up. Of course I need to know but dc is listening and the story of failure at the end of the day is very unhelpful.

Children who are less verbal can often understand what is said.

You probably have a very very small fraction of the contact hours that any parent has. You probably are not as motivated to read and learn about your pupils condition as their parent. You can be such a help but try not to be patronising it’s incredibly irritating and since you care for the dc parents on the whole just have to smile and nod for fear of disrupting that relationship.

I know your job is hard and takes lots of patience. I know it’s thankless but please don’t rely on parents to lift you up every day it’s exhausting.

dont baby them, give them space to learn and thrive, praise the little steps. If you’re filling out a daily diary don’t just list all the negatives, for every negative put a positive no matter how small. Think outside the box if a child gets stuck on a behaviour, for example my child would run away at the bell for end of break and it would take ages for the TA to get him back inside, he was given the job to ring the bell and lead his class in and loads of praise for doing it. If they have an obsession then learn about it and try to incorporate it in the learning. Let the child do the work, a parent would much rather see a messy half finished piece of work than a perfect one that’s done by you.

Ds had a ta/1:1 at nursery all the way through to now (high school). What they've done has changed as he has grown and changed. Mainstream nursery and primary and very specialised high school. I admit he should have moved before then. He had constant 1:1 at all times inc break and dinner (separate ta for these times) and 2:1 when off site/ school trips.

I'll list some of the things he's had help with over the years but the most important thing was personality and a willingness to try and think outside the box. Each child is different. I'd ask for the ehcp to read and any reports that go with that (if the ehcp is any good it should give you a lot of info on what you need to be doing and what the child needs to be done legally).

Personal hygiene needs/ helping with clothes etc

Cuddles and reassurance if needed, fun/laughter

Ot exercises (practical for motor skills and sensory)

Using communication aids both high and low tech/ other slt techniques etc

Making resources

Differentiating materials (this should be done by the teacher in reality)

Breaking tasks down for him

Emotional regulation

Getting trained with various skills they needed (equipment/ it)

Ensuring his safety

Getting any equipment out he needs/ packing it away

Helping him with friendships

Helping him physically, how to hold pens/ crayons, move, eat, drink

Making sure he understands whatever he needs to understand (different to the rest of the class).

@menopausalmare I will be working with secondary school pupils. But it's helpful to me to also hear about children's experiences and the type of support they received at primary.

@Ohthatsabitshit I promise I would never assume that a child wasn't listening to everything I said. And I do fully understand that no one else will be as knowledgeable or motivated as the child's parents.
I do want to do a good job - I know how important it is to get this right

Thank you everyone for sharing your families experiences with me - I really do appreciate it.

Keeping my bright but anxious/ impulsive girl on topic. She is kind but firm and constant. My dd always knows where she stands with her. She explains things but it's socail things. If dd wants to walk out as she is overwhelmed she must say she going first, she must only be five minutes or she go find her and tell her why. Maybe a bit like a gran. You take no shit but it comes from a place of caring and there's as much nice stuff and being firm. But if there is a rule, it's always the rule. It never changes. No mixed messages.

On a broader note I think it's good to get the child to tell you what they have been asked to do by the teacher and help then break it into steps if they have SEN. If you just say 'do you know what your doing?' They could yes but have no clue really as not paying attention or language/ processing issues

Communication - don't assume because you have told a child that they will understand or retain the information. Please write it in their home/school book. I mainly mean things they need to bring in to school, events that are happening etc..My child supposedly had a 1:1 TA but the communication between school/parents was quite shocking in that there was very little it often became apparent after the event that there should have been communication home.

I should have balanced my post by saying that a TA is make or break for my child. Ultimately happy children who feel safe learn. Unsafe unhappy children don’t. You can change lives.

I was a secondary TA for years, small things you may not have thought of but not wearing perfume, wearing block colours as stripes / hounds tooth etc can be distracting, teens often like it if you wear a statement or quirky necklace/earrings/tie.

Your ability to be firm, fair and consistent and ability to build relationships is integral at Secondary, you can't be their friend but they have to be open to working with you. And often many SEND pupils have a strong sense of justice and it can be difficult to earn back once lost if they think you have been unjust.

Make sure you know and apply the behaviour policy consistently, learn how to deescalate students and not rise to their level when they are kicking off.

The relationship between TA and teacher can be tricky at Secondary, it tends to be better if you are linked to a subject department as you get to know the teachers and curriculum well. If you are following a child around it is trickier to build that rapport and subject knowledge. If there are concepts you aren't familiar with get familiar with them either through revision books or videos.

If supporting a child that needs physical help but not academic be proactive in helping others in the class giving the child time away from having a TA next to them, it's important for their social skills.

School should supply resources but carrying a mini white board and pens with you is useful.

Don't get in the habit of being too useful, the teacher may well get the child with ADHD to hand out books or other resources, don't take over it is an opportunity for the child to get a movement break.

My DC has a TA at college and he writes down teachers instructions carefully then reads them out to DS and make sure he understands what he is to do. Ds has learning disabilities and memory issues so DS starts his work then forgets part way through what he is supposed to be doing so TA goes through instructions again, and again. He also sometimes prompts D's to add more detail or to give an example.

Mine doesn’t have a 1:1 TA, but does on occasion have a lot more TA attention than a typical child.

There’s not been one TA (out of a dozen) who I haven’t liked but there are a couple that have known him for years and have made an effort to get to know him, take an interest in his interests and have let me know of his successes and little good things that have happened. I’ve had so many utterly demoralising “can I have a quick word” chats from teachers at pick up and while those are absolutely necessary I’m always so grateful to the staff that have made the effort to find me and give me the positives as well. It gives me confidence my child is noticed and appreciated for who they are and the great things about them, not just seen as a complete nuisance.

I imagine that doesn’t quite happen the same way at secondary, but it has meant a lot to me.

The only other thing I’d say is that sometimes I as parent just don’t have an answer. I read, I research, I take professional advice and I love when school staff ask about DC and why they do x and what helps them not do y and what not - but sometimes I just don’t know, or I can’t give a strategy that works for an issue that is happening. And that’s hard on the TA I know, but sometimes all I can do is muddle through and that’s all I can suggest the TA does too.

Read the child's medical and specialist reports so that you understand their needs properly. Read the plan of provision yourself and actually follow it. Don't work from heresay or documents produced by the SENCO: go back to the source documents and read them yourself, and have a brief meeting with the parent before you start working with the child, so that you understand what the child needs.

At secondary level, a good TA will check the student understands the work, can break tasks into smaller bitesize chunks, ensures the student is focused and not distracted by others and, importantly, doesn't do all the work for them and encourages independence. Some secondary students don't want a TA so you need to judge when to let the student get on and you wander the class helping others so you're not glued to the student. Some students can become socially isolated if the TA doesn't give them space to make friends during group work etc. Every child has different needs- speak to the teacher regularly and make a plan together.

I was wondering about the social side of things. Obviously at this stage I don't know who I will be working with and whether they will need support at break times. I don't want to get in the way of a child making friends and secondary school children are not going to behave the same way with a TA present, as they would by themselves.

I think finding the balance between helpful and 'too much', is going to be tricky with this age group.