To pull someone up on their incorrect use of grammar in the classroom of children?

[biebersLadyLabyrinth]

I'm working with another TA (new to this job) until the term breaks and we're not getting on. I used to be a parent at the school and thought she didn't mind me as I wasn't a fussy parent (she's always had the reputation for being a bit scary-this said by children and parents alike but she was good to mine and our paths rarely crossed)

She's very cool with me which I can handle and furthermore if she doesn't like me no problem as long as we can get the job done.

She keeps criticising my using certain phrases like "splendid" or "Cheese and Crackers" as a child-friendly expletive even "marvellous" bothers her. This said, I've heard her over and over incorrectly speak to children. When one little boy told her his mum doesn't like him to say a phrase in that way-he was chided and told her way is perfectly ok.

I'm tempted to say something to her but worry she'll get a bit nasty.

I've already said that standard English should be used in the classroom at all times.
I've also said that it's important that children are taught when language is appropriate.
My issue is people thinking they are superior and others are stupid for using dialect forms.
I just don't think it's wrong for people to use regional dialect phrases when appropriate e.g. bairn for child. It's not appropriate in the classroom, but it's not some kind of lower variety like others make out.

In the OP's situation the TA should be pulled up for it. It doesn't justify some of the snobby comments and the way people have gone through replies going "haha you typed something incorrectly on a forum. You must be an idiot".

Regional dialect is fascinating and it keeps the English language itself fresh and vibrant. However, the OP gave us examples of incorrect grammar - not dialect. It has no place in a classroom.

Teaching Assistants earn a poor salary, the 12k mentioned earlier is HLTA salary at our school. Also it's pro-rata, so our TAs take home around £850 a month for a 30 hour week.

However, they are in a class setting and they should be able to spell and speak correctly.

Our school now only recruits graduate TAs for this reason, and this had made a huge difference.

I am not knocking the 'old style' TA, often a mum (at our school) who helped at the school, then applied and got a TA job, but often had few, if any, formal qualifications. They work hard but often lack the ability to fully engage with the curriculum, which is to the detriment of the students they support. TAs supporting students at KS4 with GCSE work, when they themselves lack GCSE qualifications, or equivalent, is simply unacceptable. TAs who scribe for students with poor spelling, as I have seen repeatedly, is wrong.

Our graduate TAs often see their role as a stepping stone into teaching, and many go on to PGCE, and the experience they've gained is invaluable.

TAs work hard, don't earn enough, and generally are a real asset to any teacher.

But I feel strongly that they should be educated to A Level as a minimum. The students they assist deserve this.

OP, raise your concerns with her line manager, you can't be the only one who has noticed this.

And apologies for any grammatical errors.
Good grammar - the difference between knowing your shit and knowing you're shit

Easy you teach it them correctly as that is what you are paid to do.

Hopefully it would be the person responsible for managing the TA that would work with them on this sort of thing.

I don't know what the answer is Pengggwn. The TA shouldn't have been employed in the first place. It's clear good practice isn't being followed in some schools, and that's a shame. This is exactly how incorrect grammar forms are learned and perpetuated.

Pengggwn, I wasn't talking about the ideal situation. Simply that if there is a problem with a staff member, then usually the person responsible for managing them that works through it with them. I've done this many times, and I also had enough to do.

I'd support TAs getting paid more, but I've also known plenty of teachers who say things like 'what we done', so I don't think it's just about pay. It all depends on the wider situation as to how impoetant it is - one teacher saying 'you wasn't meant to be running around, you was meant to be sat down' probably has little impact on children who are surrounded by people speaking basically standard English. But where I live, everyone speaks like that, so I don't know how children are expected to learn standard grammar if it's not used in the classroom. We also have a high percentage of children who don't speak English at home, so school really is the only example for them.

I'll have to tread carefully- she's been at the school for years.

Absolutely we should be spending more money on education (as well as other public services) it's an absolute disgrace that we are not prepared to invest in our children.

I'll have to tread carefully- she's been at the school for years. I had problems with a TA like this. If you confront it ends in tears. I believe she's still there causing havoc... The language thing is a red herring.

If she's been there for years then my guess would be the school know and don't care. I'm not sure you'll get far by raising it.

I agree that TAs should be better paid. But you shouldn't need higher level qualifications to ensure people can speak standard English. It's more likely a reflection of the lack of emphasis on grammar over the previous couple of decades. Which is why you end up with teachers who have the same issue.

Jesus. Whoever says it isn't important is hugely mistaken. I have members of my team who consistently write should of and could of in professional documents, emails, and even on the subtitles /graphics on our videos. It's not acceptable that they weren't taught that this is incorrect at school!

Pengggwn, there are plenty of 'lower-class' people who have perfect grammar. Poor grammar isn't an inescapable result of growing up in a particular area: it's learned, both from the home and teaching environments. Children from any environment have the power to develop perfect grammar - so just because someone applies for a TA position does not mean they cannot aim higher.

Today 06:50 RedHelenB

Easy you teach it them correctly as that is what you are paid to do.

No it is not. Teachers are paid to teach pupils.

Today 09:38 RafaIsTheKingOfClay

If she's been there for years then my guess would be the school know and don't care. I'm not sure you'll get far by raising it.

I agree that TAs should be better paid. But you shouldn't need higher level qualifications to ensure people can speak standard English. It's more likely a reflection of the lack of emphasis on grammar over the previous couple of decades. Which is why you end up with teachers who have the same issue.

Exactly. That is the crux of the matter. Grammar has not been taught properly and effectively for many decades. It has been glossed over for a long time and is no longer taught properly at primary school level. The result, of course, is that teachers are no longer competent in that area - or indeed in the area of basic maths, come to that.

Penggggwn I would suppose a large percentage of TAs are mothers, due to the family-friendly hours. Last I heard, a large percentage of mothers are well-educated. I don't know where your statistics come from.