Job interview teaching assistant, advice please......

[Lotkinsgonecurly]

I've just got an interview for a job as a teaching assistant at a local primary school. It'll be working specifically with a visually impaired child in Y1.

I've had experience of working with children with profound and multiple learning disabilities but not in an educational setting.

Its a 30 minute interview then need will be set a task with the children and other interviewees.

What can I expect, any advice would be great. Also any buzz words?

My dd (Y1) is best friends with a child who is visually impaired (registered blind) who has a 1 to 1 TA. The TA is doing courses in learning Braille which is very important, depending on the level of visual impairment, do you know if this will be a requirement? The girls TA along with helping her learn to read and type Braille also helps her use a large magnifying machine to help her read and look at things in the class. The TA helps make sure the classroom is safe and helps the girl navigate the school, most of the time my dd or one of the other children will help her get around (they are all so used to it that they just don't think about the girl holding on the their jumper as they walk around) she also stays with the girl at break and lunch time play.
In the 'behind the scenes' sense the TA is involved with planning to ensure each lesson is accessible and planning the Braille teaching alongside the class teacher. She also at the start of the year put Braille on every sign in the class and on the timetable cards (in our school they have small cards on the board every morning with the days timetable, they say the name eg - Maths and a picture of a sum, the TA then adds Maths in Braille at the bottom).
I am sure there is lots the TA does that parents like me don't see, I only know the amount I do as my dd is best friends with the girl and the TA is a lovely lady I chat to often (although she doesn't talk about the girl obviously but we often chat while she is setting up for the day). It may also be worth noting that the TA also helps out with other children from time to time, normally in group work that the girl she works with is in, she has been a great help and support to my dd who has some very mild SEN in regards to speech and language.
I think the most important thing is around the Braille issue, is it required in this setting, if the eye sight deteriorates will it become necessary (dd's friend has limited sight and can read text with strong magnifier but is likely to lose what she has over time and something like conjunctivitis could take the last of her sight hence she is learning Braille, that also reminds me that the whole class has to be hyper aware of any eye infections and must not come into school if they even suspect it before they have seen a doctor, if could be a good idea to see if this is relevant to the child you would be helping and reading up on signs and symptoms), they wouldn't I don't think expect you to already know Braille, I would imagine there aren't many applicants out there that would but I know in our case the TA is doing courses that keep her learning just ahead of the girls, they have quite a camaraderie about it and it benefits the whole class, all the children do a little bit of Braille from time to time, it all becomes very inclusive and to be honest if you didn't know there was a visually impaired child in the class and you came in and watched the class function you wouldn't guess until you saw her sit at her special table with her Braille writer and magnifier, the girl is very happy and doing very well at school, the TA will move with her through the school as continuity in this case is very important, I know the school and the girls parents would be far from pleased if a TA wasn't committed to seeing out the girls primary years with her.
I hope this helps a bit, sorry for the length!

Roadkillbunny- this is amazingly helpful, thank you. I would definitely love to learn braille as think this would be a really valuable skill. Its actually my children's school so I am very committed already to the school.

Its also a small village school, I'm not sure if I'll get the job but think the interview would be really useful experience as I've not had an interview in a school before.

Its also quite different to my pre children career, think this is a positive thing tho as really want something to fit around my kids but is also stimulating and rewarding.

Good to know the ta is learning braille on the job so to speak.

Ours is also a small village school (if I didn't know the TA in question isn't going anywhere I would be thinking are we talking about the same school lol!), I know this TA gets allot from the job and has a great relationship with the child, thinking about that she also has a very strong relationship with the parents and that to is very important, being able and available to have regular meeting with the parents and short chats in the morning about any issues that present themselves so maybe it would be a good idea at interview to talk about it being a real team effort and the importance of working closely with everybody who is involved with the child, it may fall into the TA's remit to play a part in facilitating all this (class teacher, other TA's, parents, SENCo, outside agencys and also, most importantly the child his/her self).
I wish you the best of luck with the interview!