Teachers, student support staff and Administrators may want to consider whether adding an Educational Assistant to the classroom makes sense. Are there other possibilities? More resource or Special Education teachers? Literacy and Numeracy coaches? Co-teaching? Peer mentoring to name a few.
Michael Giangreco frames it well when considering to provide support is appropriate:
Would
It Be Okay…?
Sometimes
it is difficult to know when providing paraprofessional support is appropriate
and when it might cause problems.
When in doubt, team members should ask themselves, Would
this situation be acceptable if the student didn’t have a disability? Consider the following
examples:
·
A paraprofessional provides the
student’s primary literacy instruction.
·
The
student is removed from class activities at the discretion of the
paraprofessional rather than the teacher.
·
The
student spends 80 percent or more of his or her time with a
paraprofessional.
·
The
student spends the majority of his or her social time (lunch, recess) with a
paraprofessional rather than classmates.
·
The
paraprofessional, rather than the teacher or special educator, makes the
majority of day- to- day curricular and instructional decisions affecting the
student.
These
examples highlight a double standard: Most educators would consider these
situations unacceptable for students without disabilities, yet these situations
occur all too frequently for those with disabilities.
Would It Be Okay…?
Sometimes it is difficult to know when providing paraprofessional support is appropriate and when it might cause problems. When in doubt, team members should ask themselves, Would this situation be acceptable if the student didn’t have a disability? Consider the following examples:
· A paraprofessional provides the student’s primary literacy instruction.
· The student is removed from class activities at the discretion of the paraprofessional rather than the teacher.
· The student spends 80 percent or more of his or her time with a paraprofessional.
· The student spends the majority of his or her social time (lunch, recess) with a paraprofessional rather than classmates.
· The paraprofessional, rather than the teacher or special educator, makes the majority of day- to- day curricular and instructional decisions affecting the student.
These examples highlight a double standard: Most educators would consider these situations unacceptable for students without disabilities, yet these situations occur all too frequently for those with disabilities.
Michael Giangreco frames it well when considering to provide support is appropriate:
Would
It Be Okay…?
Sometimes
it is difficult to know when providing paraprofessional support is appropriate
and when it might cause problems.
When in doubt, team members should ask themselves, Would
this situation be acceptable if the student didn’t have a disability? Consider the following
examples:
·
A paraprofessional provides the
student’s primary literacy instruction.
·
The
student is removed from class activities at the discretion of the
paraprofessional rather than the teacher.
·
The
student spends 80 percent or more of his or her time with a
paraprofessional.
·
The
student spends the majority of his or her social time (lunch, recess) with a
paraprofessional rather than classmates.
·
The
paraprofessional, rather than the teacher or special educator, makes the
majority of day- to- day curricular and instructional decisions affecting the
student.
These
examples highlight a double standard: Most educators would consider these
situations unacceptable for students without disabilities, yet these situations
occur all too frequently for those with disabilities.
Would It Be Okay…?
Sometimes it is difficult to know when providing paraprofessional support is appropriate and when it might cause problems. When in doubt, team members should ask themselves, Would this situation be acceptable if the student didn’t have a disability? Consider the following examples:
· A paraprofessional provides the student’s primary literacy instruction.
· The student is removed from class activities at the discretion of the paraprofessional rather than the teacher.
· The student spends 80 percent or more of his or her time with a paraprofessional.
· The student spends the majority of his or her social time (lunch, recess) with a paraprofessional rather than classmates.
· The paraprofessional, rather than the teacher or special educator, makes the majority of day- to- day curricular and instructional decisions affecting the student.
These examples highlight a double standard: Most educators would consider these situations unacceptable for students without disabilities, yet these situations occur all too frequently for those with disabilities.
Articles for working collaboratively with EA's in the inclusive classroom
Perspectives of Students with Intellectual Disabilities About Their Experiences with Paraprofessional Support. Broer, S. M. et. Al.
Teacher Assistant Supports in Inclusive Schools: Research, Practices and Alternatives. Giangreco, M.
http://www.uvm.edu/~cdci/parasupport/reviews/giangreco11.pdf
Alternatives to overreliance on paraprofessionals in inclusive schools.
http://www.uvm.edu/~cdci/evolve/JSEL0417(2)82-90.pdf
Five ways to facilitate the teacher assistant’s work in the classroom.
http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ967110.pdf
Working with teaching assistants to support learning in secondary schools.
https://www.google.ca/#q=Working+with+teaching+assistants+to+support+learning+in+secondary+schools
“That Was Then, This Is Now!”
http://www.uvm.edu/~cdci/archives/mgiangre/EX02%2010(1)%2047-64.pdf
Boy in the Bubble Effects of Paraprofessional Proximity
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02568540609594569
Be Careful What you Wish For…Five Reasons to Be Concerned About the Assignment of Individual Paraprofessionals
http://www.monarchcenter.org/pdfs/Giangreco_2005.pdf
Working with Paraprofessionals Michael Giangreco
http://web.b.ebscohost.com.proxy2.lib.umanitoba.ca/ehost/detail?sid=d85f3e08-0c3b-46d0-8837-fc671f135e73%40sessionmgr111&vid=2&hid=117&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=f5h&AN=11868871
Paraprofessionals in Early childhood Classrooms. An examination of Duties and Expectations
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09575146.2011.576333
The Golden Rule of Providing Support in Inclusive Classrooms
http://www.chinooksedge.ab.ca/documents/general/Golden%20Rule.pdf
Enhancing Learning? A comparison of teacher and teaching assistant interactions with pupils
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09243453.2010.512800
In, out or somewhere in between? Disabled students' and teacher aides' experiences of school
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2010.509818
http://www.uvm.edu/~cdci/evolve/JSEL0417(2)82-90.pdf
Five ways to facilitate the teacher assistant’s work in the classroom.
http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ967110.pdf
Working with teaching assistants to support learning in secondary schools.
https://www.google.ca/#q=Working+with+teaching+assistants+to+support+learning+in+secondary+schools
“That Was Then, This Is Now!”
http://www.uvm.edu/~cdci/archives/mgiangre/EX02%2010(1)%2047-64.pdf
Boy in the Bubble Effects of Paraprofessional Proximity
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02568540609594569
Be Careful What you Wish For…Five Reasons to Be Concerned About the Assignment of Individual Paraprofessionals
http://www.monarchcenter.org/pdfs/Giangreco_2005.pdf
Working with Paraprofessionals Michael Giangreco
http://web.b.ebscohost.com.proxy2.lib.umanitoba.ca/ehost/detail?sid=d85f3e08-0c3b-46d0-8837-fc671f135e73%40sessionmgr111&vid=2&hid=117&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=f5h&AN=11868871
Paraprofessionals in Early childhood Classrooms. An examination of Duties and Expectations
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09575146.2011.576333
The Golden Rule of Providing Support in Inclusive Classrooms
http://www.chinooksedge.ab.ca/documents/general/Golden%20Rule.pdf
Enhancing Learning? A comparison of teacher and teaching assistant interactions with pupils
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09243453.2010.512800
In, out or somewhere in between? Disabled students' and teacher aides' experiences of school
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2010.509818