ABSTRACT
This chapter compares and contrasts the key ways in which teaching assistants (TAs) can be deployed; either with a range of teachers or with just one. It considers the importance of developing relationships through the ways TAs are deployed; participants in the study stated that deployment could enable them to develop a closer relationship with the children to understand 'what else is happening in their life' as well as with the class teacher. The chapter discusses working with just one teacher and class has evaluated and its advantages and disadvantages. It reflects on the challenges in different forms of deployment of forming relationships with children and teachers. The chapter reiterates the importance of TAs’ deployment being part of, and stemming from whole school planning. Relationships, between the teacher(s) and TA(s) and between the TA and children have been shown to be very important, particularly when managing behaviour.
