ABSTRACT
The vast majority of low-level special educational needs are supposed to be met within the classroom. The generic term teaching assistant has been used – abbreviated to TA for ease of writing – when referring to adults other than teachers in the classroom. Teaching assistants often have a defined career structure and may be ex-teachers who do not want the pressure of classroom teaching or prospective teachers finding out whether this is the job for them. Having another adult in your classroom can be a terrific asset or an irksome burden, but when there are systems in place to make the most of this resource, the benefits can be fantastic. It is axiomatic to state that managing confidentiality is vital. Working with a TA, one needs to be sure that they are enabling access to appropriate support mechanisms.
