Home Archived Research corner Back Research corner 9th January 2015, 12:00am Tes Editorial Share Research corner https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/research-corner-57 Copy Link `Scaffolding learning for independence: Clarifying teacher and teaching assistant roles for children with special educational needs’ by Julie Radford, Paula Bosanquet, Rob Webster et alLearning and Instruction, 36:1-10, April 2015 (Elsevier)Research from the UCL Institute of Education (IoE) has previously shown that even when students with special educational needs are given intensive support from a teaching assistant (TA), they still don’t make as much progress as their peers.However, according to a new report, “it is the decisions made about TAs, not by TAs, that offer the most compelling explanation for why TA support has a negative impact on student outcomes”.The article, published by academics from the IoE and the University of East London - including writers of the original research - uses data gleaned from mathematics and literacy lessons to suggest a formalisation of the TA position into three distinct roles: support, repair and heuristic.Support TAs would “maintain learner engagement, on-task behaviour and motivation”, a role that the researchers say TAs already perform successfully.Repair TAs would help children to correct errors, allowing them to edit themselves rather than providing the answer for them.Lastly, heuristic TAs would “empower students by encouraging them to develop their own approaches to problem-solving”.The idea of splitting the TA role in this way, say the authors, would allow teachers to take TAs into account when planning, and consider which of the three approaches would be most appropriate for the lesson. The researchers also stress the need for TAs to be given access to effective and ongoing professional development - especially in the area of assisting SEN students to reach their full potential.Sarah CunnaneShare your views by tweeting @tesHot off the pressThe Spider Strategy by Marcella McCarthy (Bloomsbury Education)ISBN 9781472908643The Spider Strategy (surprise, purpose, investigate, differentiate, evaluate and record and reflect) is a six-part plan providing teachers with the tools for producing outstanding lessons at all times. Each aspect of good practice is investigated in detail, with practical tips, case studies and proven examples of classroom effectiveness.Child Psychology: a very short introduction by Usha Goswami (Oxford University Press)ISBN 9780199646593Usha Goswami introduces the key theories in child psychology to explain how children develop and learn in different ways in relation to genetics and the workings of the brain. She explores numerous concepts, from aspects of language to cognitive reasoning and the influence of friendships and families.The Large Hadron Collider: the extraordinary story of the Higgs boson and other stuff that will blow your mind by Don Lincoln (John Hopkins University Press)ISBN 9781421413518Don Lincoln shares an insider’s account of the Large Hadron Collider’s operational history, its inner workings and the discovery that led to the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics for revealing evidence of the existence of the Higgs boson, the so-called God particle.For book queries, email chloe.darracott-cankovic@tesglobal.com Want to keep reading for free? Register with Tes and you can read two free articles every month plus you'll have access to our range of award-winning newsletters. Register Log in Keep reading for just £1 per month You've reached your limit of free articles this month. Subscribe for £1 per month for three months and get: Unlimited access to all Tes magazine content Exclusive subscriber-only stories Award-winning email newsletters Subscribe now Read more Weekly round-up: Capita loses Sats and GCSE fears Tes Editorial • 18th April 2024 Reception Baseline Assessment: what you need to know Gráinne Hallahan • 3rd April 2024 Weekly round-up: Teacher pay drop and school moves Tes Editorial • 28th March 2024 Weekly round-up: Teacher pay and staff shortages Tes Editorial • 21st March 2024 Recent Most read Most shared MPs to investigate boys’ poorer school performance News 19 April 2024 Teacher recruitment targets not changed in Scotland News 19 April 2024 Put teachers at the heart of education reform Analysis 19 April 2024 DfE: No Progress 8 replacement for next two years News 18 April 2024 CfE: Secondaries ‘starting again’ as pupils lack ‘common knowledge base’ News 16 April 2024 How to get feedback right to create better learners Teaching & Learning 17 April 2024 DfE: No Progress 8 replacement for next two years News 18 April 2024 6 ways MATs can tackle SEND challenges News 18 April 2024 Suspensions up by three-quarters since pandemic News 18 April 2024
