Self-determination skills, including competencies such as decision-making, are regarded by parents and teachers as important for students with special needs. Although not necessarily regarded as appropriate, teaching assistants often take substantial responsibility for delivering educational programs to students and little is known about their…

In recent years significant research attention has focused on the problem of student violence in schools and, to a lesser extent, on its relationship to gender-based violence. However, student violence towards teaching assistants has not been studied, despite evidence suggesting that teaching assistants are at significantly more risk from student…

Inclusive education presents a significant challenge for contemporary society. All children should have the opportunity to develop according to their educational needs within an inclusive environment. The effectiveness of the school support team plays a crucial role in achieving this goal. This research aimed to explore the perspectives of…

One of the criticisms concerning teacher aides (TAs) is that they have limited education and pedagogical skills to support teaching of students with disabilities in the classroom. In Ghana, universities have responded and have introduced a 4-year degree programme in special education. The graduates are recruited as TAs by the government, to work…

This paper considers the evolution of the teaching assistant (TA) role in English primary schools, from the once pejorative description of them as paint pot washers to current conceptualisations of them as pedagogues. How the TA role has evolved and the issues associated with the changes to their deployment in mainstream primary schools will be…

This paper explores the leadership of ECEC principals in the private sector in Chile, which is barely investigated worldwide. In Chile, 10% of children attending ECEC are enrolled in private centres. Following a tradition of qualitative research, a multiple case study was carried out, allowing the exploration of four private ECEC settings.…

The inclusion of all children in regular classrooms is an important aim in many European countries. For the implementation of inclusion some children rely on support via learning and support assistants. Despite the benefits assistants provide by enhancing student access and progress, assistants' support has also been criticised for contributing to…

Teacher-student relationships are critically important for student engagement and learning. Increasingly, children with additional behavioural, physical, communication, and learning needs are supported in the classroom by teacher aides working alongside teachers. Although the teacher aide role is often described as relational, few studies have…

Teaching assistants (TAs) have a notable role in supporting individual students, groups, and classes in learning and in daily practices, both in mainstream and special education at the primary and secondary school levels. To enhance teaching assistants' learning, they should be integrated members of schools' professional learning communities.…

Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) is a schoolwide initiative implemented in many schools to address discipline concerns and promote a positive school climate. This phenomenological study examined the school climate perceptions of 12 staff members from three secondary schools in two North Carolina school districts that implemented…

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to highlight a paradox between inclusion/exclusion at the level of the organisation and classroom practices, as well as between general and disability/special educational needs (SEN)-specific approaches to diversity in the classroom. The authors recommend better alignment between school policies and teaching…

This study aimed to explore how the perceptions held by pupil assistants (PAs) and teachers regarding their professions shaped the identities of PAs and teachers belonging to segregated special education units (SEUs), as well as pupils with neurodevelopmental diagnoses (NDs). A qualitative study consisting of semi-structured interviews and…

The notion of inclusion has gained momentum worldwide, with most countries around the world embracing inclusive policies in their educational systems. However, there is still an ongoing debate as to what is inclusion and hence, the consequent challenge of coming up with an agreed definition, which could then be used to plan for and subsequently,…

This article is based on the findings of a funded research project. It examines the perspectives of teaching assistants (TAs) and higher-level teaching assistants (HLTAs) on their responsibilities and their views on leadership and management to see how they might have a role in leadership and management. The sample (N = 58) was drawn from schools…

Instructional aides were formally introduced to classrooms more than 40 years ago, but their jobs have changed over time. Instructional aides do more than prepare materials for teachers and monitor the lunchroom; they provide direct services to students. Most instructional aides care about their jobs and the students they work with, and sometimes…