Thinking of becoming an SEN teaching assistant? Here are our top eight guidance tips

Despite the presence of special educational needs since (very likely) the dawn of time, the term “SEN” has in fact only been around since the late 1970s. Ever since, the education system has worked tirelessly to ensure that SEN pupils and students (a total of around 1.28 million throughout the UK in 2018), have access to the learning opportunities they need. As a result, roles in schools such as SENCOs and SEN teaching assistants have been on the rise.

 

These roles are incredibly rewarding for anyone who wants to help disadvantaged children to thrive, and as such, more education professionals, both newly qualified and experienced, are looking to embark upon SEN teaching assistant careers. If this sounds like you, make sure you read on for our top eight guidance tips first…

 

1. Expect the unexpected 

 

This is something you should do as a general education practitioner, but it’s particularly important when teaching SEN pupils. Because of their complex learning needs, you may find that any plans you have made go out of the window before you’ve even begun the working week. Equally, you may progress through a lesson sooner than you anticipated - so it’s important to be prepared for any eventuality! Put simply, as an SEN teaching assistant, it’s essential to stay flexible and open minded.

 

2. Remember the three Ps - Patience, Positivity and Perseverance

 

Being an SEN teaching assistant requires a unique skillset due to the complex needs you are likely to come across. Specifically, it is important to be:

 

Patient

 

SEN pupils are likely to take longer than other pupils to understand something or complete a task. Be patient, and offer as much guidance as you can to help them get the task done.

 

Positive

 

Like any other pupil, those with SEN will make mistakes with their work, and perhaps frequently. This can be emotionally taxing for SEN pupils especially, so it’s important that you remain positive about their progress in these situations. And when they do get it right, offer plenty of praise! 

 

Perseverant  

 

Most importantly, never give up on your SEN pupils. Persevere with their learning and trust us; the answers will come in time.

 

Taking on the three P’s is a great way to not only assure your SEN pupils that you have their best interests and learning needs as heart, but it will also make you a positive role model to them. When they see your patience, positivity and perseverance, they’ll be likely to take them on too - and subsequently make better progress!

 

3. Establish a routine

 

Routines are an essential part of SEN pupils feeling comfortable and able to work to the best of their ability. So when you start your SEN teaching assistant role, be sure to establish the classroom timetable, adapt your routine to fit with this and provide a clear structure for your SEN pupils’ learning. Make sure you plan ahead and stay as organised as possible to keep this consistent.

 

 

4. Create the ideal SEN learning environment

 

As an SEN teaching assistant, you’ll be likely to assist pupils in their regular classroom as well as in small groups outside of the classroom. Classroom design can have a significant impact on children’s learning, and as SEN pupils can be especially sensitive to their surroundings, you’ll need to consider this more carefully as an SEN teaching assistant. 

 

For example, is the classroom laid out in clearly defined learning and play areas? Do you have the privacy to work with and support your SEN pupils one-to-one in the classroom space? Are the displays too distracting or difficult to understand? Is the lighting too bright or too dim? Are there any noises around the classroom, such as busy roads outside or corridors that echo? 

 

Where possible, try and create a calming environment that is as SEN-friendly as possible in order to make it as easy and comfortable as possible for your pupils to learn.

 

5. Build a rapport with parents and carers

 

As an SEN teaching assistant, you’ll get to know your pupils relatively quickly through your one-to-one work and small group sessions outside the classroom. However, how your pupils behave and work in the classroom may be very different to how they are in their home environment and around their parents and carers. By establishing a strong rapport with your SEN pupils’ caregivers, you’re likely to learn things about your pupils personalities, learning styles and more that you may not have been able to learn in a classroom situation. 

 

Try to facilitate opportunities to build rapport with parents and caregivers by arranging informal parent gatherings (offer free tea and cakes/biscuits as an incentive!), or extending an invitation for private meetings with parents and carers outside of your school’s typical parents’ evenings. 

 

Worryingly, only 35% of parents feel confident that the right level of support is put in place for their SEN pupils, and only 28% feel involved in decisions made to support their child; so by nurturing these relationships with them and finding out more about their children, you’ll be helping to build their confidence, too!

 

6. Take on regular training and learning opportunities

 

Research into SEN is happening constantly, and as such, new discoveries are being made every day. If you want to keep developing your SEN teaching skills within your assistant role and provide the best possible support for your pupils, then it’s important that you find opportunities to learn about these new discoveries to bring back into the classroom. There are plenty of training courses available throughout the UK, including the Leading on SEND across all Schools Conference, The National SEND Conference, the Tes SEN Show, and many more. 

 

7. Set aside time to address your own needs

 

SEN teaching, while incredibly rewarding, can also be physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding. To be able to perform your SEN teaching assistant duties to the best of your ability and support the wellbeing of your SEN pupils, it’s essential that you prioritise your own wellbeing, too! Whether you do this by attending regular exercise or mindfulness classes, taking on strategies to manage stress, or other means of establishing a good work-life balance, ensure you make wellbeing a regular part of your routine. 

 

8. Ask for help when you need it

 

While most of your working days will fall into their regular routine, there may be some days - whether you are an SEN teacher or SEN teaching assistant - where you feel like you are wading through treacle. You might, for example, be struggling to help an SEN pupil learn something new, or feeling powerless to manage a particular episode of disruptive behaviour. Just know that you are not alone, and asking for help does not mean you are failing in your role. 

 

In fact, it means you are winning, because you are showing initiative and you want to do what’s best for you and your SEN pupils. Establish a good relationship with your school’s SENCo and other SEN teaching assistants; they’ll be able to advise you regarding specific pupils, general teaching tips more.  

 

To conclude...

 

There are so many things to love about being an SEN teaching assistant, and with these top tips, you’ll be well on your way to establishing a wonderful SEN teaching career. Even if you haven’t worked directly as a teacher, but in a similar capacity such as within care, nannying or nursing, SEN teaching is a great career path, too! Class People are a specialist SEN teaching assistant agency, so if you’re looking to step into your first SEN teaching assistant role, don’t hesitate to contact us for help and advice. We also have a wide variety of jobs in this sector available which you can have a browse through here - and we’ll be releasing more teaching guidance blogs in the future. In fact, look out for one in May about teacher wellbeing!