They are learning to listen, whether it be to the teacher, the teaching assistant or their fellow classmates. By asking and responding to questions they are also learning how to communicate effectively and become independent and confident (KU 1.1). Working in groups teaches them to work together and to respect others opinions.
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What might they be learning from their interactions with the adult(s) involved?
In this clip the adults involved are asking the children questions. From this they are learning how to respond and communicate effectively with adults, and also with each other. They are also learning to make sense of the questions being asked of them and by answering the questions they are developing problem solving skills.
Both the teacher and teaching assistant are behaviour role models (KU 1.2), and so the children are learning how to behave appropriately and respectfully towards adults, and also towards other children.
They are also learning how to apply their previous understanding of something to solve a new problem, e.g., what they already know about electricity to solve what objects might use it.
What might the adult(s) be learning from their interactions with the children?
In this clip we can see the teaching assistant asking her group questions. When they respond she follows up with more questions. From their answers she discovers how the children think and how they make sense of things. She is finding out how children learn and how some individuals may learn better by listening and some by doing. This enables her to adapt her approach for individual children.
She is also learning about what the children already know about electricity and computers, and from this she is able to build on their previous understanding. She can assess their learning potential, their zone of proximal development.
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Excerpt 6
What do you feel the children are learning from their involvement in activity?
The children in this clip are learning about English language, about letters, words and sounds. They are learning to recognise what certain letters look like and also what sound that letter makes. The pictures next to the letters on the whiteboard indicate that the children are being taught words that begin with those particular letters.
They are learning how to communicate effectively and how to make sense of things as they are being asked questions which require their response. The activity also required them to glue, stick and colours things and this teaches them how to be creative in their work.
What might they be learning from their interactions with the adult(s) involved?
The children are learning to be polite and respectful to an adult or authority figure. This can be seen by the way they are giving the teaching assistant their full attention. In this way they are also learning how to listen and stay focused on the task at hand.
The teaching assistant is very calm and encouraging, and praises all the children for being clever. She is acting as a role model and teaches them how to behave appropriately towards and adult and towards each other.
She is also teaching them how to stretch their existing knowledge to encompass new knowledge. She does this by bringing her own knowledge to the activity.
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What might the adult(s) be learning from their interactions with the children?
The teaching assistant in this clip has specific learning outcomes for the activity and what the children should be getting out of it. From her interactions with the children she can find out which children are doing well and which ones may be struggling. She does this by talking to the children and asking questions. It also helps her to understand how different children like to learn. She can then, on self reflection, adapt her approach to suit individual learning needs.
This activity will also enable the teaching assistant to assess how their learning is progressing and identify which children may need more motivation than others.
What are the adults doing that support or assist the children’s learning?
Excerpt 1
In the clip we can see the teaching assistant ask her group her question. One boy responds and the teaching assistant then follows up with another question. By doing this she is finding out what the children already know and from this she is able to build on their previous understanding. She is supporting their learning by helping to expand it. She is also helping them to make sense of things. This is essential as it is very difficult to learn ‘unless what you’re learning makes sense to you’ (Study topic 3, p.7).
She is also bringing her own knowledge to the activity. This is important as when children learn new knowledge they need the assistance of a competent person. This enables the
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children to carry out more difficult tasks, and in doing so, expands their knowledge and learning.
The way the teaching assistant is listening and responding to the children, and her relaxed body language, makes the children feel relaxed also. This is the ideal environment and enhances the children’s learning. The fact that she is sat amongst them on the carpet shows that she has come down to their level, and this makes the children feel comfortable and at ease. This encourages them to ask questions and in this way the teaching assistant is helping them to become confident and independent individuals. Fredrich Froebel (1890) suggested that these softer qualities were important for children’s learning and that the interaction between both parties was ‘an active source of learning ‘ (Study topic 2, p.19).
The teaching assistant in this clip is reinforcing what the teacher is doing and it is evident that they work very much in partnership (PS 3.3). This assists the children’s learning as the lesson runs smoothly and there is no confusion amongst them. It makes things very clear for the children.
Excerpt 6
The teaching assistant in this clip is very confident in leading the class and this makes the children feel secure. It is important that children do not feel anxious as this can be detrimental to their learning. They need to feel relaxed and secure for optimal learning to take place.
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The teaching assistant immediately praises all the class for being so clever and this boosts their self esteem (KU 1.5). This makes them more confident, which supports their learning as they feel more at ease to ask and answer questions. This emotional support helps the children ‘become their true selves’ (Shaw, L. in Hancock and Collins (Ed.) 2005, p.21), and encourages them to be the best they can be.
This clip also shows the teaching assistant pick out one individual who she feels has worked very hard during the activity, and gives her a special sticker as a reward. This motivates the other children and gives them a goal to work towards. This assists their learning as if children are not motivated they will have no interest in learning.
She also shows the little girl’s work to the rest of the class, making her feel valued and appreciated, as can be seen by the smile on her face. Children need to feel their worth and that there is a purpose to learning, as without it, ‘it’s widely acknowledged that learning becomes more difficult’ (Shaw, L. 2005, in Hancock and Collins (Ed.) 2005, p. 25-26).
Conclusion
The children in both excerpts are responding to questions being asked of them. They are attempting to solve problems, probably by trial and error, getting things wrong and finding answers. This fits with Piaget’s theory that children must engage in activity for learning to take place (KU 1.3).
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The teaching assistants in the clips are also bringing their own knowledge to the activities. In doing so they are supporting the children to expand their existing knowledge within their zone of proximal development. This demonstrates Vygotsky’s theory that ‘it is through interacting with others, especially a more able other, that learning occurs and is extended’ (Study topic 3, p.22).
In both excerpts the teaching assistants are very much taking a supporting role. They are not answering the questions for the children, rather they are allowing them to find their own solutions by drawing on previous understanding and experience. This can be put to good use in my practice as sometimes there is a tendency to answer questions for the children, especially if you can see them struggling. However, it would be better for them to arrive at their own conclusion as that way they are able to make sense of the problems presented to them in their own way.
I think that both teaching assistants approached the activities in well thought out, constructive ways. Both of them were very involved with the children, creating a relaxed environment where the children felt confident. More importantly, they both asked the children questions that made sense to them. Children cannot be expected to respond to questions that they do not understand. I may, however, have asked a few more questions to ensure that everybody had understood the activity.
Word count: 1748
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Appendix
Hancock, R. and Stacey, M. (2005) Autobiography and learning Study Topic 2, The Open University.
Collins, K., Forsyth, L. and Hall, K. (2005) Learners and learning Study Topic 3, The Open University.
Shaw, L. (2005) ‘Supporting human rights’ in Hancock, R. and Collins, J. (eds) Primary Teaching Assistants: Learners and Learning, London, David Fulton, p. 21-26.
