The TA Checklist
I’m being seduced by The Checklist Manifesto at the minute. It is transforming the way I think about problems.
This post is about the problem of how to deploy TAs so that they make difference to student progress. It is partly solved by a checklist.
This checklist comes from the EEF, though I don’t think they realise that is what it is.
Look at the tentative language they use. It’s just a “framework”.
The TA “might” use it.
It “can be used by TAs reflecting on their own practice”, but there is:
no requirement for them to reflect
and if they do, no requirement to use this
Status blinking Quo.
A checklist will turn this into actions.
✅ TA Support Checklist: (This is a Do: Review Checklist)
🎯 Correcting (Pupil shows least independence)
Am I directly telling the pupil the answer or method?
Is this the only appropriate action at this point?
🎯 Modelling
Have I demonstrated how to complete the task correctly?
Am I modelling confidently and clearly for the pupil to copy the process?
🎯 Clueing
Have I provided a small hint or question containing key information to guide the pupil?
Does the clue help the pupil move forward without giving them the full answer?
🎯 Prompting
Have I nudged the pupil to recall prior knowledge without telling them the strategy?
Did I avoid specifying how to do the task and instead encouraged thinking?
🎯 Visual Scaffolds
Have I encouraged use of classroom visual prompts (e.g. task planners, lists)?
Have I provided visual clues (e.g. manipulatives, images) to aid recall and understanding?
Have I shown a visual demonstration or model of the task?
Have I provided visual annotations to correct misconceptions?
🎯 Verbal Scaffolds
Have I prompted them to plan their approach through questions?
Have I reminded them of successful strategies they’ve used before?
Have I modelled a successful verbal response (e.g. sentence starter)?
Have I corrected their spoken errors or misconceptions?
🎯 Written Scaffolds
Have I encouraged them to use a writing frame or list of actions they’ve used before?
Have I provided sentence stems, word banks, or examples to help them start?
Have I given them a written model to follow?
Have I written the correct spelling, answer, or method for them to copy?
✅ Overcoming Barriers to Learning Checklist (This is a Do: Review Checklist)
🎯 Self-Scaffolding (Pupil shows greatest independence)
Have I observed the pupil planning how to approach the task on their own?
Has the pupil created their own visual reminder (e.g. mind map, symbols, codes)?
Is the pupil problem-solving and reviewing their approach independently?
Has the pupil asked themselves reflection questions (e.g. “What might be tricky?”)?
Has the pupil created their own checklist of success criteria?
How the Checklist Would Work
Let’s imagine the TA had to fill out such a checklist each month for each student they work with.
Let’s imagine they had a caseload of such students, (say 10-15) and worked with them in a cycle, in order to increase their independence.
In theory, TAs would get better and better at helping students make more progress.
A Simple Checklist
A checklist develops a superpower when it is live, used in the moment, a check that you are helping students become better at learning.
Now let’s imagine the TA, the teachers, the SENDCO and (let’s be optimistic about the Educational Psychologist - the EHCP) identify the student’s main barriers to their learning.
What will they try to make the student increase time on task, to not seek distractions from others, to hold their pen correctly, to deal with noise, to make plans, to spot trigger points, hold their book with one hand while writing with the other, etc.
The TA will then try a series of experiments - 6 to 12 weeks depending on the severity of need - and report back on success or failure of the student and TA approaches.
Now the TA will have a chance of making a huge difference to the learner, become increasingly skilled at experimenting and measuring impact, and thereby become expert on altering learning behaviour.
And perhaps your SEND students might begin to thrive.
Keep the Checklist Simple
One of the dangers of checklists is that they include too much. They don’t help in the moment because they are too long. When used for review, they include too many items, so perhaps the TA just ticks them without thought, to get them out of the way.
Have I identified the 3 greatest barrier’s to this student’s learning and learning behaviours?
Have I come up with 1 or 2 experiments for each of these barriers, which I will try with this student in all lessons?
Have I corrected the teacher during the lesson if they are introducing a barrier?
Have I decided how I will measure the student’s improvement in these in meaningful ways?
That’s it.
The TA job description becomes:
Do those 4.
Review after 6 to 12 weeks to see what has and hasn’t worked.
Share this with the SENCO and all other TAs.
Iterate through the checklist again with new experiments.
Your Job as a Leader of TAs
Meet with your TAs to review the experiments.
Share successes each week.
Train your TAs and teachers on how to correct and be corrected.
Measure the impact in reducing barriers and student progress.