In-class support strategies : teacher talk

Lessons where it is most difficult to offer support are those where the teacher stands at the front of the room and talks for most of the lesson. However, even in this situation, there are support possibilities.

Clarify ambiguity

Watch for occasions when there is some ambiguity in what is being explained and then either ask the mainstream teacher to clarify some point, prompt a pupil to ask for clarification or add further comments and explanations yourself, either for the pupil/s you are supporting or (usually) for the whole class.

Check resources

Where the teacher is referring to sections of a text book, make sure students have the right book, the right page and the correct diagram / picture / map / paragraph.

Photo-copy and highlight

Photocopy a page / diagram / map to allow annotations / highlighting of relevant content.

Make notes

Make notes about the lesson content / instructions so that students with poor memory can refer to your notes. If there is ready access to a photocopier these notes may be photocopied for use by several students.

Multi-sensory input

Write key words and phrases on the whiteboard so that students have visual as well as aural input.

Answer individual questions

Quietly answer students questions about the content of the lesson whilst the mainstream teacher is dealing with someone else.

Clarify students ' answers

Clarify students' answers for the teacher where these have not been clear or give additional prompts to the student to encourage a clearly expressed answer.

Help with discipline

Help to maintain classroom discipline by sitting with restless students if this is appropriate, (it isn't always).