6 Ways to Maximize Paraeducator Presence in Structured Literacy Classrooms

This post Originally appeared on the Reading Horizons blog and is republished here with permission.

Key points:

Would Harry Potter have been able to defeat Voldemort without the skill and support of Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley? No way. Can you imagine Lucy without Ethel? It's unthinkable.

Although the main characters get most of the attention, their partners often work behind the scenes—planning, strategizing, and executing—so the dynamic duos can overcome challenges and achieve their goals.

Successful classrooms are no exception. Across the country, teachers and students benefit from the skills, support, and knowledge of classroom super-colleagues: paraeducators.

With the current teacher shortage, classrooms with differently abled students, and more students in need of intervention, now is the time for districts, schools, and individual classrooms to increase the number of paraeducators for maximum impact.

Yes, paraeducators are there to help teachers; however, that doesn't mean they are just an extra pair of hands. Structured Literacy The classroom uses a combination of direct instruction, independent and collaborative practice, and self-paced software, creating ample opportunities for paraeducators to come to the rescue.

The more knowledge paraeducators have about content and curriculum, classroom routines, and software programs, the more they can expand instructional options. Administrators must include paraeducators in ongoing training and professional learning to effectively support literacy instruction based on the science of reading. When paraeducators have specific knowledge and responsibilities, they offer greater flexibility and differentiation as true partners in the classroom.

Below are six proven ways to maximize the impact of paraeducators in structured literacy classrooms:

1. Multilingual students (and other special populations)
Multilingual studentsStudents, especially newcomers, need additional support with oral language and pronunciation as they advance in basic literacy skills. By leveraging paraeducators for individual or small group support, these students can advance at the right pace. As an added benefit, bilingual assistants are especially helpful with translation to support instruction, vocabulary development, and comprehension, especially if you seek out paraeducators with bilingual skills in the languages ​​you commonly see in your classroom.

2. Intervention or enrichment
Whether you work with a small group Whether it's struggling readers (intervention) or featured readers (enrichment), two heads are always better than one! Sending your educational assistant to work with a small group allows the teacher to stay with the rest of the class or work with a small group. For example, your educational assistant can read a decodable passage with a small intervention group (supporting their comprehension); the teacher uses the text with the rest of the class, working on more complex skills like finding evidence in the text to answer comprehension questions.

3. Seasons
Teaching assistants can serve as an additional station on days when rotations are held. For example, in a three-station rotation, students can move between direct instruction with the teacher (one), self-paced skills check software (two), and transfer activities with the teaching assistant such as decodable text, authentic text, and writing (three).

4. New students
Adding a new student to your classroom mid-year can be exciting for your students, but it can be disruptive to instruction. How can you get the last student acclimated and up to speed without sacrificing the progress of the rest of the class? Paraeducators can work with new students on diagnostic assessments, teach them prerequisite skills, and onboard them to necessary software.

5. Individual practice
Sometimes students need a little extra support and attention to overcome obstacles in their learning. When the lead teacher determines that students need extra practice with a skill, the paraeducator can work with an individual or a small group. For example, if two students are struggling with a decoding skill, the paraeducator could check for understanding and then reteach and reinforce the skill until the students have a solid grasp and can apply it to reading and spelling. This advice is especially pertinent when a student is away for an extended period and needs individual instruction to catch up!

6. Self-guided software
If the software is self-paced, why is there a need for a teaching assistant? Well, self-paced software can have its pros and cons in the classroom. It is very effective when students use it to practice skills on their own, but not so much when they leave the software and start surfing the Internet. Instead of monitoring usage, the teaching assistant can optimize the use of the software in the classroom. They can act as a teaching assistant to support independent use of the software, check reports, and monitor data in real time. This tip is beneficial when the lead teacher is providing direct instruction or leading a reading group.

In what other ways could paraeducators provide support in their structured literacy classroom?

Teachers are heroes

We can all agree on that. However, every hero needs a sidekick, and paraeducators are just that. When you properly train and nurture your paraeducators, and have a specific plan for them in the classroom, everyone is more effective. And you student outcomes will try it.