Boost TA confidence with interventions in primary school

Interventions in primary schools make the difference between flourishing in a topic and falling behind. But, naturally, we aren’t all experts in every topic in the primary curriculum. We share how to boost teaching assistant (and teacher) subject knowledge when delivering interventions for maximum confidence in your delivery, and its impact. 

Who delivers interventions in schools? 

Interventions in primary school address gaps in knowledge and help to remove the barriers to progress. But when do we fit them between planning, delivering lessons and even lunchtime duties? Your interventions may be run by a teaching assistant (either class-based, across the year group) or anyone with a slither of time, like trainee teachers.

Teaching assistants are an extremely valuable resource for helping children keep up or catch up with their learning. With the flexibility to deliver learning interventions one-to-one, in small groups or whole-class, it is a staple in your toolbelt for improving pupil outcomes. 

However you choose to deliver them, secure subject knowledge is essential.

Shine Interventions is the complete solution for targeted interventions for primary Maths, Reading and GPS. 

Is subject knowledge important when delivering interventions?

In short, yes. Sound subject knowledge is needed for interventions to have the desired effect: to close gaps. Staff with good subject knowledge can deliver effective interventions because they are: 

• More able and prepared to spot misconceptions. 
• Better equipped to ask effective questions and prompt children to delve deeper into their understanding.  
• Know the learning sequence, helping bridge the gap towards new learning.
• Able to use a range of strategies and methods in their explanations.

How to improve subject knowledge for interventions:

There may be a time when a teaching assistant has a spare lesson slot (gold dust, we know!) But they don’t usually support your year group? No problem. Choosing high-quality intervention programmes where subject knowledge, prompting questions and expected outcomes are shared for every intervention improves staff subject knowledge. Giving the confidence that the intervention has been worthwhile and delivered to the highest standard. 

1. Prepare for the misconceptions
Children can ask a host of questions during interventions, some unrelated, but others could be the lightbulb needed to understand a concept. An intervention programme where questions are prepared can free up teaching staff to respond to the children's answers in the moment.

Not an expert at ordering fractions? Some support staff (and teachers) may be worried about spotting misconceptions about topics they are less confident with. Shine helps identify common topic misconceptions and simply shares advice on how to spot and address them, easily and effectively.

2. Know key vocabulary
Often, when teaching a new topic, children’s lack of understanding of new subject-specific vocabulary can hinder their learning.  Choose an intervention programme that lists vocabulary and offers questions as prompts, sharpening children’s communication skills and providing unlimited access to new information. Not to mention saving teachers a wealth of preparation time!

Shine's Prepare, Do, Review documents highlight the new vocabulary in every single intervention, so you can check your knowledge before sitting down to deliver it.

A last thought…

Some children find it hard to make connections across different subjects. A consistent structure provides a framework for learning that is easy to follow and understand; it will soon have you reaping the rewards of success… motivated students who can make connections and retain information. A win-win for everyone!

Book your Shine demo and arrange a free trial with your local consultant today