What's In A Name?

Teacher Aide, Teacher Assistant, School Learning Support Officer, Learning Support Assistant, Inclusion Support Assistant, Integration Aide, Teachers Aide (Special), Teachers Aide (Identified).....

While most people are familiar with the title Teacher Aide it seems that there are many different titles associated with the role of supporting students and teachers in a learning environment depending on which state, territory, or school you are looking to work in.

While there are many different titles, these roles are all essentially the same, and the Certificate III in Education Support and Certificate IV in Education Support courses will qualify you to effectively meet the needs of supporting the classroom teacher with students of differing needs in any of these roles.

You can generally expect to find the following terms used in each of the states, however these may differ depending on if you are looking to work in a Public or Independent School.

Talk to the schools in your local area and find out what terms they use for their school support staff.

• NSW: Schools Learning Support Officer (SLSO), Classroom Assistant
• TASMANIA:  Teacher Aide
• QLD: Teacher Aide
• VICTORIA: Integration Aide, Teacher Aide
• WA: Teacher Aide
• SOUTH AUSTRALIA: School Services Officer or Teacher Aide
• ACT:  Learning Support Assistant
• NORTHERN TERRITORY: Teacher Assistant or Inclusion Support Assistant

Working in any of these roles you will be working with classroom teachers to facilitate the learning program for students with a wide range of differing needs who may need additional assistance to achieve particular learning outcomes.

Your role will focus on supporting the class teacher to include a child with a disability in all school activities. Your main duties may include preparation of class materials, providing assistance in school routines, assisting with health care and physical needs in terms of toileting and feeding, one to one support in classroom activities, providing opportunities for students to develop personal, social, independent living and pre-vocational skills, and general work in the classroom not directly focussing on the student with a disability.

At times you may work under the direction of a physiotherapist, speech pathologist or occupational therapist in the provision of an individual therapy program. Teacher Aides assist students in pre-schools, primary schools, secondary schools, mainstream classrooms, special needs schools/classes and learning support units.