The Australian Teaching Assistant Professional Standards (ATAPS) is an evidence-based framework that supports the performance and professional growth of teaching assistants in all Australian schools.
The Australian Teaching Assistant Professional Standards:
- are meaningful and relevant to teaching assistants, in all school settings
- support the performance and professional growth of teaching assistants
- contribute to role clarity
- facilitate teachers and TAs working together more effectively
Read more about the Standards below, or view our resource, Introducing ATAPS: A Professional Growth Framework for Teaching Assistants.
To effectively support student learning and wellbeing, teaching assistants require knowledge of how students learn, how to engage with students and establish positive and respectful relationships, and how to apply age and developmentally appropriate practice.
Teaching assistants work across many learning areas, and different year levels, and require knowledge of the curriculum relevant to their context, and evidence-based teaching and learning practices that maximise student outcomes.
It is important for you to understand how students learn so that you can help them succeed. This means that you need to know that students learn in different ways. When you can recognise the differences in how young people learn, you can support students more effectively by using teaching methods that meet their individual needs.
You can create positive relationships with students by building connections, rapport, expressing care, providing support, and developing trust. When you do this, you make it easier for students to express their needs and seek help. By intentionally creating a respectful and caring atmosphere, you create a foundation where students feel safe and motivated to learn.
A young person’s cognitive, physical, emotional, social skills and abilities develop at different rates, and so responding and supporting their needs requires appropriate practice and strategies. The strategies you use when supporting students need to be meaningful, engaging, and developmentally appropriate for their age, development and/or ability.
There are various curriculum documents in use around Australia that outline the expectations for what young people should be taught. Curriculums consist of key learning areas and general capabilities which outline what students must be taught and the criteria they must meet. It is important that you communicate with teachers about the curriculum relevant to the context you are working in so that you can make sure that your support is relevant and targeted.
Evidence-based practice refers to the teaching practices that research has shown will have the greatest impact on student learning. By using evidence-based practices in your support roles, you significantly contribute to creating an effective and responsive learning environment that addresses diverse student needs and promotes academic success.
Teaching assistants communicate regularly with teachers and other education professionals, to support and implement planned student learning.
Teaching assistants demonstrate inclusive practices that enable all students to access the curriculum and participate in learning.
They support students to develop independence and manage their own learning, encourage positive behaviour, and support students’ digital literacy capability.
Teaching assistants use agreed assessment methods to monitor student progress, and provide effective feedback to teachers and students.
Effective communication helps to build a positive working relationship, as you will be sharing information and feedback that assists teachers to plan, implement, and evaluate student learning and wellbeing support. Clear and frequent communication develops a unified approach between you and the teacher, to address challenges, ultimately creating a more supportive and effective learning environment, leading to better outcomes for students.
Planned supports are the instructional strategies, learning tasks, materials, adjustments, assistive technology, and scaffolding that are deliberately selected by the teacher to support learning. As a teaching assistant, you will use the planned strategies and interventions when supporting students. Adhering to the agreed-upon support plans allows you to provide targeted assistance and monitor student progress accurately.
Resources that are authentic, relevant and age and ability appropriate, are meaningful and engaging to the learner. You will need to know the individual student, communicate with teachers and implement support that is targeted to support the individual student, addressing their needs in an authentic and relevant way.
Students experience inclusive education when they can fully participate in learning. You can support this by working with teachers to ensure that all students can access their learning and participate alongside their peers in meaningful ways. This may include the use of adjustment strategies, differentiation, using specialised equipment or using assistive technology.
Independent learning skills include: time management, self-scaffolding, support at the right time, taking comfortable risks, allowing thinking/response time, students retaining responsibility, open-ended questions, and ownership of the task. You can support students by being mindful and intentional about guiding them to become more independent during learning tasks.
Positive behavior support is a preventative approach that supports all students according to their needs as well as building student's self-efficacy. Your role is to support all students to engage successfully at school. You can support teachers by using set behaviour expectations, following set routines and using engaging strategies. It is important to encourage and recognise positive behaviour, and provide targeted support to students who may need to learn more appropriate behaviours. By using the language or expectation, acknowledgement and correction, you will be well equipped to support the teacher with encouraging and supporting positive student behaviour.
You can support students to develop their digital literacy skills so that they can grow into digital citizens. You will support learning and teaching by helping to teach students how to be safe online. You will also support them to use digital tools and the internet for learning, as well as using digital technology for creating and exchanging information, saving and storing content. Your own digital capability is important so that you can support students in their learning.
Agreed assessment methods are those that have been planned by the teacher and communicated to you. Your role in using agreed assessment methods is crucial to supporting the teacher and student. You will help to ensure that student achievements and challenges are monitored, recorded and communicated to the teacher. These records provide the teachers with information to then be able to respond to student needs
Providing formative and effective feedback helps students understand their strengths and areas for improvement, guiding them towards developing a growth mindset. When feedback is specific, actionable, and delivered with empathy, it empowers students to take ownership of their learning and make meaningful progress. Use a variety of feedback strategies that focus on rewarding effort, affirming strategies used, praising perseverance and focusing on improvement. Your role in delivering timely, effective feedback ensures that students are getting the best possible support in their learning that helps them to develop a growth mindset.
Teaching assistants use the Australian Teaching Assistant Professional Standards to guide their performance and professional growth.
They are committed to improving their professional knowledge, practice and engagement by planning for professional growth, and engaging in professional learning to achieve their goals.
Teaching assistants understand their role and responsibilities in supporting learning and teaching, comply with legal and ethical obligations, and comply with school policy and procedures.
The Australian Teaching Assistant Professional Standards framework has been intentionally written for teaching assistants to use to when reflecting on their professional performance and to use when planning for professional growth. Quality teaching, and quality support are significant factors affecting student outcomes, and so continual professional growth is vital to improving outcomes for students. Having a good understanding and awareness of the standards ensures they become a tool to inform and guide the professional growth process.
Professional growth requires reflecting on your own professional practice, identifying your strengths and any areas for improvement. You will set goals, plan professional learning, collect evidence, and continually map your progress. Sharing your professional growth goals with your supervisor or school leader keep you accountable for completing your professional learning.
Professional learning comes from a range of sources, including observations, professional conversations and professional development resources. You may join in professional learning that is planned by your school leaders, or you may choose to learn and work towards achieving your own, individual professional growth goals.
As a school staff member you will be required to contribute to creating a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment by actively complying with legislation relevant to the job role. This may include participating in specific training, as well as being aware of the legal obligations relevant to your setting.
As a school staff member you will be required to comply with school policies and follow school procedures relevant to your job role. Important procedures may include: completing documentation, communicating with teachers, recording pastoral care entries, and referring students for support.
It is important that you understand your role as a teaching assistant, the responsibilities that you have, and the expectations that you are required to meet. By having a clear understanding of your role, you will be able to effectively contribute to supporting learning and teaching.
Professionalism enables you to establish effective working relationships. As an employee, you will be required to uphold the professional guidelines outlined in the staff code of conduct.
