Teaching assistants - best practice

[jumboartbox]

I need to learn more about what makes a good one, what best practice is and am at a loss to know where to start looking for this information

Can anyone help? Or does anyone know?

[fairgame]

In what context?
Is it regards to being a general class TA? or in regards to supporting a child on a 1:1 basis?

DS has ASD and has had 5 years of full time 1:1 support in mainstream. Some of his LSA's have been qualified e.g HLTA and some have been unqualified. Qualifications have made no difference in whether the LSA was good or not. The best ones have been those have good communication skills, patience and a willingness to listen to and learn from me as i know my child best.
To put it bluntly i have little time for staff who think that just because they've worked with a child with ASD before it makes them an expert. It doesn't because every child with ASD is different.

[MedusaIsHavingaBadHairday]

I'm a TA in a special school. My skills have been developed via training, by being a parent of an autistic child myself and by tons and tons of experience. I don't have HTLA status (tho I have a degree) because I refuse to end up taking classes and having full responsibility for a few pennies more pay.

I'm my school I am considered a behaviour 'expert' Of course I'm not but I have worked for 11 years with children who exhibit extremely challenging behaviour (and very severe autism) and have done a heap of training to back up the techiniques and approaches that seem to work withmany of my students. However training is nothing unless you have put it into practice and recognised that every child with autism is a unique individual..and you work out what works , what doesn't... THAT informs my practice far more that any training, research papers etc

[jumboartbox]

Thank you, that's really helpful and appreciated