Includes bibliographical references and index.

Drawing on the lessons from one of the world's leading research and development efforts involving teaching assistants (TAs), this book is the authors' authoritative text yet on how to design a whole school plan to improve TAs' deployment, practice and preparedness, and put it into action. The authors use robust theories and original research to explore an innovative and integrated approach to making the most of TAs, and recognising the valuable contributions they make to the classroom and the school. Structured around a unique and empirically sound conceptual framework, it provides essential principles, practical tools and workable strategies, developed through collaboration with hundreds of UK schools.