Teaching assistants: EEF publishes updated guidance to support schools achieve greater impact
380,000 teaching assistants (TAs) are employed across the country, at an annual public cost of some £5 billion, but previous research had shown that in many schools they were not being deployed in ways that improve student outcomes. Indeed, for students from poorer backgrounds the impact of TAs was too often negative.
However, EEF trials have demonstrated that, when they are well-trained and used in structured settings with high-quality support and training, TAs can make a noticeable positive impact on pupil learning.
To support schools in achieving this, in 2015 the EEF published its first guidance report, Making Best Use of Teaching Assistants . Written by the EEF's Prof. Jonathan Sharples, together with Rob Webster and Prof. Peter Blatchford, both at the UCL Institute of Education, it made seven clear and actionable recommendations.
Since then, the EEF has added a number of resources to support the implementation of this guidance report. This new material has now been incorporated online to bring the guidance up-to-date. It can be freely read and downloaded here.
New episode of ‘Evidence into Action’ – ‘Cognitive Science in the Classroom’
Support for the design and early formative evaluation of new evidence-based programmes
Development and/or adaptation of a measure of teaching quality: call for proposals
Development of an EEF CRM system: call for proposals
New: EEF publishes evaluation of arts based education programmes
EEF blog: Planning to address scientific misconceptions
National Tutoring Programme Tuition Partners: Year 1 (2020-21) - Reflections on scaling interventions to create system change
EEF comments on delivering Year 1 of the National Tutoring Programme Tuition Partners (2020-21)
New: EEF publishes latest reports
The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) has published a new report from a study which aimed to develop a new science attainment measure, alongside an independent evaluation of EEF projects.
Year 5 science assessment
The Year 5 Science Assessment is a measure of Year 5 scientific ability, intended for pupils at the end of Year 5.
NTP year 1 evaluation
How we'll assess the impact of NTP Tuition Partners.
National Tutoring Programme Tuition Partners: Year 1 (2020-21) resources
EEF publishes new findings from reach and engagement evaluation
EEF commissioned evaluations of Read Write Inc. Phonics and Fresh Start
EEF Blog: Implementing cognitive science strategies in the classroom
EEF blog: Accelerated reader – what does the research tell us?
EEF publishes two new evaluation reports
Guest Blog: Retrieval practice - A common good or just commonplace?
New episode of ‘Evidence into Action’ – ‘Teacher Feedback to Improve Pupil Learning’
EEF Blog: Integrating evidence into mathematics teaching – Focus on feedback
New: What do we really know about cognitive science in the classroom? EEF publishes new review of the evidence
EEF Blog: New ‘Voices from the classroom’ - Applying Rosenshine’s principles to remote learning
EEF Blog: New case studies - Making effective use of diagnostic assessment
EEF Blog: ECF– Exploring the Evidence: Prior knowledge and Pupil Misconceptions
EEF Blog: Three keys to unlocking positive learning behaviours
Kirsten Mould explains how schools might tackle the implementation challenge of building effective learning behaviours.
EEF Blog: ECF – Exploring the Evidence: ‘Adaptive Teaching’ and Effective Diagnostic Assessment
EEF publishes findings from ‘Big Lockdown-Learning Parent Survey’
New EEF podcast: Developing Oral Language
EEF Blog: Integrating evidence into mathematics teaching – Guiding problem solving
EEF Blog: Phonics - mastering the basics of reading
EEF Blog: Assess, adjust, adapt – what does adaptive teaching mean to you?
EEF publishes new research on the impact of the pandemic on Key Stage 1 pupils’ attainment
EEF Blog: New ‘Voices from the classroom’ - Delivering feedback after exam practice
EEF Blog: Teaching reading - Embedding comprehension strategies
EEF publishes findings from systematic review of attainment measures
EEF Blog: Integrating evidence into mathematics teaching – Making use of manipulatives
How to use the Attainment Measures Database
Young Children’s Achievement Test – Second Edition
York Assessment of Reading for Comprehension – Secondary Set
York Assessment of Reading for Comprehension – Early Years Set
York Assessment of Reading for Comprehenion: Primary
Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests – Third Edition
Writing Assessment Tasks
Wide Range Achievement Test – Fifth Edition
Wide Range Achievement Test – Fourth Edition
Wide Range Achievement Test – Expanded
Word Recognition and Phonic Skills Test
The WORD Test 3 – Elementary
The WORD Test 2 – Adolescent
Woodcock-Muñoz Language Survey
Word Identification and Spelling Test
Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Fourth UK Edition
Wechsler Individual Achievement Test – Third Edition
Wechsler Individual Achievement Test – Second UK Edition for Teachers
Wechsler Individual Achievement Test – Second UK Edition
White Rose Maths
Collins Maths Progress Tests for White Rose (Year 1–6/P2–7)
Writing Assessment Measure
Test of Written Spelling – Fifth Edition
Tutors’ Guild Year Six Mathematics Tutor Assessment Pack
Tutors’ Guild Year Six English Tutor Assessment Pack
Tutors’ Guild Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Mathematics Tutor Assessment Pack
Tutors’ Guild Edexcel GCSE (9-1) English Language Tutor Assessment Pack
Tutors’ Guild AQA GCSE (9-1) Mathematics Tutor Assessment Pack
Tutors’ Guild AQA GCSE (9-1) English Language Tutor Assessment Pack
The Trouble with Maths
More Trouble with Maths
Test of Written Language – Fourth Edition
Test of Silent Word Reading Fluency – Second Edition
Test of Silent Reading Efficiency and Comprehension
Test of Silent Contextual Reading Fluency – Second Edition
Test of Reading Comprehension – Fourth Edition
Test of Phonological Awareness – Second Edition: Plus
Test of Mathematical Abilities – Third Edition
Test of Orthographic Competence
Test of Adolescent and Adult Language – Fourth Edition
Test of Irregular Word Reading Efficiency
The Shanghai Maths Project – Practice Books For the English National Curriculum (Years 7–10)
Test of Early Written Language – Third Edition
Test of Early Reading Ability – Fourth Edition
Test of Early Mathematics Ability – Third Edition
Single Word Spelling Test
Single Word Reading Test
Spot the Word – Second Edition
Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales – Fifth Edition
Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales – Fifth Edition for Early Childhood
Social Skills Improvement System Rating Scales
Social Skills Improvement System Performance Screening Guide
Social Skills Improvement System Classwide Intervention Program
Snap Science – Years 1–6
Sigma Science Assessment
Shaywitz Dyslexia Screen
Symbol Digit Modalities Test
Scottish Heinemann Maths
Science Knowledge Questionnaire Year 4 (Pre-test) and Year 5 (Post-test)
Science Assessment Series 1 and 2 – Tailored Extracts
Screening Assessment for Gifted Elementary and Middle School Students – Third Edition
Screening Assessment for Gifted Elementary and Middle School Students – Second Edition
Reading Milestones Placement and Monitoring
REVISE AQA AS/A Level Biology, Chemistry and Physics Exam Skills Builder with ActiveBook
In addition, this week the EEF launched a new 11-week email series based on the guidance report – more than 800 people have so far signed up to receive the report in bite-sized chunks direct to their inbox. You can subscribe free here:
