Paraprofessional educator

A paraprofessional educator, alternatively known as a para, para-pro, paraeducator, instructional assistant, educational assistant, teacher's aide or classroom assistant, is a teaching-related position within a school generally responsible for specialized or concentrated assistance for students in elementary and secondary schools.

Not all countries and states have a fixed definition of "paraprofessional" and may use all of the terms listed above, and many others, interchangeably.

Paraprofessionals are widely employed in schools in the United States and Canada, and in some European countries.

In England and Wales, the term used for education paraprofessionals is Teaching Assistant (TA). In recent years, legislation has been introduced which enables teachers to delegate a range of tasks to their TAs. Teaching Assistants in England and Wales can apply for Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) status, which requires them to document the ways in which their work meets a set of specified criteria. Those with HLTA status can substitute for teachers and (where appropriate) supervise other TAs. Scotland uses the term "classroom assistant" rather than "teaching assistant" as teaching is strictly not part of an assistant's responsibilities there.

In Canada, they are widely known as Educational Assistants to emphasize their role in educating special needs students.

In Japan, foreign native speakers employed as paraprofessional language educators (primarily English) are known as Assistant Language Teachers. Similar institutions exist in Germany and France where they are known as Foreign Language Assistants.

Paraprofessional educators generally assist teachers in the classroom, supervise students outside of the classroom, or provide administrative support for teaching. Job duties range from filling teaching positions to supplementing regular classroom curriculum with additional enrichment activities for students. Other positions include classroom aides, special education aides, school library technical assistants, and tutors.

Some paraprofessionals work directly with students, in which case they may listen to students practice reading aloud, help students understand and complete their assignments, or assist students with special needs.

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