This is almost always the first question that is asked of an elementary school teacher. With this question, the teacher should give information about his or her personal and professional life. However, make sure that you do not over-answer this question, and give only the information that may be relevant to the job profile.
2. Why did you select a learning support assistant career?
Being a learning support assistant is not an easy job. And not everyone can be a learning support assistant. There has to be some aspects in yourself that made you desire such a position and that will make you the perfect candidate for a learning support assistant job position.
One of the most important aspects is that you should have a natural love for kids and enjoy helping them and being surrounded by them. There is no place for irritability, intolerance or impatience in the job and life of a learning support assistant. These are the concepts that you should bring out in the interview answers, with perhaps a brief, revealing anecdote or two.
3. What does safeguarding mean?
Safeguarding legislation and government guidance says that safeguarding means:
☛ Protecting children from maltreatment.
☛ Preventing impairment of children's health or development.
☛ Ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the ☛ Provision of safe and effective care.
☛ Taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes.
4. Are you good at organizing yourself and other people?
The interviewer is looking for a well-organised person who can act as a teacher's aide. A successful candidate should be able to illustrate their organisational skills, based upon teaching experience or otherwise.
While learning support assistants do not make the lessons, they do provide invaluable help to prepare them and a successful candidate for an assistant teaching job is one interested in the role of a teacher and prepared to support them 100%.
6. How would you support this school's program of extra-curricular provision?
Any interviewee can expect to answer a number of questions about the school, so learning a bit about the place beforehand is vital. Prior to the interview, find out as much as possible about the school's extracurricular activities, offset results, what type of backgrounds the children come from, etc. so that the answer provided is well-informed.
7. What is your philosophy about discipline?
Teaching methods have changed over time and it is necessary for you as a professional to give the relevant information that proves that you have enhanced your teaching abilities and procedures. The discipline philosophy for a teacher is one of the most evolved philosophies today and you should ensure that the change is exuded to the interviewer. You need to show the interviewer that you have the capability to solve most problems yourself. In fact, you should give the idea that you do not make a major issue out of every situation, unless there is an urgent need to do so. But you should also send across the message that no untoward incident that is waiting to happen will occur while you are on duty.
8. What would you do if a child complained they were bored?
This question may be best answered with the SAR technique. Try to remember a similar situation when a bored child was amused in a stimulating, educational and non-disruptive way.
9. What are your duties as a learning support assistant?
Some of the duties of learning support assistant are:
☛ Helping teachers prepare for lessons by, for example, putting out equipment before a lesson starts or photocopying papers.
☛ Listening to children reading and reporting back to the teacher should any issues arise.
☛ Helping children who need extra help in literacy or numeracy.
☛ A teaching assistant is there to support a teacher in the classroom.
10. What is a primary caregiver to a child?
This is a term used instead of 'mother' or 'father', as many children today are raised by one parent or another person entirely, be it relative or friend. This term avoids calling attention to each child's state. If there are children in the class whose primary caregiver is not the mother, sensitivity and forethought will allow you to tell all kinds of stories without upsetting or embarrassing children.
11. How would your strengths and weaknesses have an influence on the learning support?
Do not overly emphasize your weaknesses and mentioning one or two should suffice. If it is something that would possibly interfere with your work, explain how you compensate. Focus on your positive attributes and how they help you perform well.
12. What is your strength and weakness?
No human being is without their strengths and weaknesses. In your response, begin and end with your strengths. Do not overly emphasize your weaknesses, and mentioning one or two should suffice.
13. What is the most important aspect that a learning support assistant to the child?
you should be careful and answer the question with an answer that would send across the point that you focus on the discipline and values that a learning support assistant can impart to children. This is the time to arouse in the children interest in learning and socializing appropriately, while introducing them to rules and regulations.
14. How would you handle a particular situation in the kindergarten classroom?
This question is more or less aimed at finding out whether you can think on your feet and how child-appropriate your course of action or thought is. Describe how you handle children wanting the same toy. Or what you would do if one child ruins his classmates art project or kicks and hits.
Detail how each child is spoken to, how you focus your attention on the injured party.
15. What do you think is the most important aspect that a kindergarten works on?
Education is not just teaching the written word, but it is also molding an entire generation into forward thinking, practical individuals. Also, values are the most important aspects that one can give to the young generation.
16. What are your learning support assistant education?
Any job in this world requires either a skill set or an academic degree or both. Ensure that you answer this question in a factual and concise manner. The answers that you provide may be referenced and checked; present accordingly.
17. Are you well versed with individual education programs?
You might also have to answer questions related to the individual education plan, which is for students with special needs.
18. What is the idea of teaching the state standards?
The philosophy about state standards is one of the most important in the country. The three types of standards in the country are the local, national, and state standards.
19. How would you communicate with parents?
Communication is another important trait for a teacher today. While it was quite an important aspect a few years ago, it is the most important aspect today. You could tell them about the steps that you undertook to enhance effective communication with parents of your students, or what you suggested to your school or college to implement. No educator is able to properly guide a child through the path of life without being in close contact with the child's parents, who place their full confidence in the teacher.
20. Do you have experience attending to student's personal needs?
With very young children or special care children, assistants attend to personal needs. They help the children take medications regularly and attend to student's personal hygiene (including taking them to the bathroom). They assist with eating and facilitate mobility, if necessary. Assisting with medication requires following LEA (Local Education Agency/Authority ) and school policies.
21. Tell me about your experience and knowledge of learning support assistant?
The interviewer may ask about your previous job experience and your knowledge. This will enable the interviewer to understand your basic professional background and whether you would be able to handle the job or not. Although your experience may not be directly related, focus on your ability to follow directions, get tasks done quickly, attention to detail, etc.; skills required in any job.
22. What experience do you have assisting teachers in the classroom?
These responsibilities are typically administrative. Assistants report to teachers on class behavior and contribute student information to class reports. They help teachers disseminate information in class or among parents.
23. How would you determine seriousness of the individual?
To gauge your seriousness of the individual, the interviewer may ask why you are actually seeking the job.
Therefore, the interviewer will first begin to gauge whether the individual is actually serious about the job or not. This can be asked via the simple question.
Why do you need the job, or why should we give you a job? Express your interest in the field of education and your expectation to persevere for at least a semester. You may want to include your financial needs, but do not over emphasize this.
24. What were you difficult times in your last job?
The interviewer will ask about any difficult situations in your last job, related to work, which were solved by you by amicable means. This will prove to the interviewer whether you have any people skills. Make a list of such occurrences. Consult with a knowledgeable friend, or professor. Preferably someone who's working! Select the best and prepare to present the anecdote briefly, and succinctly.
25. How would you handle a crowd of students?
The teaching assistant is quite near to the students themselves when it comes to age. Therefore, the interviewer will first have to assess whether you can or cannot handle a crowd of students. Again, focus on your ability to work with your previous employer. If you have led any youth groups or have any counselor/teaching experience, draw on that.
26. What specific responsibilities did you have as a learning support assistant?
Learning support assistants typically help maintain order in class and during recess, and promote good student behavior. The more challenging task is to maintain student motivation and establish positive interactions among the students.
27. Do you have experience working with students with special or additional learning needs?
Do not answer in the affirmative if you have never worked with such children. But if you have even a little experience, definitely mention it in detail. Also, if you have no direct experience but you are confident that you have the talent for it, describe it and the situations in which you had the opportunity to practice that talent.
28. What characteristics are important for a Learning Support Assistant?
This depends on the age and type of students you are dealing with. But in general, teacher assistants have outstanding interpersonal and communication skills and a talent for children and/or adolescents. Smaller children require a different "language" than adolescents. Cultural sensitivity and patience is also important.
29. List the main qualities of Learning Support Assistant?
The main qualities and skills in a Learning Support Assistant include:
☛ Excellent communication skills
☛ Enthusiasm for the role
☛ Experience working with children
☛ Excellent organizational skills
☛ Patience and responsibility
☛ Flexibility and creativity
☛ Ability to manage children or those with learning disabilities
☛ Good knowledge of teaching standards, child protection and the school rules
30. What is learning support assistant?
A Learning Support Assistant (LSA), often referred to as a Teaching Assistant (TA), is provided to support teachers and pupils in the classroom. Learning support assistants work in primary and secondary schools, in mainstream schools, mainstream schools with SEN units and special schools.
