1. Instructional Assistant Training Resource
Jessica Reese

2. Rational
Each year new Instructional Assistants are hired or join new classrooms, often in the middle of the school year. Due to time constraints during the school day, it is often a challenge to orient new staff to the classroom and to train them properly. My project will contain resources for teachers to use with Instructional Assistants for training and for introducing them to specific students in the classroom, behavior plans, IEP goals, student and staff schedules, classroom routines and procedures, and other important information.

3. Outcomes
A resource that assists teacher in putting together a binder of pertinent information for instructional assistants to get started in their classroom and training materials to use during staff meetings.

4. Survey Results Current Resources
Frequent Staff Meetings
Goal written on data sheets so IA know what they are probing for
ABA/Errorless teaching training with classroom staff
ABA Manual
Carbone VB video clips
Resources from trainings teachers have attended
Other teachers and internet
Monthly staff meetings with consultants and therapists

5. Survey Results What would benefit you?
Quick references for protocols (ex. mat protocol, accepting no, errorless teaching, first…then…)
Relevant courses for IAs to take
Updated instructional manual, video clips, and/or detailed ITT sessions
How to things that are expected of you to do your job

6. Survey Results Current Challenges
Time for meetings and trainings
Time to model strategies and protocols
Time to mentor staff
New IAs coming to classrooms without knowledge of population
IAs not following protocols, behavior plans, or other teacher direction

7. Project My project consists of 2 PDF files.
One file of resources that teachers can download, fill out, and hand to Instructional Assistants to get started. These forms consist of Daily schedules for students and staff, IA responsibilities, student profiles, Individualized Education Program Matrix, Student Learning priorities and support, Daily routines, prompting strategies, Instructional support plans, a form for documenting spontaneous incidents, and a form for problem solving on the fly.
Doyle, Mary Beth (2008). The Paraprofessional’s Guide to the Inclusive Classroom: Working as a Team. Baltimore, MD: Brooks Publishing Co.

8. Project
The second file consists of training resources on pairing, pairing with reinforcement, behavior protocols, decreasing prompts, NET overview, ITT, data collection, and teaching protocols. These resources are found in the BCIU #22 ABA Program Training Manual dated July 2008.
My project will be showcased on Moddle.
Geist, Michelle B.S., BCaBA, Gill, Mary, B.A., BCaBA
BCIU #22 ABA Porgram Training Manual July 2008

9. Suggested Use of Resource
Prior to the start of the school year, fill out the forms in the first PDF file for each student.
Make a binder for each IA.
Remember to update the information as needed.
Hold weekly or monthly training sessions with your staff to go over the second file of resources, additional training resources that are relevant to your classroom, mentor IAs, problems solve, and update IAs on new procedures or routines.

10. Tips for Working with IAs
Reflect on your own work style and work preferences and communicate them clearly
Determine your program, your students needs, and what can be done by an IA
Ask IAs what they feel comfortable and confident that they can do well
Observe and coach IAs
Provide written plans for IAs
Delegate tasks to IAs
Create and manage schedules
Mange conflicts

11. Systematic Steps for Supervising Classroom Staff
Regularly scheduled staff meeting
Assessing IAs performance
Provide on going learning opportunities
Provide opportunities for problem solving

12. Training IAs Effective Communication
Written protocols
Explicit, concrete language
Examples and non-examples
Modeling
Check for understanding