Overview
Here you will learn about teaching assistants and paraeducators in much of the English-speaking world. Information from Canada, Great Britain, Australia, and the United States includes the number of people hired to provide support for teaching and learning in the schools classrooms.
For a bit of fun, we share some of the terms (and spelling) used in various countries. For example, teaching assistants in the United Kingdom are referred in the United States by various titles such as paraeducators, paraprofessionals, aides, or technical assistants.
Roles and responsibilities assigned to learning support staff provide you with an opportunity to compare these against your assignment. How do they differ? How are they the same?
United States of America | United Kingdom | Australia |
|---|---|---|
Paraeducator | Teaching assistant | Teacher aide |
Paraprofessional | LSA (learning support assistant) | School assistant |
Teacher aide | NNEB (nursery nurse) | School learning support officer |
Technical assistant | Education assistant | |
Aide | Integration aide | |
Instructional assistant | Special needs assistant | |
Title I teacher | Library aide | |
Bilingual teacher | Ancillary staff/officer | |
Instructional assistant | Aboriginal community education officer | |
Educational paraprofessional | ||
Defense school transition aide/mentor | ||
Preschool assistant | ||
Autism support assistant | ||
Vision support assistant | ||
Communication support assistant | ||
Bilingual assistant |