However, many teaching assistants still feel that teachers do not always appreciate their contribution and see them as creating extra work rather than reducing teachers' workload. They said that teachers may not acknowledge or even know about their skills and experience, often due to the lack of time available for discussing lessons.
The NFER report, Teaching Assistants in Schools: The current state of play, commissioned by the Local Government Association, found that both teachers and assistants accepted that the teacher has overall responsibility for the class, while assistants were there to provide support. But teaching and learning appeared to be more effective when they worked in a collaborative, mutually supportive way.
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