Kazakhstan Introduces Teaching Assistant Position to Foster Inclusivity in Schools

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan introduced a new position called “teaching assistant in schools,” said the Ministry of Education and Science of Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan introduced a new position called “teaching assistant in schools,” said the Ministry of Education and Science of Kazakhstan. Photo credit: Twitter.

Among other things, the specialists are expected to foster inclusive education and help schoolchildren with special needs to adapt to school. Approximately 700 teaching assistants have started to work throughout the country.

“This is not a replacement for the teacher. The task for teaching assistants is to play a special role at the intersection of pedagogy and psychology – to guide children and to help them adapt to the educational process. As we are talking about children with special educational needs, teaching assistants will be able to provide technical support, for instance, if the child can not move independently. Or they can provide pedagogical support if the child, for example, needs the assistance of a speech pathologist,” said Pre-school and Secondary Education Committee Chair Gulmira Karimova.

Teaching assistants also participate in the development of individual educational programs for children with special learning needs, monitor their pace of learning and ensure that conditions are in place for their safety and health. 

The ministry is working to introduce the position in other educational organizations.

 


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