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    The effectiveness of a teacher aide-instructed beginning reading intervention with an emphasis on phonological processing : a thesis presented in partial of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education (Special Education) at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2001) Ryder, Janice Frankland
    This study had several aims; first, to examine the phonological awareness skills of 6 and 7-year-old children; second, to identify students who appear to be at risk for difficulty in acquiring reading skills; third, to ascertain whether a teacher aide-instructed reading programme, which included systematic training in phonological processing strategies and letter-sound relationships, would be effective in enhancing the literary skills of those children. Twenty-four out of 64 7-year-olds were identified as scoring the lowest on a test of context-free word recognition. They were then given a battery of tests that measured skills in phoneme awareness, decoding skills, reading connected-text and reading comprehension. The 24 children were then matched on the basis of his or her raw scores on a context-free word recognition test. Twelve children received an intervention under teacher aide instruction, while 12 children received no intervention. After 24 weeks on the programme, the intervention and control children were tested using the same pretest battery. Follow-up testing was also conducted after two years using the context-free word recognition test and a test of reading accuracy. Results suggested that the teacher aide-instructed intervention programme was a particularly effective procedure for those children deficient in phoneme awareness, decoding ability and context-free word recognition skills, and that improvements in those skills led to improvements in overall reading. Teacher aide assistance in reading for those children identified as at risk may not be including direct, systematic instruction of letter-sound relationships and phonological processing skills; the skills which children need in order to become successful readers. This issue is discussed, as well as appropriate identification of children at risk, the use of teacher aides in instructional settings, and educational implications when planning intervention programmes in general.
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    Making a difference : a comparative study of the rules, responsibilities and perspectives of teacher aides in primary and secondary schools in New Zealand : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Educational Psychology at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2012) Stevenson, Mignon Josette
    Teacher aides are used in the majority of primary and secondary schools in New Zealand to assist teachers in supporting students with many diverse needs. They play a crucial role in the extent to which students with diverse needs are fully included in mainstream schools. The nature of their work has changed over the years, so as to meet the goals of inclusive education. The work of teacher aides is primarily related to the different structures operating within primary and secondary schools. This study used mixed methods methodology to compare the roles, responsibilities and perspectives of 21 teacher aides working in primary and secondary schools in a single geographical area on the North Island of New Zealand. Questionnaires, job descriptions and semi-structured interviews were used to gain an understanding of the roles, responsibilities and perspectives of teacher aides in both types of schools. The study found that teacher aides generally carried out a diverse range of tasks, provided support at different levels and had high levels of responsibility. The main themes that were identified related to teacher aide training and professional development, relationships, personal and cultural factors, challenges, funding and school systems. The study found that there were more similarities than differences between teacher aides working in primary and secondary schools and that the teacher aides’ roles and responsibilities were related to perceived ability to include students with diverse needs. The study concludes with implications for further research, policy and practice. These focus on primary and secondary teacher aide training and the inclusion of a wider variety of perspectives and factors related to the ability of teacher aides to make a difference for students with diverse needs in New Zealand.