Supporting classroom teachers to implement high quality, evidence-based literacy teaching is part of an important role played by Teacher Aides. This course provides foundational knowledge required to support the assessment and implementation of the Better Start Literacy Approach in New Entrant – Year 8 classrooms.
You can download our step-by-step guide to enrolling (including how to verify your ID) via the UC website.
Important Considerations:
- Teacher Aides must be partnered with a teacher (or teachers) who is currently or has previously completed the BSLA Teacher micro-credential, and this must be declared at the time of enrolment.
- Teacher Aides completing the BSLA Teacher Aide micro-credential will need access to a computer to view course content on UC’s LEARN platform and to attend weekly Zoom hui. We also recommend schools provide Teacher Aides with time to complete this mahi, (either within their current working hours or by providing additional hours that the Ministry may help to fund). This aligns with recommendations from the Ministry about how schools and kura can support Teacher Aides in their professional development (see below).
- Teacher Aides will require support to enrol with the University. They may also require support to access the UC LEARN platform and the BSLA assessment website – this will ensure they get off to a great start!
- Teacher Aides will receive the support they require to complete the micro-credential from the course coordinators. Attending/ viewing the weekly Zooms for a minimum of the first 10 weeks is therefore essential.
Course Content
Teacher Aides access course content via UC’s LEARN platform and weekly Zoom hui designed to guide them through content and assessments. It is important Teacher Aides watch the weekly Zooms to support their success! These are on Tuesdays at 2.15 and run for 45 mins. Zoom sessions are recorded so that TA’s can watch them at a time convenient to them, however attending live affords the opportunity to connect with course coordinators and ask questions. It is recommended that TA’s join at least some sessions live.
Course content is divided into four modules:
Module 1: Introduction to BSLA and the role of the Teacher Aide
(Introduction to BSLA and the micro-credential, BSLA’s alignment to theoretical frameworks of reading, strengths-based approaches to supporting students, culturally responsive teaching and learning)
Module 2: Understanding the BSLA monitoring assessments and using the assessment website
(Introduction to the BSLA monitoring assessments from Years 0-8 including assessment adaptations to support inclusion, navigating the website)
Module 3: Overview of BSLA teaching and teacher aides’ role in supporting BSLA implementation
(An in-depth look at the Teacher Aide role in supporting the BSLA building blocks – oral language, story book structure and vocabulary, reading comprehension, phonological, orthographic and morphological awareness, writing, and small group reading, including explicit teaching and strategies for adaptation, differentiation and inclusion)
Module 4: Building Foundational Linguistics Knowledge
(Designed to provide Teacher Aide’s with basic concepts in building their foundational linguistics knowledge including phonetics, spelling rules, parts of speech and morphology)
Time Commitment:
There is content to work through online, which is estimated to take around 6-8 hours, in addition to the time spent working with teachers to plan and implement the approach or support them with assessments.
There are also approximately 16 weekly Zoom sessions (which are recorded if teacher aides cannot attend live) with some optional drop-in sessions if TA’s need support with course assessments or wish to attend sessions with special guest speakers. This equates to approximately 9 hours of viewing.
Schools and kura wishing to support Teacher Aides by providing them with time to engage in this course should also factor in time to complete course assessments.
If you have any questions, please contact askBSLA@canterbury.ac.nz.
