Project Teaching Assistant – Developing an Interdisciplinary Curriculum as a Contribution to Inclusion

School Escort, Teaching Assistant, Inclusion, Teaching Assistance, Inclusion Assistant, Children with Special Educational Needs

German Institute for Youth Human Services and Family Law (DIJuF)

2013 - 2023

In the context of inclusive schooling, more and more teaching assistants are also employed in Baden-Württemberg. So far however, no reliable description or conceptualization exists with regard to the professional background and the qualification of teaching assistants. It is therefore left to the local parties involved to decide on granting teaching assistance and to select suitable persons.
The aim of the project is to develop and establish a curriculum for continuing education of teaching assistants. Target group are all teaching assistants at general education schools in Baden-Württemberg, taking into account the heterogeneous starting positions and the different general conditions. Developing a time- and resource-economic curriculum for initial and advanced training should make a valuable contribution to the current discussion on inclusion without releasing schools from their responsibility for the different needs of their pupils.

Description of the Project

A complete survey at all general education schools in Baden-Württemberg collected data on teaching assistants, their activities and the children they look after. In addition, 50 interviews were held with experts involved in teaching assistance.
Based on this information, a curriculum was developed, tested with experts and continuously developed in close exchange with focus groups and practical and scientific advisory boards of the project.
In spring 2016 and summer 2017, two multiplier training courses each took place to make the qualification measure available to the general public and to consolidate it. The aim is to permanently establish the advanced training course for teaching assistants in Baden-Württemberg. The teaching assistants curriculum is made available to trained multipliers in the form of a handbook. Participants in the training receive free materials for teaching assistants.

Fegert, JM., Henn, K. & Ziegenhain, U. (2015). Zur gegenwärtigen Situation von Schulbegleitern/innen und ihrer verbesserten Aus- und Fortbildung. In: Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (Hrsg.), Auf dem Prüfstand: Inklusion im deutschen Schulsystem (S. 21–24). Verfügbar unter: www.kas.de/wf/doc/kas_42671-544-1-30.pdf

Fegert, JM. & Ziegenhain, U. (2016). Schulbegleitung als Beitrag zur Inklusion. Bestandsaufnahme und Rechtsexpertise. Schriftenreihe der Baden-Württemberg Stiftung, Gesell-schaft und Kultur, 81. Verfügbar unter: www.bwstiftung.de/uplo-ads/tx_news/Schulbegleiter_web.pdf

Henn, K., Thurn, L., Besier, T., Künster, AK., Fegert, JM. & Ziegenhain U. (2014). Schulbegleiter als Unterstützung von Inklusion im Schulwesen: Erhebung zur gegenwärtigen Situation von Schulbegleitern in Baden-Württemberg. Zeitschrift für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie, 42(6), 397–403.

Henn, K., Himmel, R., Fegert JM. & Ziegenhain U. (2017). Umsetzung des Teilhabeanspruchs auf inklusive Beschulung am Beispiel der Schulbegleitung. Zeitschrift für Nervenheilkunde, 36(3), 119-126.

Ziegenhain, U., Meysen T. & Fegert, JM. (2012). Schulbegleitung: Eine Leistung zwischen Integration, Sonderstatus und Ausfallbürgerschaft. Das Jugendamt – Zeitschrift für Jugendhilfe und Familienrecht, 85(10), 500–504.

Baden-Württemberg Stiftung