Teaching assistants as mediators in the process of socialization and education in primary schools

Djeca s teškoćama u razvoju ravnopravni su sudionici procesa odgoja i obrazovanja shodno inkluzivnim načelima, te mogu imati određene obrazovne potrebe koje je moguće ostvariti u okviru prilagođenog individualiziranog programa rada. Pri tome, pomoćnici u nastavi odgovorni su za kvalitetno provođenje takvog načina rada na temelju predviđenog programa učenika s teškoćama u razvoju. To su dužni obavljati uz pružanje pomoći pri podmirenju obrazovnih potreba učenika, ali i onih socijalnih uz poticanje socijalizacije. Učeniku s teškoćama u razvoju nude neposrednu pomoć i podršku, u suradnji s učiteljima i nastavnicima oblikuju načine rada, koordinatorima predaju na uvid spise o praćenju svog rada te učenikova napretka, a komuniciraju i s roditeljima. Ovaj rad produbljuje tematiku sveobuhvatnosti posla i naglašava važnost, ali i kompleksnost uloge pomoćnika u nastavi u osnovnoškolskom sustavu.Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are equal process participants of upbringing and education due to inclusive educational principles, whose needs can be achieved within a customized individualized work program. In doing so, teaching assistants are those who are responsible for the quality implementation of such a way of working on the root of the planned program. Therefore, in doing their jobs, they are obligated to provide assistance in meeting pupil’s educational needs, but also the social ones by stimulating socialization. They offer direct help and support to pupils with disabilities, co-operate with teachers to develop quality of work ethic. Teaching assistants also hand over documents on monitoring their work and pupils progress to coordinators and they communicate with parents. This work paper deepens job comprehensiveness of teaching assistants and emphasizes their importance, but also the complexity of their role in the primary school system