Coming in to a classroom to help an established teacher needs tact and lots of planning. It is not always going to be straightforward working together .Here are some tips to help improve your team teaching relationships.

Roles:

• Your role is not fixed. A teacher might use you for pronunciation one term but shift the focus to helping small groups for an exam in the second term.

• Accept that your role might expand. As the teachers begin to recognise your strengths and skills they may give you more time alone with students or more responsibility.

• Take time to get to know how teachers will use you. Ask if you are not sure what will be happening. A teacher might not have a clear idea of what to do with you so make suggestions but avoid sounding like you want to take over the whole class.

Planning together

Some teachers are used to this and some are not.

• Ask what will be done next week. Get a copy of the book and see what will be done next lesson.
• If the teacher does not indicate a specific task then anticipate questions that might come up during the lesson.
• Look at reading or listening passages and think which words might prove difficult. How will you explain them? Can you think of other examples of how this word is used?
• Check pronunciation and intonation features, for example the pronunciation of past tense endings or the intonation of questions in a textbook dialogue. Practice giving a model for the questions, making them sound as natural as possible. Say them aloud to yourself before the lesson.

Teaching space

• You need to know how much you are expected to intervene. Don't wait to be told. Ask.
• Avoid misunderstandings by asking the teacher when they want you to contribute, who corrects errors and what to do about discipline.
• Sometimes a teacher might feel you are taking over and some are not used to being observed. Be sensitive and keep a backseat role unless invited to participate. Sharing your "rapport" with a class is not always straightforward. Bury any resentments, clear up misunderstandings immediately and think of your colleague as an ally.
• Always remember that you are a guest in their classroom.

Talking time

• It takes time to get to know what the other person means. You need some meetings before lessons but do not over pester a busy teacher.
• Arrange a mutually convenient time of 10 minutes. Have an agenda. Prepare your questions and clearly outline your own suggestions
• The teacher might not recognise your need to talk about the lessons. Explain tactfully that you value their guidance and that you will feel more confident that you are giving their students what is needed.
• Remember that some teachers can be possessive about "their" students and like to feel they know best. Don't ever suggest you might know better, whatever the circumstances.

Manual links:

The role of an assistant p 2-3
Establishing a working relationship p 5-7
Being a pronunciation model p 65
Planning discussion work with teachers p 46
Team teaching tips p 8
Learning approaches p 13-14
Teaching approaches p 12

By Clare Lavery