Good post about T.A.s. When I teach middle school I prefer not to have a T.A. so my students will be forced to pay attention to my instructions so they will know what we are about to do.

At a run-of-the-mill rural senior middle school, I think a TA is of use. But I personally do not wish 16 classes/week with 16 distinct subject teachers acting as TA. I prefer the same TA to enter every classroom with me and follow the lesson plan we have prepared in advance in unison.

I think a TA is also of use at junior middle schools, probably more so, as the behavior of the children is potentially a much bigger problem than students of senior middle schools. Their lack of maturity, very poor English as a rule, and the classes being rather big create said problem.

But when I teach little kids a T.A. is essential. Children have a short attention span and you need someone to tell the children, in their own language, to stop throwing things or fighting with each other.

Agreed, but a TA in that situation can also do some simple interpreting, and ask the little horrors to translate some key words from Chinese into English and let the FT say the English words, followed by the children saying what they mean in Chinese. Of course, pictures can be used as a teaching aid.

I'm afraid I haven't the patience to teach English learners of junior middle school or elementary school or kindergarten. But that's just me!