Australian Opportunities for Teaching Assistants

Our opportunities Down Under aren’t just for teachers! Work as a Teaching Assistant in the beautiful cities of Melbourne or Geelong, where you can gain experience, make an impact, and support your travels.

The Role and Responsibilities

Teaching Assistants play an important role in supporting students with additional needs in a variety of classroom settings. They engage with students on a 1:1 or small group basis and become well acquainted with the needs and academic goals of those individuals. While there can be some TA opportunities in mainstream settings, most of the need for TAs is in Special Educational Needs Schools and Settings. These SEN settings may include a unit or base as part of a larger mainstream school, or a separate specialist SEN school, and are specifically for students with a diagnosis of a certain level.

Each TA role is unique and can vary in responsibilities. It’s important to note that the fewer responsibilities you are open to, the less work will be available to you. This could include:

• Differentiating lessons and supporting engagement in the lesson or activity.
• Facilitating sensory relief and activities.
• Engaging with non-verbal students and/or wheelchair users.
• Supporting with feeding and toileting needs.

TA roles start out on a casual basis. Since you will be working closely with a few students with specific needs, it’s important the pairing is the right fit for both the students and the educator! But consistency is key in many of these settings, so repeat bookings or long-term roles are a common occurrence.

Qualifications and Experience

While you do not need to hold any formal certification to be a Teaching Assistant in Australia, experience goes a long way. You will need to show that you have experience working with children in either a professional or volunteer-based capacity within the last two years. Your experience does not need to cover the full range of responsibilities listed above, but experience of specifically working with children with additional needs is beneficial and strongly recommended.

You will also need to provide contact details for a minimum of two referees from these experiences, all of whom should hold a professional and supervisorial position and who have observed you working with children within the last two years.

If you’re interested in finding out more, please enquire and one of our Global Consultants will be in touch.