SKILLS
(Support for Kids in Learning and Language Strategies)
Online Programme
for Parents and School Support Staff
2018 – 2019
| Is your primary school looking to improve pupils’ behaviour and your relationship with parents?
Are you interested to be involved in a small pilot evaluation of an online programme for 1:1 teaching assistants and parents? If so, we invite you to join an exciting project … |
If you are interested in joining this study, please email margiad.williams@bangor.ac.uk or telephone 01248 383627
| What is the SKILLS online programme and how will it benefit my school? | The SKILLS (Support for Kids In Learning and Language Strategies) online programme consists of six sessions (five content and one review session).
The five topics are:
In this study the aim of the programme is to improve the level of skills of teaching assistants and parents by providing them with the positive behaviour change strategies that could potentially improve outcomes for children with additional learning needs and/or behavioural challenges. Sessions are delivered weekly. Video examples of positive strategies and quizzes at the end of each session are included to reinforce learning. Assignments are then set for the week. SKILLS may benefit your school in the following ways:
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| How do we know that SKILLS is effective? | SKILLS is based on the ‘Little Parent Handbook’ that describes key strategies and tools for promoting positive parent-child relationships. The book is based on 30 years’ work with families of children with behaviour problems. The book was recently adapted into a web-based parenting programme for parents of children aged 3-8 years (Owen, 2018) and was effective in increasing positive parenting behaviours and reducing challenging behaviour.
A further adaptation was recently developed for teaching assistants with added content for the classroom setting (Jones, 2018). The results showed a significant increase in staff competence and strategies to prompt language. Owen, D. A. (2018). Evaluation of the COPING parent online universal programme (PhD Thesis). Bangor University, UK. Jones, A. R. (2018). An evaluation of the SKILLS online programme for school support staff (Master’s Thesis). Bangor University, UK. |
| Which pupils/staff will benefit from SKILLS? | SKILLS is designed for teaching assistants who spend at least some of their time supporting a child aged 3-7 years on a 1:1 basis. These children may need extra support due to behavioural challenges or additional learning needs. The programme will also be offered to the parent of the same child with whom the teaching assistant is working. |
| What will schools need to contribute? | For the project to run effectively, there are important contributions for each school involved in the study. Each school will need to:
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| What is the cost per school? | Teaching assistants and parents will be asked to complete a number of questionnaires examining behaviour, competence, and stress. There will also be a 20-minute observation of the teaching assistant with the child at school and the parent with the child at home. The observation will consist of a 10-minute play session and 10-minutes sharing a book with the child. It will be video recorded for later analysis. |
| What happens next? | If you are interested in joining this study or would like more information, please email margiad.williams@bangor.ac.uk or telephone01248 383627. |
Project Team
| Name | Role | Organisation | Contact details |
| Professor Judy Hutchings | Director | Centre for Evidence Based Early Intervention (CEBEI), Bangor University | j.hutchings@bangor.ac.uk Office: 01248 383625 |
| Dr Margiad Williams | Research Officer | CEBEI, Bangor University | margiad.williams@bangor.ac.uk Office: 01248 383627 |
| Julia Thomson | Masters student | CEBEI, Bangor University | jlt18pgj@bangor.ac.uk Office: 01248 382193 |
