Learning Support Assistant Interview Questions and Answers

Learning support assistants, or teacher assistants, work with senior teaching staff in and out the classroom. They help preschool to high-school students in general, and any students who need special attention.

The following are frequently asked questions for learning support assistants (i.e. teaching assistant interview) with a guide on answering these questions.

Job Interview Questions and Answers
for a Learning Support Assistant

Question: What characteristics do you think are important for a teacher assistant?
Answer: This depends on the age and type of students you are dealing with. But in general, teacher assistants have outstanding interpersonal and communication skills and a talent for children and/or adolescents. Smaller children require a different “language” than adolescents. Cultural sensitivity and patience is also important.

Question: Do you have any experience working with students with special or additional learning needs?
Answer: Don’t answer in the affirmative if you have never worked with such children. But if you have even a little experience, definitely mention it in detail. Also, if you have no direct experience but you are confident that you have the talent for it, describe it and the situations in which you had the opportunity to practice that talent.

Question: What specific responsibilities did you have as a learning support assistant?
Answer: Learning support assistants typically help maintain order in class and during recess, and promote good student behavior. The more challenging task is to maintain student motivation and establish positive interactions among the students.

Question: What experience do you have assisting teachers in the classroom?
Answer: These responsibilities are typically administrative. Assistants report to teachers on class behavior and contribute student information to class reports. They help teachers disseminate information in class or among parents.

Question: Do you have any experience attending to students’ personal needs?
Answer: With very young children or special-care children, assistants attend to personal needs. They help the children take medications regularly, and attend to students’ personal hygiene (including taking them to the bathroom). They assist with eating and facilitate mobility, if necessary. Assisting with medication requires following LEA (Local Education Agency/Authority ) and school policies.