Description
Are you a paraprofessional looking for practical ways to support instruction without interrupting the flow of teaching? Do you want clear guidance on when to step in and when to step back so students build real independence? Effective support uses prompting hierarchies with planned fading to prevent learned dependence, and clearly defined roles and quick communication routines help paraprofessionals reinforce teacher expectations during whole group, small group, and independent work. In this course, Michelle Dragalin shares research-informed strategies and a collaboration toolkit so you can provide the right help at the right time, keep instruction on track, and strengthen student ownership.
Objectives
Identify core responsibilities of the paraprofessional role and key terms such as prompting hierarchy, fading, reinforcement, and independence.
Describe when to step in and when to step back so support strengthens learning without disrupting instruction.
Use a prompting hierarchy and fading plan during whole group, small group, and independent practice to promote student ownership.
Review classroom scenarios to determine the most appropriate level of support and the best teacher and paraprofessional communication channel.
Use a short checklist to judge whether support increased independence and maintained the flow of instruction, then decide what to adjust.
Develop a daily support plan and communication routine that align with teacher expectations, classroom goals, and student independence targets.
