Courses

This course is designed to equip education assistants with essential communication and relationship-building competencies required to excel in their roles. The topics emphasize the significance of strong interpersonal skills in creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment for all students. Students will learn effective communication techniques, develop active listening skills, and enhance their abilities to collaborate with teachers, students, parents, and other education professionals. The importance of the Educational Assistant’s personal self-care, growth and development is also emphasized.

This course equips students as education assistants in the school system by combining theoretical concepts with hands-on experience. Students learn to observe and understand the dynamics between education assistants, classroom teachers, and students with exceptionalities. Emphasis is placed on developing competencies for education assistants within the classroom where essential skills such as observation and documentation, guiding and nurturing students, and fostering collaboration with teachers and other staff members are learned. Practicum seminars will offer students guidance and assistance during their field practice while Professional Development Plans will track students’ progress towards their practicum goals.

This course focuses on the design of positive behaviour supports that enhance and motivate student behaviour in the classroom and various school settings. It emphasizes that behaviour is a form of communication and that the key to behaviour support is understanding what students are trying to say with their behaviour. The goal of this approach is less on managing student’s behaviour but helping them to build strong social and emotional skills which will lead to more prosocial behaviour.

This course will focus on the physical and mental health needs of students in K-12 classrooms and the role of the Education Assistant in supporting them. The importance of the physical, mental health and well-being of the Education Assistants will also be explored.

This course is an introduction to assistive technology and how it may support diverse learners in the classroom. Different components of various technologies, related to the needs of the users are explored. Ethical and technological issues that emerge when supporting children who use assistive technology, in K-12 classrooms, are also examined.

This course provides information on Autism Spectrum Disorder, including its causes, diagnosis, prevalence, and characteristics as well as effective, evidence-based strategies and approaches that education assistants can utilize to maximize support for students with ASD.

This final practicum builds upon the preparation of students for their roles as education assistants in the school system by combining theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience. The focus is on developing specific competencies for education assistants within the classroom setting, with an emphasis on augmentative communication and curriculum modification and adaptation skills. More advanced skills, including data gathering, writing, guiding, and caring, as well as enhancing collaboration abilities will be practiced. Seminars that offer valuable support and guidance during their field practice will also be attended. An individualized Professional Development Plan is created tracking students’ progress towards achieving their practicum goals. Students will be observed and given feedback and guidance from an EDAP faculty member.

An exploration of student diversity in contemporary Canadian K-12 classrooms. The aim of this course is to provide pre-service teachers with an intersectional lens, to explore their social identities, worldviews, and beliefs to better understand the diverse students they will be teaching in the future. Some of the themes will include: disability awareness, children’s rights and welfare, gender, race, religious practices, refugees, English Language Learners, at-risk students, mental health and trauma-informed practice.

An evaluation of psychological theories and research relating to learning and teaching, with a focus on: developmental stages, learning theories, motivation, classroom management, evaluation, inter- and intra-individual differences, and needs of exceptional children.