Diploma in Education Assistant

This course explores the lifespan development of early childhood, middle childhood through to adolescence. Students will draw on theory and personal experience to investigate and reflect on child and adolescent development, change, and diversity in relation to self and others.

Effective interpersonal communication is critical to the job of an EA. This course offers students a uniquely Canadian perspective on the importance of focusing on others in a variety of interpersonal relationships and contexts. As an EA, students will be exposed to challenging, complex situations that require a broad range of communicative abilities, from interacting with students, parents, teachers, school support staff, and administrators to helping write student goals in documented learning plans.

BCTF and CUPE BC recognize that teachers and teacher/education assistants play a key role in programs for students with special needs. This course teaches students the professional roles and responsibilities of an education assistant in BC. Guidelines of professional and ethical practice, and learning how to support the various and often complex needs of school age students is the focus of this course.

The practicum courses provide practical experience through interaction with students and staff in an approved educational setting. It provides the student with an opportunity to shadow and observe experienced educational assistants, to have student contact time and to participate in tutoring activities with students while supporting classroom teachers.

To help B.C.’s students thrive in today’s changing world, core competencies are a focus. These critical skills are the basis of our education system, and the key components of developing an educated citizen. The focus of this course is to educate prospective education assistants about BC’s new curriculum, and how to adapt concepts in a way that deepens understanding for the diverse learners they will be directly supporting.

This course is an EA’s educator resource that addresses questions relating to Indigenous learners and what is required of educators and the education system. Students will learn how to contribute to reconciliation for all by building greater understanding of the skills, knowledge, and perspectives of First Peoples for all students. EA’s will learn how to work with classroom teachers to ensure the inclusion of First Peoples knowledge and perspectives is done respectfully and without appropriating First Peoples knowledge.

Students begin a comprehensive integrated digital marketing project on behalf of a local business, applying their learning from current courses. They will develop and complete a capstone proposal (digital marketing campaign plan).

This course will provide EA’s and other service providers the knowledge and skills for positive behavior supports in school settings, thereby improving the academic and social skills of their students. An overview of positive behavior supports is examined, which includes measuring behavior, functional assessment and analysis, reinforcement, punishment, classroom structure, preventative procedures and interventions, cooperative learning and peer tutoring. The self-management strategies, social skills instruction, and school-wide positive behavior supports are vital points that will prove valuable for training purposes.

This course is designed for anyone who is now or will be working with children and youth with low functioning autism and related disorders. This course offers critical information that empowers education assistants to identify and implement evidence-based practices for educating children and youth with low functioning autism and related disorders. Students learn assessment and goal setting to data collection and analysis. They will learn how to use ABA to support students across social, communication, behavioral, academic, and independent functioning domains.

Provinces, districts and schools report ongoing difficulties ensuring students with disabilities have access to assistive technology (AT) needed for education. In particular, barriers to the use of AT during testing and limitations imposed by data privacy and test security requirements are posing substantial barriers to access, engagement, and valid measurement of learning outcomes.

This course offers professionals and educators tools and techniques to reduce behavioral challenges and promote psychological resilience and satisfying, secure relationships. Students learn how to use neuroscience-based effective tools and strategies for children labeled with serious mental health disorders (Conduct Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder, Reactive Attachment Disorder, Sensory Processing Disorder, Anxiety, Depression). EA’s learn appropriate strategies for dealing with students who exhibit aggressive behavior, disconnection and shut down, trauma and toxic stress.

TThis course offers an insightful introduction to teaching students with exceptionalities using real-life case studies to illustrate the educational realities faced by students with special needs, as well as their teachers and families. The case studies are compelling and inspirational and will help EA’s understand diverse learning requirements in their classrooms and encourage students with exceptionalities to reach their full potential.

The overall purpose of the Education Assistant second and final practicum is to assist students to develop the knowledge, skills, abilities and self‐awareness to provide effective support for individuals with diverse abilities. This supervised practicum will assist students to transfer theoretical skills through direct practice in the school setting. Through a combination of classroom instruction, ongoing supervision and direct practice, students will gain the ability to understand, translate and integrate theory and practice. Students will develop their own learning plan in which goals and objectives, and what they hope to learn in their practicum will be outlined. The opportunity for students to learn about a variety of settings and to demonstrate work readiness is critical to success.