Higher Level Teaching Assistant & Child Psychology

The Higher Level Teaching Assistant Diploma (HLTA) course study modules are linked to the professional standards for HLTA status which set out for teachers, employers and parents the contribution to pupils’ learning that HLTAs can be expected to make.

The standards cover three areas:

Professional attributes (standards 1-7)

These set out the attitudes, values and commitment expected of HLTAs.

Professional knowledge and understanding (standards 8-16)

These set out the knowledge and skills needed by HLTAs to be able to work effectively with teachers as part of the professional team supporting learning.

Professional skills (standards 17-33)

These set out the expectations for planning, monitoring, managing and evaluating learning within the framework of guidance and supervision agreed with the assigned teacher and in accordance with arrangements made by the headteacher of the school.

UNIT 1: Introduction

• What is Child Psychology?
• Psychology As a Science
• Research Methods
• Underlying Debates in Child Psychology - nature nurture and personality

UNIT 2: Social Development and the family

• Child's sense of self and personality
• Attachment
• Privation, deprivation, institutionalisation
• Parenting styles and effects on child development

UNIT 3: Social Development

• Social interaction, learning and play
• Gender development (social and cognitive theories)
• Moral development (social and cognitive theories)
• Pro- and anti-social behaviour

UNIT 4: Cognitive Development

• Development of sensory perception
• Language development and acquisition
• Cognitive development
• Measured intelligence