Aide Responsibilities

Aide Responsibilities

Being a classroom support assistant/aide for a child with AS differs somewhat compared to other disabilities. Their role should be specified and all their job responsibilities written out and put into your child’s IEP. The support assistant/aide should be trained on how to do all this properly before school starts and be able to work with your child and other professionals and also with you, the parents.

If you are lucky to have an aide for your child, what should their responsibilities be?

The Aide Responsibilities Checklist (The role of the support assistant) is in the book: Asperger Syndrome: A Practical Guide for Teachers, Val Cumine, 2002, p. 32 – 33.


Check all that applies to your child’s needs and add to the IEP.



You might want to add the following to the list if your child needs them:

1. prompting child to stay on task;

2. re teach, if necessary;

3. priming so that child will be prepared to learn;

4. monitor progress on large projects or assignments;

5. assist child in organizing learning materials;

6. teach time management skills;

7. alert student to upcoming transitions;

8. teach note taking skills;

9. help child to develop creative problem solving skills;

10. facilitate child’s participation in group learning;

11. support child’s efforts at social interactions;

12. encourage child to assume leadership roles;

13. interpret nonverbal language and communication intent of others;

14. defuse potential misunderstandings;

15. assist child in acquiring tactful self advocacy skills;

16. conduct social autopsies;

17. encourage child when he is discouraged;

18.monitor child’s emotional state, guide him to using his Behavior Intervention Program;

19. encourage independence through scaffolding;

20. communicate regularly with teachers, special education staff, and parents;

21. chart progress in achieving IEP objectives;

22. support child in unstructured or less structured times:

-for AM preparation
-morning and afternoon bus
-during lunch
-for afternoon packing before getting on the bus.
-during P.E., Art, Music, Recess, Computer lab, library, etc.
-before and after school
-other