The reality in Swiss schools has changed significantly in recent years. Classes have become more heterogeneous in many respects: children come from different linguistic backgrounds, cultural backgrounds, learning backgrounds and have different support needs. At the same time, the demands placed on teaching have increased. Today, teachers are not only responsible for imparting subject knowledge, but also for a wide range of support, supervision and administrative tasks.
The growing organisational workload and increasingly complex educational challenges have meant that many schools are dependent on additional support. School assistants are a direct response to this development.
Overall educational responsibility for the class always lies with the qualified teacher, never with the teaching assistant.
School assistants, also known in some places as classroom assistants or teaching assistants, perform a variety of tasks both inside and outside the classroom. Sometimes they work directly with individual pupils, for example when they need special support in order to participate in lessons.
In other situations, they help to provide teaching materials, supervise group work, supervise the class during transition phases, on excursions and in camps, support school events or take on minor organisational tasks so that the teacher can concentrate more on teaching. In addition to permanently employed school assistants, in some places, people doing community service and senior citizens are also employed.
Clear delineation of tasks
Despite their important role, the Swiss Teachers' Association (LCH) clearly emphasises that teaching assistants are not teachers. Overall pedagogical responsibility for the class always lies with the qualified teacher or specialist.
The planning and content design of lessons, the creation of learning materials, the assessment of examinations, responsibility for therapeutic and special educational tasks, and the conduct of parent-teacher conferences are also not part of the assistant's remit. They always work under supervision and provide support to enable teachers or specialists to perform their core tasks more effectively. This distinction protects the quality of teaching and ensures that children are taught by pedagogically qualified specialists.
For parents, this means that they should not expect a school assistant to make independent educational decisions. Instead, they can assume that the assistant will perform a supplementary role, which can be very valuable in everyday school life.
This enables them to provide more individual support to specific children, offer additional support and structure, or react quickly in challenging situations. Children with special needs in particular benefit from having an assistant who is always present and can respond to their specific requirements. This allows the teacher to focus on the whole class without losing sight of individual pupils.
No standardised qualifications
One problem is that there is currently no standardised training programme for teaching assistants in Switzerland. While some cantons have defined requirement profiles and created course offerings, others have very few guidelines. As a result, qualifications and skills can vary greatly. The LCH is therefore calling for harmonised standards that apply to all cantons to ensure that every child – regardless of where they live – benefits from professionally and personally suitable support staff.
The success of school assistants depends largely on teamwork between the assistant and the teacher and specialist. A well-trained assistant can work in the background without disrupting the flow of the lesson, or provide targeted support to individual children when necessary. Clear agreements and a shared understanding of educational principles are crucial in this regard.
School assistants help to ensure that children receive more individual support and that teachers have more time for their core tasks.
Pupils should also know what the assistant is responsible for and how they can make use of their help. This prevents misunderstandings about roles or false expectations.
Parents play an important role in this structure. They can support the use of teaching assistants by staying informed about the tasks the assistant performs and by providing feedback when they notice positive developments in their child.
It is equally important to maintain dialogue with the school without directly assigning educational tasks to the assistant. These are the responsibility of the teacher. The school management is responsible for the personnel management of school assistants . The LCH recommends a trusting educational partnership in which all those involved – teachers, parents and assistants – work together to ensure the child's educational success.
Potential with clear guidelines
When used correctly, teaching assistants are a valuable resource in everyday school life. They help to ensure that children receive more individual support and that teachers have more time for their core tasks. They can make a decisive difference for children with special needs or in large, heterogeneous classes. At the same time, qualifications, areas of responsibility and duties must be clearly regulated to ensure the quality of teaching.
For parents, this means that an assistant does not replace the teacher, but rather complements their work. Their impact is most effective in a professionally managed team where everyone involved knows and respects their role. With transparent standards, clear areas of responsibility and good cooperation between the school and parents, the use of teaching assistants can make a significant contribution to ensuring that all children receive the support they need, regardless of their starting point or where they live.
