Using Adults other than teachers in the classroom
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What are the pitfalls?
1. The visiting adult must know what to expect - tell them how many children there will be, what age they are, when to arrive and how long you expect them to stay.
2. Find out if the visit will incur expenses, and if so, make sure you can pay them.
3. Make it clear just what you expect the children to learn from the visit.
4. Do not leave any children to be supervised by a visiting adult only - you are responsible for their welfare.
5. Make sure that the children your class are prepared for the visit and have a few questions ready to ask.
6. If an adult finds it difficult to pitch the level of language to suit your class, you can intervene and 'translate', but don't be afraid to bring a visit to an early finish if you feel it is not suitable in language or content.
7. If you cannot leave your classroom, try to arrange for someone else to greet your visitor and see them out after the visit - not just for security reasons, but to make them feel valued and appreciated.