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Resume example

Special needs teaching assistant resume example

In France, a special needs teaching assistant (AESH) sits beside one or several pupils with a disability so they can follow lessons in an ordinary class.

The support is set by a decision of the MDPH, the local disability authority, and can be individual, shared between several pupils, or attached to a ULIS unit. In practice you might reformulate an instruction, take notes for a child with dyspraxia, help a pupil with autism cope with a change of room, or support someone in a wheelchair during break and lunch. You do not teach: the teacher keeps responsibility for learning, and you adapt the conditions around it. You also attend the meetings that review each pupil's plan (the ESS) and share what you observe with the teacher and the family, with discretion.

Resume example

[First name Last name]

Special Needs Teaching Assistant (AESH) | Primary and Secondary Inclusion

[City] · [phone] · [email]

Profile

AESH with [x] years of individual and shared support in primary and lower secondary schools. Used to adapting materials, working with teachers, families and therapists, and contributing to ESS meetings with precise written observations.

Experience

AESH, [School name], [City]

[month year] to present

  • Supported [x] pupils with autism and dyslexia across [x] classes under shared support
  • Prepared visual timetables and step-by-step cards with the teacher to reduce anxiety at transitions
  • Took notes and scribed for a pupil with dyspraxia during lessons and assessments
  • Wrote observation notes used in ESS meetings to adjust the pupil's plan
  • Gradually reduced direct help so one pupil could complete written work alone

Resume headlines

  • Special Needs Teaching Assistant (AESH) | Primary and Secondary Inclusion
  • AESH | Support for Pupils with Autism, Dys Disorders and Motor Disabilities
  • Learning Support Assistant | DEAES Holder, ULIS and Mainstream Classes

Summaries for your profile

Entry level

Patient and observant candidate with experience as a holiday camp leader (BAFA) and as a volunteer with children with disabilities. Ready to support pupils in class, follow the teacher's instructions closely and respect the confidentiality of medical and family information.

Experienced

AESH with [x] years of individual and shared support in primary and lower secondary schools. Used to adapting materials, working with teachers, families and therapists, and contributing to ESS meetings with precise written observations.

Career change

Former [previous job] now working as an AESH after the initial training provided by the education authority. Brings calm under pressure, reliability and experience of [caring for a relative / working with the public], with a clear understanding of the limits of the role.

Tips

  • State the types of disability you have supported, without naming pupils.
  • Mention the school levels you know: maternelle, élémentaire, collège, lycée.
  • Show how you encouraged autonomy, since the aim is for the pupil to need you less.
  • List any training: DEAES, the AESH initial training, autism or sign language courses.
  • Include relevant experience outside school, such as summer camps or care work.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Presenting yourself as a teacher or describing teaching tasks that are not part of the role.
  • Giving details that could identify a child or their condition.
  • Writing only about kindness without any concrete support technique.
  • Leaving out availability, although contracts are often part time with fixed hours.

Working as a special needs teaching assistant in France

Search for AESH (accompagnant des élèves en situation de handicap), still often called AVS in everyday speech. AESH are employed by the Éducation nationale on public contracts rather than as civil servants, so the role is not limited to French nationals, but you need the right to work in France and a good level of spoken French. The reference qualification is the DEAES, though candidates with a baccalauréat or relevant experience can be recruited and trained. Contracts are often part time and follow the school calendar. Similar roles exist outside schools as accompagnant éducatif et social in care homes and specialised services.

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Frequently asked questions

Do I need a diploma to become an AESH?

The DEAES (diplôme d'État d'accompagnant éducatif et social) is the reference qualification, but candidates can also be recruited with a level 4 qualification such as the baccalauréat or with prior experience supporting people with disabilities. Recruits without the DEAES follow an initial training course provided by the education authority.

How do I show soft skills without sounding vague?

Attach each quality to a situation. Instead of 'patient', write that you helped a pupil build a routine for entering class over several weeks. Instead of 'adaptable', describe how you supported pupils in different classes during the same week under shared support.

Should I list parenting experience?

Only if it is directly relevant, for example caring for a child with a disability, and phrase it factually. Education authorities value lived experience, but the resume should still focus on skills you can use in a classroom and on any formal training.

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