JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

This study examines the professional performance of assistant teachers working with children with autism in the United Arab Emirates, with a dual focus on classroom instructional practices and parental engagement. Conducted under the auspices of the Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination in partnership with the National Academy for Childhood Development, the evaluation employed two rigorously developed observational tools across 45 site visits during the first quarter of 2025. Tool 1 assessed pedagogical effectiveness within inclusive classroom environments, while Tool 2 evaluated interpersonal competencies during structured meetings with parents. Quantitative findings revealed a consistently very high level of performance across both domains. Classroom observations yielded average scores of 4.56 and 4.55 (on a 5-point Likert scale) over two observation cycles, reflecting stable instructional quality. Assistant teachers demonstrated exemplary performance in supporting life skills and honoring Emirati cultural and religious values, each scoring a perfect 5.00. However, safety awareness, environmental risk mitigation, and hygiene practices emerged as relatively weaker areas, though still rated “high”. In the parental engagement domain, the overall performance score was 4.75, with peak results in empathetic and respectful treatment of families (4.92). The area with the lowest ranking, which is still rated as a very high area with a score of 4.48, was regarding clarity and professionalism in sharing student information with parents. This was found to be supported by qualitative results, which indicate that assistant teachers are caring, adhere to structured teaching patterns, and express themselves in a manner that meets the local culture. These are due to their high level of professionalism and commitment. Nonetheless, the study indicates that they can be better impacted with more training to guarantee safety in their everyday life and have more structured communication skills to improve their interaction with parents and the school community.