Published: Sep 25, 2025 - The Instructional Assistant supports classroom teachers by working with small groups or individual students to reinforce lessons and promote independent learning. This role involves assisting with instructional activities, preparing classroom materials, supervising students during non-instructional times (e.g., lunch or playground), and helping with language assessments such as Azella placement and reclassification. The assistant also manages routine classroom tasks, records attendance, and ensures students understand and follow directions under the guidance of the teacher.

An Introduction to Professional Skills and Functions for Instructional Assistant with a Cover Letter
1. Milestones for Instructional Assistant Cover Letter
- Assist in providing individual and small group instruction, as taught by the classroom teacher.
- Assist with instructional activities, reading to groups of students, providing library assistance, etc.
- Help students with special assignments or academic problems.
- Assist with daily routine tasks, such as cafeteria duty, bus duty, money collection, hall duty, etc.
- Help maintain order in the classroom and monitor students to help keep them on task.
- Responsible for preparing instructional materials.
- Encourage safety, work and study habits.
- Assist in fire drills and other building security procedures.
- Escort students on field trips and at school, provide escort and assistance in physical and playground activities, and accompany children to restrooms and assist with toileting.
Skills: Instruction Support, Student Assistance, Task Management, Behavior Monitoring, Material Preparation, Safety Procedures, Student Supervision, Academic Support
2. Performance Metrics for Instructional Assistant Cover Letter
- Maintain bulletin boards, student records for daily attendance, lunch tickets, health charts and classroom supplies.
- Work with students who require individual and close attention.
- Assist in establishing and maintaining standards of student behavior.
- Alert the teacher to the special needs of individual students.
- Assist in implementing all policies and rules governing student life and conduct.
- Assist and monitor student behavior during lunch period.
- Assist students in opening and closing prepared food packages.
- Assist in the preparation of lunch periods and wipe tables between periods.
Skills: Record Management, Student Support, Behavior Standards, Special Needs Assistance, Policy Implementation, Lunch Supervision, Meal Assistance, Sanitation Support
3. Roles for Instructional Assistant Cover Letter
- Assist students with the location and use of the media center materials.
- Circulate media center equipment and materials, and operate media center equipment.
- Assist in shelving returned books, replace incorrectly shelved books, label and mend books.
- Perform a variety of office assistant tasks such as photocopying, filing, answering the telephone, taking messages and distributing mail, etc.
- Responsible for maintaining confidential files.
- Order supplies and coordinate printing needs.
- Maintain records of student absences and unexcused absences.
- Call parents if a student is absent.
- Prepare files and records for entering and withdrawing students.
Skills: Media Assistance, Equipment Operation, Book Shelving, Office Support, Confidential Records, Supply Coordination, Attendance Tracking, Parent Communication
4. Responsibilities for Instructional Assistant Cover Letter
- Work 1:1 with a student with autism.
- Carry out intense and discrete academic and social programming with the student.
- Assist the IEP team in developing the Functional Behavior Assessment and the related Behavior Intervention plan.
- Deliver consistent positive behavioral supports throughout all programming.
- Intervene with appropriate team-identified strategies when undesirable behavior occurs.
- Assist certified staff in developing individual student materials.
- Participate in team meetings.
- Assist certified staff in the training of other staff and paraeducators.
- Assist the student in generalizing skills to small groups and other instructional settings.
- Maintain student confidentiality at all times.
- Perform other related duties for the purpose of ensuring the efficient and effective functioning of the educational team.
Skills: Autism Support, Behavior Assessment, Intervention Strategies, Positive Reinforcement, Individual Programming, Material Development, Team Collaboration, Confidentiality Compliance
5. Performance Metrics for Instructional Assistant Cover Letter
- Perform routine monitoring and maintenance of the Learning Management System and associated technologies.
- Address tier 1 and 2 support issues as submitted through the ticketing system.
- Collaborate with Instructional Systems Administrators and/or Instructional Systems Engineers on higher-tiered issues.
- Provide routine preparation of learning management functions and services for each term start, including term-to-term steps for course section integrations.
- Use technologies to develop online learning documents and activities.
- Coordinate communication between information technology, the Schools and support units.
- Ensure deadlines are met and alignment between all parties.
- Provide support for mobile learning technologies.
- Act as a liaison between technical support services, students, staff and faculty.
- Provide technical support to troubleshoot and resolve issues at an application level.
- Create and maintain policy and procedures once processes have been established.
- Monitor and report instructional systems data.
- Maintain work environments for testing and staging to assess the impact of testing and changes to the LMS and related services.
- Participate in the coordination of routine upgrades and system modifications.
- Attend professional conferences and training courses.
Skills: LMS Management, Technical Support, Issue Resolution, Course Integration, Online Learning Development, IT Coordination, Data Monitoring, System Upgrades
6. Performance Expectations for Instructional Assistant Cover Letter
- Support lead ESL instructors with classroom tasks.
- Responsible for tutoring individuals or small groups of ESL students to supplement classroom instruction or prepare students for CASAS post-testing.
- Coordinate, plan, and/or develop tutoring activities for students based on their CASAS competencies and levels of life skills in English.
- Meet with ESL instructors regularly to give feedback on students in tutoring groups.
- Support and/or monitor online ESL activities and homework for quarantining or absent students.
- Substitute teach ESL classes that meet four days per week from Monday to Thursday.
- Support and monitor in-person activities such as registration, orientation, technology instruction, and CASAS testing.
- Use Quickbase for attendance and other reporting functions.
- Attend staff meetings, team meetings, and professional development.
- Support ESL evening programs once/week.
Skills: ESL Classroom Support, Student Tutoring, Activity Planning, Student Feedback, Online Learning Support, Substitute Teaching, Program Monitoring, Attendance Reporting
7. Success Indicators for Instructional Assistant Cover Letter
- Assist teachers in the delivery of the curriculum and planned curriculum activities.
- Interact with and guide students during activities planned by a teacher (including during times of brief absence of the teacher).
- Assist teachers in monitoring students’ learning progress using appropriate tools/software as instructed.
- Assist teachers in preparing teaching materials to enhance the learning experience in the classroom.
- Work with individuals and/or groups of children under the direction of the classroom teacher.
- Ensure the classroom environment is well-organised, neat and adequately stocked.
- Develop effective relationships with children, parents and teachers to support a conducive learning environment.
- Communicate effectively and confidently with colleagues, teachers, administrators, students and parents.
Skills: Curriculum Support, Student Guidance, Progress Monitoring, Material Preparation, Student Engagement, Classroom Organization, Relationship Building, Effective Communication
8. Operational Overview for Instructional Assistant Cover Letter
- Participate fully in professional development opportunities made available by SAS.
- Participate fully with a growth mindset with colleagues, teachers, and administrators.
- Ensure children’s safety during times designated by supervisor (e.g., before school, break, between classes, lunch, after school).
- Assist children with safe passage arriving and departing campus.
- Assist teachers and enforce protocols during times of emergency (e.g., during fire drills, during lockdowns, evacuations).
- Assist the supervisor in monitoring for safety hazards in the environment (e.g., loose tiles, loose safety rails, sharp objects).
- Use relevant software to manage all routine administrative duties, as assigned by the supervisor (e.g., take attendance, student lists for field trips).
- Take initiative to prepare materials, checklists and paperwork as required by the supervisor (e.g., stocking classrooms, replenishing consumable supplies, making trips to the bookstore on behalf of teachers, distributing mail).
Skills: Professional Development, Growth Mindset, Student Safety, Campus Supervision, Emergency Support, Hazard Monitoring, Administrative Software, Material Preparation
9. Benchmark Metrics for Instructional Assistant Cover Letter
- Work with small groups.
- Assist with Azella placement and reclassification.
- Assist teachers with instructional activities such as.
- Direct small groups of children under the supervision of the teacher.
- Assist children in understanding and following directions.
- Encourage children to work independently.
- Reinforce skills taught by the classroom teacher to small and large groups.
- Responsible for helping children individually.
- Supervise children during lunch, on the playground, etc.
- Assist teachers with routine tasks.
- Record attendance and other information.
- Prepare the classroom for instruction.
- Gather resources and supplementary materials.
Skills: Small Group Instruction, Azella Support, Instructional Assistance, Student Guidance, Independent Learning, Skill Reinforcement, Student Supervision, Classroom Preparation
10. Cross-functional Collaboration for Instructional Assistant Cover Letter
- Value and intentionally promote diversity and consciousness of difference.
- Address issues of social justice.
- Accept their shared role and responsibility in addressing opportunity and achievement gaps experienced by students.
- Close student equity gaps and engage in equitable practices, or are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about implementing practices that achieve these goals.
- Actively seek to identify, disrupt, and remove institutional and/or systemic barriers that adversely impact historically marginalized communities.
- Foster students' potential to become global citizens and socially responsible leaders.
- Lift and move equipment and furniture, and perform leaning activities such as dusting, sweeping, vacuuming, mopping, dishwashing, etc.
- Assume responsibility for center maintenance, including orderliness and cleanliness levels that ensure proper standards of safety and sanitation.
Skills: Diversity Promotion, Social Justice, Equity Practices, Barrier Removal, Global Citizenship, Student Empowerment, Facility Maintenance, Safety Sanitation
What Are the Qualifications and Requirements for Instructional Assistant in a Cover Letter?
1. Education and Experience for Instructional Assistant Cover Letter
- Must have the knowledge and skills sufficient to instruct students at the Instructional Assistant II level.
- Considerable knowledge in the specific laboratory area.
- Thorough knowledge of the practices and principles of child guidance.
- Ability to set up and maintain the laboratory and equipment in a safe, clean and functional manner.
- Ability to work independently to set up student projects that meet the instructional goals of the teacher.
- Ability to lift weights up to 50 pounds, depending on the type of lab in which the incumbent is working.
- Works in a lab setting with minimal exposure to safety or health hazards.
- Science Lab incumbents may have exposure to chemicals, fumes and related toxic elements.
- Good hearing and speaking ability to communicate with staff and children.
- Experience working with students in a classroom or structured setting.
Qualifications: BA in Education with 3 years of Experience
2. Experience and Requirements for Instructional Assistant Cover Letter
- Good knowledge and understanding of child growth and development.
- Knowledge of proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
- Working knowledge of departmental policies, procedures, and operations.
- General knowledge of modern office equipment such as typewriters, copiers, and calculators.
- Knowledge of clerical functions such as typing, filing and sorting.
- Knowledge of the application of classroom instruction and teaching.
- Skill in the use of general office equipment such as calculators, typewriters, computers, copiers, etc.
- Good written and verbal communication, organization, basic mathematical, and telephone skills.
- Ability to interact with co-workers, students and school staff in a courteous and professional manner.
- Ability to provide assistance to teachers in classroom situations.
Qualifications: BA in English with 2 years of Experience
3. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities for Instructional Assistant Cover Letter
- Experience supporting students in a school environment, both in small group instruction and one-on-one tutoring.
- Positive attitude and ability to work constructively with others.
- Teaching experience, as an aspect of the responsibility, includes co-teaching.
- Must have a CA Teaching Credential and be Bilingual (Spanish or German).
- Ability to work at a desk, conference table, or in meetings of various configurations.
- Ability to stand and circulate for extended periods of time.
- Ability to lift, move and carry objects of up to 25 pounds.
- Ability to see for purposes of reading, correspondence, documents and printed matter and observing students.
- Ability to hear and understand speech at normal levels.
- Ability to communicate so others will be able to clearly understand normal conversation.
- Ability to walk moderate distances, achieve full range of motion in back, shoulders, wrists, knees with no pain, sit in classroom chairs, and kneel or sit on the floor for extended periods of time throughout the course of the day.
Qualifications: BS in Child Development with 4 years of Experience
4. Abilities and Qualifications for Instructional Assistant Cover Letter
- Knowledge of and ability to assist in instructing reading, writing, and mathematics.
- Prior job-related experience, paid or volunteer, with school-age children.
- Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions and procedural manuals.
- Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
- Ability to speak effectively before groups of students, staff, and parents.
- Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where standardization exists.
- Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
- Able to focus on solving conflicts, maintain confidentiality, and listen to others without interrupting.
- Able to keep emotions under control, remains open to others’ ideas, and contributes to building a positive team spirit.
- Able to work well in the presence of children.
- Cultivate and model a respectful working and learning environment.
- Ability to work with a diverse population.
- Ability to respect confidential information.
- Computer skills to include the use of word processing programs, database programs and the Google Suite of products.
Qualifications: BS in Psychology with 2 years of Experience
5. Skills Overview for Instructional Assistant Cover Letter
- Knowledge of a range of high school courses, including but not limited to math, algebra, science, English, history/civics, and writing.
- Designed academic language, and/or specialized area of learning sufficient to instruct students at the specified level of achievement.
- Able to apply child guidance principles and practices related to children with special education needs.
- Problems and concerns of students with special needs.
- Safe practices in classroom activities.
- Effective methods to tutor students in standard academic subjects.
- Knowledge of techniques to motivate students to produce their best work.
- Able to follow classroom procedures and appropriate student conduct.
- Knowledge of methods, techniques, and procedures utilized in the care of severely handicapped children.
- Able to correct English usage, spelling, grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary.
- Basic computer operations and word processing software, including Microsoft Word (current version).
- Excel and Student Information System programs.
- General record-keeping, multi-tasking, congenial telephone and communications skills.
- Proficient knowledge of Spanish, oral and written, for personnel assigned to the ELD Department.
- Must have First aid and CPR procedures.
Qualifications: BA in Liberal Studies with 3 years of Experience
6. Education, Knowledge and Experience for Instructional Assistant Cover Letter
- Must have knowledge of and the ability to comply with applicable laws and regulations.
- Must have strong written and verbal communication skills, and be able to communicate effectively with clients and program staff.
- Must be able to maintain good working relationships with other program staff.
- Must be concerned with self-improvement and career development.
- Must be willing to increase basic knowledge of child development and early childhood education, as well as techniques of working with children with special needs and their families.
- Must be willing to participate in Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC) cohorts as they become available.
- Must be dedicated to the goals and philosophy of the program.
- Must uphold the program Standards of Conduct at all times.
- Must be able to relate well to all people of the community regardless of color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, age, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, disability, or socio-economic level.
- Must understand, uphold, and continue working toward accomplishing the mission, strategic goals and performance measures of the agency.
Qualifications: BS in Special Education with 2 years of Experience
7. Experience and Qualifications for Instructional Assistant Cover Letter
- Able to understand office practices and procedures, including recordkeeping.
- Able to use and operate office equipment, including computers and copiers.
- Correct English usage, including spelling, grammar and punctuation.
- Knowledge of a specific instructional area.
- General knowledge of accommodations and associated equipment approved for DSP&S students and distance learning classroom processes.
- Experience providing instructional or tutorial assistance to students, or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
- Enthusiasm for Science or Math, STEM technologies and technology systems.
- Must have computer proficiency to include use of basic software applications (i.e., Word, Excel, etc.).
- Ability to work well with students, parents, district personnel and the general public.
- Ability to organize and prioritize.
- Ability to communicate effectively (verbal and written).
Qualifications: BS in Early Childhood Education with 3 years of Experience
8. Problem-solving Abilities for Instructional Assistant Cover Letter
- Ability to effectively elicit/provide information to and from appropriate individuals (including, but not limited to, supervisors, co-workers, clients).
- Must have computer proficiency.
- Must meet all federal, state, and local requirements.
- Must have a certificate as applicable per state and/or client requirement.
- Must have above-average communication skills.
- Ability to work well with colleagues and children.
- Must have a qualifying score on the ParaPro Assessment Test.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with teachers, students, parents, and associates.
- Ability to use classroom and instructional equipment.
- Ability to operate audiovisual equipment, standard office machines, and word/data processing programs.
- Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, using the English language.
- Excellent organizational and self-starter skills.
Qualifications: BA in Sociology with 2 years of Experience
9. Account Management Best Practices for Instructional Assistant Cover Letter
- Ability to prioritize and meet deadlines.
- Willingness to be flexible and adapt to changing priorities and new initiatives.
- Ability to quickly learn and utilize technology.
- Knowledge and understanding of research-based instructional practices.
- Relevant experience in an alternative school setting, computer lab environment.
- Relevant experience in instructing or tutoring students in a classroom and/or computer lab environment.
- Must have passed the Kentucky Paraeducator Assessment (KPA).
- Must pass a job placement assessment (JPA) and a health assessment.
- Able to complete a physical and TB risk assessment (Applicant's Expense).
- Able to complete a Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN) check (Applicant's expense).
Qualifications: BA in Communication Studies with 3 years of Experience
10. Collaborative Teamwork for Instructional Assistant Cover Letter
- Able to work with children in an outstanding professional setting.
- Prior experience working with upper elementary school or middle school students in a variety of instructional approaches.
- Willingness to learn about, reflect upon, and support a dynamic learning environment.
- Must have flexibility and adaptability to meet the needs of the children and program.
- Enthusiasm for working collaboratively with colleagues, including the desire to support curriculum experiences across classrooms and disciplines.
- Must have expressed effort to collaborate with colleagues, accept feedback and conduct oneself in a professional manner.
- Positive attitude and sense of humor.
- Must be patient, flexible, and organized.
- Ability to communicate with parents.
- Able to collaborate and be a team player.
- Willingness to work under teacher direction and supervision.
Qualifications: BS in Human Services with 2 years of Experience