Rethinking the Role of Pedagogical Assistants: Establishing Cooperation between Roma Families and Schools in Serbia

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by jay

The paper examines risks and challenges in cooperation between pedagogical assistants and Roma parents/families, including the assistants’ support work with Roma pupils. Roma learners and families face education-related difficulties rooted in prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination. It reviews Serbia’s policy introducing pedagogical assistants as a means to support learning and social participation and to build cooperation between schools and Roma families. It identifies segregation risks and reduced teacher engagement, then proposes an intercultural framework grounded in intercultural sensitivity and competence, with recommendations to minimize obstacles.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Roma educational vulnerability and barriers

Cooperation aims and policy context

Risks, challenges, and segregation concerns

Intercultural framework for roles of teachers and assistants

Rethinking the Role of Pedagogical Assistants: Establishing Cooperation between Roma Families and Schools in Serbia Jelena Starčević*1, Bojana Dimitrijević2 and Sunčica Macura Milovanović3 • The aim of the present paper is to examine the risks and challenges related to the cooperation of pedagogical assistants (PAs) with Roma parents/ families and their work with Roma pupils, as well as to offer further insight into ways to overcome these risks and challenges. Roma pupils and parents/families face numerous difficulties in education, which are reflected in prejudice, stereotypes and discrimination. The education policy measure of introducing PAs, formerly known as Roma teaching assistants, to the Serbian education system aimed to contribute to the learning and social participation of Roma pupils and to establish cooperation between school staff and Roma parents. The further segregation of Roma pupils and the reduced engagement of teachers in supporting Roma pupils and fostering communication with Roma parents are seen as possible risks related to the engagement of PAs. In order to minimise the risks, we propose a framework for defining and understanding the roles of teachers and PAs from an intercultural perspective. Relying on two concepts – intercultural sensitivity (IS) and intercultural competence (IC)–we elaborate the necessity of perceiving cultural differences in accordance with an ethnorelative worldview, on the part of both teachers and PAs. In addition, we outline the cognitive, affective and behavioural aspects of IC that we believe teachers and PAs should possess. Further recommendations regarding the engagement of PAs and the minimisation of risks and challenges are proposed. Keywords: Roma teaching assistants/pedagogical assistants, teachers, Roma pupils/families, intercultural sensitivity, intercultural competence 1 *Corresponding Author. Faculty of Education, University of Kragujevac, Serbia; [jelenas.psi@gmail.com](jelenas.psi@gmail.com). 2 Faculty of Education, University of Kragujevac, Serbia. 3 Faculty of Education, University of Kragujevac, Serbia. Premišljevanje vloge pedagoškega asistenta – vzpostavljanje sodelovanja med romskimi družinami in šolami v Srbiji Jelena Starčević, Bojana Dimitrijević in Sunčica Macura Milovanović • Namen prispevka je preučiti nevarnosti in izzive, povezane s sodelovanjem pedagoških asistentov (PA), z romskimi starši/družinami in njihovim delom z romskimi učenci ter omogočiti vpogled v načine, s katerimi se je mogoče spoprijeti s temi nevarnostmi in izzivi. Romski učenci in starši/družine se spoprijemajo s številnimi težavami v izobraževanju, ki se odražajo v predsodkih, stereotipih in v diskriminaciji. Ukrep spodročja edukacijske politike, ki je v srbski izobraževalni sistem vpeljal pedagoške asistente (PA), prej imenovane »pomočniki učiteljaza delo z romskimi učenci«, je vpeljan s ciljem prispevati k učenju indružbeni participaciji romskih učencev ter k vzpostavitvi sodelovanjamed šolskim osebjem in starši romskih učencev. Nadaljnja segregacijaromskih učencev in zmanjšan angažma učiteljev pri podpori romskimučencem ter slabše spodbujanje komunikacije s starši romskih otrok so v prispevku prepoznani kot potencialne ovire pri delu PA. Da bi teovire zmanjšali, predlagamo okvir za opredelitev in razumevanje vlogeučiteljev in PA z vidika medkulturne perspektive. Ob opori na dva koncepta, tj. medkulturno občutljivost (MO) in medkulturne kompetence (MK), pojasnjujemo potrebo po dojemanju kulturnih razlik skladno zetnorelativnim pogledom na svet z vidika učiteljev kot PA. Poleg tegapoudarjamo kognitivne, emocionalne in vedenjske vidike MO, za katereverjamemo, da bi jih morali posedovati učitelji in PA. Predlagamo tudi nadaljnja priporočila glede angažmaja PA ter zmanjševanja nevarnosti in izzivov. Ključne besede: pomočniki učitelja za delo z romskimi učenci/ pedagoški asistenti, učitelji, romski/-e učenci/družine, medkulturnaobčutljivost, medkulturne kompetence

FAQs

What is the paper’s main aim regarding pedagogical assistants and Roma families?

To examine the risks and challenges related to pedagogical assistants’ cooperation with Roma parents/families and their work with Roma pupils, and to propose ways to overcome these risks.

Which education-related difficulties are highlighted for Roma pupils and parents/families?

Difficulties reflected in prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination, along with broader barriers to access to education.

How does the paper propose to minimize the risks associated with engaging pedagogical assistants?

By proposing an intercultural framework defining roles of teachers and pedagogical assistants, based on intercultural sensitivity and intercultural competence, and outlining cognitive, affective, and behavioural aspects and recommendations.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by jay