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The article presents the results of a research study focused on the role of teaching assistants involved with socially disadvantaged students. Forty-six interviews were conducted with school principals, teachers, teaching assistants and socially disadvantaged students from 10 schools in the Czech Republic. The authors used thematic analysis of the interviews to identify five core categories relating to the teaching assistants’ role: (a) support for students and teachers during classes, (b) tutoring socially disadvantaged students, (c) support and mediation of communication between the school and the families of socially disadvantaged students, (d) support for teachers arising from the knowledge of ethnic minorities and their culture and (e) assistant as a role model. The implications for practice and research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]