RECRUITMENT, QUALIFICATIONS, TRAINING, AND DUTIES OF TEACHER AIDES ARE DESCRIBED. MAJOR ACTIVITIES ARE THOSE THAT FREE THE TEACHER FROM NONTEACHING DUTIES (CLERICAL, LIBRARY, LUNCHROOM SUPERVISION, AND HOME VISITS). HOWEVER, THE USE OF TEACHER AIDES DRAWN FROM THE SAME SOCIOECONOMIC LEVELS AS THE PARENTS OF DISADVANTAGED PUPILS COULD PROVIDE A BRIDGE TO SUCH PUPILS ONLY IF AIDES ARE ASSIGNED TO CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES. AIDES ARE RECRUITED THROUGH NEWSPAPER OR COMMUNITY CENTER ANNOUNCEMENTS OR BY WORD OF MOUTH. QUALIFICATIONS VARY WITH THE TYPE OF COMMUNITY, SOCIOECONOMIC LEVEL OF STUDENTS, AND DUTIES OF AIDES. SELECTION MAY BE BASED ON PERSONALITY TRAITS, ACCEPTABILITY AS A "LANGUAGE MODEL," INTERVIEW OR NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENCE, AIDES INCLUDE CENTER-CITY UNEMPLOYED, MIDDLE-CLASS MOTHERS, AND COLLEGE STUDENTS. WAGES ARE USUALLY $1.50 AN HOUR ($1.25 TO $2.50). DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT FOR AIDES AND REGULAR TEACHERS ARE A SOURCE OF DISSATISFACTION TO SOME AIDES, BUT THE WORK OFTEN PROVIDES EGO SUPPORT. USE OF AIDES HAS RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT (1) AIDES AS CHANGE AGENTS, (2) PLACEMENT AND RESPONSIBILITY OF AIDES, (3) WHETHER MANY LOW-PAID AIDES ARE BEING HIRED WHEN A SMALLER NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL HIGHER-PAID PROFESSIONALS WOULD BE BETTER, (4) WHETHER MINORITY GROUP AIDES ARE BEING EMPLOYED IN PLACE OF MINORITY GROUP REGULAR TEACHERS, THUS SUPPORTING INFERIORITY STEREOTYPES. THIS DOCUMENT IS AVAILABLE AS STOCK NUMBER 381-11798 FROM PUBLICATION-SALES SECTION, NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, 1201 SIXTEENTH STREET, N.W., WASHINGTON, D.C. 20036, 32 PAGES, FOR $0.75. (AF)