Vol. 430 No. 3
4 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education if, in view of the increasing evidence that thousands of school-going children have undetected and uncatered for dyslexia problems, she will initiate a dyslexia awareness week as a first step towards putting a proper school based dyslexia action programme in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
91 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Education whether she has satisfied herself with the type of remedial teaching available to children who are dyslexic; if she will consider providing part subsidy to assist parents in obtaining specialised courses; and if she will consider introducing more easily available concessions for children with dyslexia in state examinations.
138 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Education if she will give details of the support and facilities available to pupils suffering from dyslexia in post-primary schools; if she proposes to improve the services at both primary and post-primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 4, 91 and 138 together.
I am acutely aware that a dyslexic child if undetected and so uncatered for is in a very disadvantaged position and should be helped within the classroom. The central concern with dyslexia is that all teachers are aware of the signs and can detect them early. I am glad to say that primary teachers are trained as a normal part of their teaching training course to identify dyslexia and indeed a variety of other reading problems.
Remedial teachers have a complete module on dyslexia within their training programme. I believe that primary teachers in general are doing a very good job in detecting the problem early, but if there was to be an awareness week or an awareness day it would surely be best to focus on teachers, particularly those trained before we were all aware of the problem.
I certainly do not accept the suggestion of increased evidence of thousands of undetected children, but I do accept that greater effort is needed, even if there are tens of children going undetected.
I was heartened to find that there are already 945 full-time remedial teachers serving our national schools. Helping the dyslexic child is a central part of their function. However, I accept that even with 945 remedial teachers there are still gaps. Therefore, I have announced there will be 80 additional remedial teachers in our schools by September 1993.
The primary focus in dealing with the problem has to be the teacher, but individual attention from parents for their own child is obviously vital. The best remedial programmes are partnerships between teachers and parents, and I will expect individual teachers, as part of their normal role, to inform parents of the best possible approach in helping their child.
With regard to the question of examinations, my Department makes special arrangements for dyslexic candidates. They include the following: a candidate who is unable to read, or is very slow at reading, may be allowed the service of a person who will read the questions or a candidate who is unable to write, or is very slow at writing, may be allowed to use a tape recorder, a typewriter or a word processor.
Is the Minister aware that her reply is the same pat response handed by her Department to her predecessors, and that it is a whitewash?
Is the Minister not aware also that the classic example of putting dyslexic children into remedial classes is not only wrong but has proven to be damaging? Is she not aware that in fact these are the forgotten people, that dyslexia is to be found in every single classroom, in every city, town and county nationwide, that we have swept it under the carpet for far too long: that putting a dyslexic child into a remedial or standard class is the equivalent of putting a blind child into a standard classroom and throwing away the Braille books; that these children suffer from emotional problems, trauma and disorientation through being placed in standard classes? Would she agree that something solid and constructive will have to be done about this?
I do not accept Deputy Higgins's accusation that this was a pat reply since I personally drafted it. I might add that I bring to this House 15 years' experience of dealing with children with this problem. I am absolutely amazed at Deputy Higgins's suggestion that putting a child into a remedial class, or making remedial teaching available to them, actually does them damage. I might point out for the record that there has been established a special education review committee which has been engaged in examining the needs of children with specific learning disabilities. I expect their recommendations to be on my desk next month. That special review committee, armed with all the expertise required, will be making recommendations. Because of my specific interest and experience in the area I will be more than capable of responding to their recommendations, with the help and goodwill of the specific unit within my Department for that purpose. We shall consider their recommendations together, after which I shall come back to the House and give Members my response thereto.
Is the Minister aware that, in refusing to take on board the very sensible suggestion of holding a dyslexia awareness week, as has been done throughout Europe — I might remind her that 1993 is the European Dyslexic Association Year of Early Recognition — she is refusing to face the unpalatable facts?
Is the Minister not aware also that exhaustive research has proven time and again that dyslexic children are most unhappy, lose all confidence in themselves, suffer severe emotional problems, are perceived as failures, are often the group most subjected to bullying by their peers and, last but not least, that there are proven cases of suicide among them? What will the Minister do about scotopic sensitivity syndrome, a particular type of dyslexia?
I have not said I will not hold a dyslexia awareness week. If we were to hold such a dyslexia awareness week it would be sensible that the people who deal with this problem in the main, the teachers who can help these children, would be those who could best be targeted. As I have said, I await the report of the special education review committee and will certainly take their recommendations on board. I might suggest to the Deputy that it would be rather short-sighted to launch a campaign on a dyslexia awareness week as we in the Department await the results of a special education review committee. Indeed, it is particularly significant, in this European Year of Dyslexia, that that special education review committee will report and that I, as Minister, will respond to their recommendations. For the record it is important to state that thousands of children nationwide have been helped by remedial reading programmes. They have not been damaged or perceived as failures. Indeed the Deputy's talking about thousands of undetected cases would cause people more concern than my recognition that if there are only tens of children walking about undetected, they will be the children who will suffer as a result of bullying, who will have a low self-esteem and who are most in need of help. I assure Members that I will ensure those children receive that help. Next September we shall be allocating extra remedial teachers, which I hope will be welcomed on all sides of the House.
