Written Answers. - Special Educational Needs.
Nora Owen
Question:
232
Mrs. Owen
asked the
Minister for Education and Science
the training, if any, given to both student teachers and existing teachers to help cope with students who are dyslexic; if his attention has been drawn to the extreme shortage of qualified teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15776/99]
The existing full-time programmes of pre-service teacher training in the colleges of education contain appropriate elements to assist the student teachers in recognising and dealing with dyslexia.
In regard to existing teachers, training and support is provided within the overall in-service pro vision for remedial education. Courses are supported and directly funded by the in-career development unit of my Department. Course syllabi include training in the diagnosis and identification of reading difficulties and in appropriate techniques for remediation. In particular, there is a focus on the problem of specific learning difficulties, including dyslexia, in relation to diagnosis and pedagogy.
Many shorter courses for remedial and other interested teachers in specific learning difficulties have been supported financially by my Department. They have been provided mainly through the network of education centres, through teachers' organisations and through the programme of summer courses for primary teachers.
I have been concerned since coming into office at the shortage of trained teachers at primary level. For this reason I have introduced a range of measures designed to boost substantially the supply of trained primary teachers.
I ensured that the intake of students to the colleges of education in the current school year was increased to over 1,000. I am committed to maintaining this level of intake over the next number of years. Furthermore, I have arranged that B.Ed. graduates of St. Mary's College, Belfast who have studied Irish to honours level as an academic subject as part of their teaching qualifications will be recognised as fully trained.
I am examining the possibility of the University of Limerick providing a one year conversion course for degree holders who also hold the higher diploma in education and who have Irish either as part of their degree or to higher level grade C in the leaving certificate or its equivalent.
I further decided that from September 1998 all primary degree holders who also hold the higher diploma in education shall be recognised as fully trained for the purposes of providing subsituation service. Montessori trained teachers who have successfully completed the three year course at St. Nicholas, Dún Laoghaire which is recognised by the NCEA shall also be granted recognition for substitute service with effect from September 1998.
However, I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that the shortage of trained teachers in the system cannot be completely eliminated in the short-term. This shortage has been in existence for some years but, as a result of the improvements I have outlined, there will be a significant improvement over the coming years.
