Michael Creed
Question:402 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will establish a minimum contact level between learning support teachers and their target pupils; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18596/01]
Written Answers. - Special Educational Needs.
Learning support teachers have been allocated to individual schools or clusters of schools on the basis of the recommendations of the Special Education Review Committee Report, 1993. In the Learning Support Guidelines, 2000, it is recommended that the overall number of pupils for whom learning-support teaching is provided at any one time should be approximately 30. The guidelines also advocate a high level of collaboration between the learning-support teacher, class teachers and parents in the development and implementation of learning programmes for children who are selected for supplementary teaching.
The suggestions in the guidelines enable schools to design an appropriate programme of learning support teacher contact time. This programme should be designed in collaboration with the class teacher and principal to address the individual learning needs of pupils. It is, therefore, more appropriate to leave decisions regarding levels of contact time for individual pupils to the staff of each school.