Vol. 555 No. 2
230 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Education and Science if he intends to provide a special needs class in the Naas town area of County Kildare to cater for special needs pupils; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18261/02]
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the accommodation brief for the proposed new school in Naas, County Kildare, includes provision to cater for pupils with special needs.
The level of special teaching and care support provided to children attending this school will be determined by the assessed needs of the individual children involved.
231 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Education and Science the programmes in place to ensure primary school teachers receive training in teaching of special needs pupils who are in mainstream education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18262/02]
It is the policy of my Department that all teachers working with children with special needs will have relevant training. There has been a major increase in the past number of years in the level of additional teaching resources made available by my Department to schools to assist them in catering for children with special educational needs. This positive intervention has provided very significant additional educational support from highly qualified teachers in schools across the country. In this regard, I would point out that the existing full-time pre-service teacher training in the colleges of education contains appropriate elements to assist the student teachers in recognising and dealing with children with special needs.
These additional appointments do, however, bring with them the need for additional training in the special needs area and this is being addressed on an ongoing basis.
There is a range of programmes in place and additional programmes are being planned. Since 1994, a national programme of training for learning support teachers has been in place. At present, six centres – two universities and four colleges of education – provide postgraduate courses for teachers at primary and post-primary levels.
In 2000, guidelines for learning support teachers issued to schools and a major training programme based on the guidelines is well under way. Learning support teachers, resource teachers and whole school staff are included in this training programme.
In the current academic year 2002-03, diploma courses in special educational needs are being provided for teachers at St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra, St. Angela's College, Sligo, and NUI Belfield. This cohort of programmes will be expanded next year to include Mary Immaculate Training College, Limerick and discussions are ongoing with the Church of Ireland Training College, Rathmines in this regard also.
My Department also funds a professional training programme for teachers in the area of autism which is provided on a collaborative basis between the University of Birmingham and St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra. The programme is of one year's duration and commenced in January 2001. A new group is currently on the course in 2002 and the course will run again in 2003.
A comprehensive induction programme for newly appointed resource teachers is also under way in the current school year. This programme of training is delivered by the teacher training colleges and involves the network of education centres.
In 2001, my Department established a training team to deliver intensive training programmes for teachers working with children with autism. The team delivered training in the last term of the 2000-01 school year and a programme of training for the 2002-03 school year has been agreed and is currently under way.
In addition to the above, my Department provides funding for a wide range of shorter courses for teachers in the special needs area. They are mainly provided through the network of education centres, through teachers' organisations and through the programme of summer courses for primary teachers. In this regard, three e-learning courses were provided for teachers in the areas of autism, dyslexia and ADHD during July and August 2002. The courses were on-line for the months of July and August and 500 teachers availed of the programmes.
Guidelines for Traveller education have been produced for all primary level teachers and in particular for those working with Traveller pupils. The guidelines will strengthen the role of the resource teacher for Travellers and provide the opportunity to share expertise, develop best practice and promote an intercultural approach.
I should add, also, that boards of management of individual schools have some discretion in the area of funding for in-career development courses for staff. My Department will continue to address the training needs of teachers working with pupils with special educational needs. In view of the diverse nature of those needs and in the light of the increase in the number of teachers recently appointed, a review of training needs is continuing in association with course providers to further inform policy in this area.
