Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 January 2014
183. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent of training in the bachelor of education courses for primary school teachers in the area of autism; if he is satisfied the teachers are sufficiently trained to teach autistic children in main stream primary schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55265/13]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware of this Government's ongoing commitment to ensuring that all children with special educational needs can have access to an education appropriate to their needs. I am satisfied that current arrangements are adequate to ensure that teachers receive the necessary initial education and have access to quality continious professional development programmes during their career so that they are in a position to meet the needs of students. In relation to initial teacher education, while special education has long been a feature of initial teacher education (ITE) programmes, the Teaching Council, the body with statutory authority and responsibility for the registration of teachers, requires the reconceptualised and extended Bachelor of Education programmes which commenced in 2012, to address a number of specific elements including differentiation, Inclusive Education including Special Education and literacy and numeracy. The learning outcomes of these revised programmes require the graduate teacher to be able to conduct a systematic, holistic assessment of learner needs, to apply knowledge of the individual potential of students, their disposition towards learning and their backgrounds, identities and learning styles to their teaching, to set clear, challenging and achievable expectations for pupils, to evaluate learner progress, to act as an advocate for students, referring students for educational support as required and participating in the provision of that support, amongst other relevant outcomes. Student teachers may also have access to additional elective courses with content focusing on special education. All primary teachers are qualified to teach in any primary or special school classroom. Teachers have access, through the Special Education Support Service, to continuing professional development in a range of autism specific interventions, including Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA), the Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH) and the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS). My Department also funds a number of Post-Graduate Programmes for teachers involved in Learning Support and Special Education. These programmes are specifically designed to assist all schools and educational services in meeting the needs of students requiring learning support and the teaching of students with special educational needs. Since 2007, some 2,000 teachers have completed these programmes. I have requested the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) to prepare Policy Advice on the Educational Provision for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The NCSE has commissioned research which will not be finalised until mid to late 2014 and I expect that this research will inform much of the work in preparing the policy advice. Accordingly, it is not expected that the report will be finalised until early 2015.
