Primary and post-primary schools make provision for pupils’ special educational needs (SEN) through a continuum of interventions ranging from additional support teaching in mainstream schools to placement in a special class, or in some cases, enrolment in a special school. Schools are provided with the resources, through the special education teacher allocation model, to assist them in meeting the needs of their students, including those with language difficulties. Schools are required to target their additional resources at those students requiring the greatest level of support.
The Continuum of Support recognises that some pupils may experience difficulty in the acquisition of literacy skills at any stage of their development, and provides a pathway for schools to respond to their needs. It is important to recognise that literacy difficulties exist on a continuum, from mild and/or transient to those which are more severe and persistent. While the majority of pupils should demonstrate progress following targeted literacy intervention, a small percentage may experience difficulties that persist despite evidence-based interventions provided in school.
When allocating resources, schools take into account the learning needs of students as evidenced by performance in schools and by information provided regarding the nature of a condition that a student may have. Specific interventions are therefore tailored by the school to the individual’s needs, rather than being generic to a specific difficulty, disability or condition.
It is a matter for schools to monitor and utilise their allocation of additional teaching resources to best support the needs of identified pupils, in accordance with the Department's guidance. The teaching time afforded to each individual pupil is decided and managed by schools, taking into account each child's individual learning needs.
Psychologists from the Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) work with schools using a problem-solving model to help schools identify need and interventions to support those needs. Teachers may consult their NEPS psychologist for advice, where necessary.
The Department also provides for special schools and special class placements where more intensive and supportive interventions are provided.
The Department’s Inspectorate was requested to evaluate provision in special classes for children and young people with a Specific Learning Disability (SLD). There are thirteen such classes in ten mainstream primary schools located across the country, though mainly in urban settings.
The purpose of the evaluations was to examine the quality of provision for children and young people with SLD, with particular reference to understanding the placement of children and young people in these classes and to identifying the strengths and areas for improvement in learning and teaching in these classes. This Inspectorate’s report ‘Inspectors Report on Evaluation of Educational Provision for Children and Young People with a Specific Learning Disability - www.google.ie/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiElNTY7cGEAxXgWEEAHeJ7ApoQFnoECA4QAw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.gov.ie%2F259594%2F0a8c612b-46fd-451f-bdab-462ef86c0dc7.pdf&usg=AOvVaw0JEo1Aurvq40LTkTw38Ly4&opi=89978449
- is recently published and is intended to inform the development of policy in the Department’s Special Education Section in relation to future provision of children with SLD, in the context of emerging international trends for inclusion.
Special Education Section will consider the findings and recommendations of the Inspectorate report and may, in time, request the Inspectorate to review provision for children with SLD in special schools. The Department’s Special Education Section will be engaging with the NCSE in respect of the findings in the Inspectorate report and with a view to progressing the recommendations.
The Department has provided very considerable additional resources to mainstream schools in recent years to assist them in meeting the needs of pupils with special educational needs, including those with SLD. This includes thousands of additional special education teachers (SETs) and special needs assistants (SNAs). Provision for pupils is governed by The Continuum of Support and a range of guidance documents, resources and training opportunities is available to schools to inform their approaches to meeting the needs of pupils with special educational needs.
It is important to note that the Department does not promote one particular approach for meeting the needs of children with dyslexia, or other educational needs and advises that children will benefit most where a range of teaching approaches is employed by class teachers.
