Richard Bruton
Ceist:364 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of persons who have been trained in remedial education in each of the past two years; and the expected throughput in 1999. [18788/99]
Written Answers - Remedial Teachers.
Richard Bruton
Ceist:365 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of persons who have sought placement on a course for remedial teachers in 1999 and have not been accommodated; and if his attention has been drawn to teachers who have been waiting over four years to receive a placement. [18789/99]
Richard Bruton
Ceist:376 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of newly appointed remedial teachers who are in position without having received any prior training in remedial methods. [19028/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 364, 365 and 376 together.
Teachers undertaking remedial duties in primary schools are required to be fully qualified primary teachers. The pre-service training undertaken by all such teachers in the teacher training colleges includes specific modules on literacy and numeracy and addresses the methods to be employed by teachers in meeting the needs of children with difficulties in those areas.
Since 1994, there has been a national programme of training in the remedial area for serving teachers at primary and post-primary levels. Under this programme teachers attend postgraduate courses in the following institutions:
St. Patrick's College of Education, Dublin (DCU)
Church of Ireland College of Education, Dublin
National University of Ireland, Cork
National University of Ireland, Galway
Mary Immaculate College of Education, Limerick (UL)
St. Angela's College of Education, Sligo (outreach from Mary Immaculate College)
The number of graduates from these courses over the two years 1998 and 1999 was 148 and 158 respectively.
There were 394 applications for places on the above mentioned courses for the 1999-2000 academic year. Of these, 172 applicants were given places on the courses. Many of the remaining 222 applicants were not eligible under the terms of the programme.
Many shorter courses for remedial and other interested teachers in specific learning areas continue to be supported financially by my Department. These are provided mainly through the network of education centres, teachers' organisations and the programme of summer courses for primary teachers.
My Department does not have details of newly appointed remedial teachers who have not received training in remedial teaching methods. The Department will be examining the overall situation following the receipt of the school returns due this month, and steps will be taken to provide any further necessary training in the area.