Vol. 532 No. 2
48 Mr. L. Burke asked the Minister for Education and Science his views on the availability on demand or otherwise of in-service training for remedial and resource teachers especially in the area of mathematics and dyslexia; and if he will ensure that such skills form part of the teacher training course if they do not already do so. [6890/01]
As is the case in relation to the provision of teacher training generally, my Department must be concerned to ensure that the maximum benefits are gained from the training resources provided. The provision of training on demand would be unlikely to provide an optimal use of these resources. One important factor in this context is that the teachers will remain in their posts as long as possible following their training period. In the area of learning support, remedial, and resource teaching, the general requirement is that teachers must firstly be serving in these capacities.
In addition to the major courses run in the universities and colleges of education for learning support and resource teachers, my Department also supports many shorter courses provided through the network of education centres, teachers organisations and summer courses for primary teachers.
Guidelines for learning support teachers have issued to schools. They deal comprehensively with the teaching of children with difficulties in the areas of mathematics and reading. An intensive training programme based on the guidelines is at an advanced stage of development.
The existing full-time programmes of pre-service teacher training in the colleges of education contain elements to assist the student teachers in recognising and dealing with children with special needs. The training of teachers in addressing the particular difficulties in the areas of mathematics and reading will continue to be given attention. In this context, the report of the expert group set up to examine pre-service training programmes for primary teachers, and with a requirement to have regard to developments in relation to children with special needs, is due to be completed shortly.
I also established a task force last October to examine educational provision for children with dyslexia. I expect to have the report and recommendations of the task force shortly. Classroom teachers in primary and post-primary schools, in consultation with learning support teachers, have the lead responsibility for the identification and remediation of specific learning difficulties, including dyslexia.
My Department has supported courses in learning support education for many years. Since 1994, there has been a national programme of training for learning support teachers. At present, post-graduate courses for teachers at primary and post-primary levels are held in six centres in universities and in colleges of education. In the current academic year 102 primary teachers and 72 post-primary teachers are attending these courses.
These courses in learning support education are funded by the in-career development unit of my Department. The syllabus includes training in the diagnosis and identification of reading difficulties and in appropriate techniques for remediation. In particular, there is a focus on the problem of specific learning difficulties, including dyslexia, in relation to diagnosis and pedagogy.
