Olwyn Enright
Ceist:194 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the way in which he intends to ensure that schools are able to identify learning difficulties at an early stage when intervention can be provided. [14979/02]
Written Answers. - Special Educational Needs.
The majority of primary schools already use norm-referenced standardised tests of literacy in classes from first to sixth. These tests are used to assess pupils' progress in literacy and to identify those pupils who function at a low level relative to their peers, and who may need learning support. As part of An Agreed Programme for Government, every school will receive support for the purchase of appropriate age-related literacy tests to assist teachers in monitoring children's literacy development and in identifying learning difficulties at an early stage.
A combined approach involving the administration of such norm-referenced, standardised tests and teacher vigilance is the most effective way of identifying learning difficulties at an early stage. In cases where it is felt that the learning difficulties are of a more serious nature, resulting possibly from a disability, the pupil may be referred to the National Educational Psychological Service for individual assessment.
Olwyn Enright
Ceist:195 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science if he intends to facilitate the forming of multi-disciplinary teams of teachers and other professionals together with parents to assess the development of individual learning programmes for children with learning difficulties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14980/02]
The learning support service provides additional support for pupils who function at or below the tenth percentile on a standardised test of literacy or mathematics. My Department has already published learning support guidelines for schools, and training for teachers in implementing these guidelines is already being given under the primary curriculum support programme. These guidelines already recommend that an individual profile and learning programme be prepared by teachers, in conjunction with parents, in respect of each child attending learning support.
In the case of more serious learning difficulties, or special educational needs, arising from a disability, it is accepted that multi-disciplinary teams of relevant professionals, in consultation with parents, should design individual education plans for pupils. I propose that in legislation I will bring forward to replace the Education for Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2002, the National Council for Special Education will have statutory responsibility for ensuring that each child registered as having special educational needs will have an individual education plan. The school the pupil attends, in conjunction with a special needs organiser of the council, will facilitate the formation of multi-disciplinary teams of professionals and parents, as required.
Olwyn Enright
Ceist:196 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the way in which he proposes to provide accommodation to students with specific learning difficulties arising from dyslexia in State examinations. [14981/02]
My Department operates a scheme of reasonable accommodations for candidates with special needs, including dyslexia, at the certificate examinations.
The range of accommodations available to candidates includes the use of readers, scribes, tape-recorders and the use of computer technology in certain cases. It is also possible for a special needs candidate to be granted an exemption from the assessment of spelling and grammar in language subjects.