Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 May 2024
85. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education if she will ensure that teachers who are working in special education and ASD units will have access to suitable courses of particular relevance to their teaching area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23136/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraEnabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) Support Service manages, co-ordinates and develops a range of supports in response to identified teacher training needs.
This service provides a range of Teacher Professional Learning (TPL) designed in line with the Cosán Framework of the Teaching Council and consists of seminars, post seminar workshops, cluster supports, communities of practice and in school support visits. A range of these TPL modules are centred on the guidance provided though my department's 'Autism Good Practice Guidance for Schools' publication which is designed to help school leader's teachers, special needs assistants (SNAs) and other school staff respond to the needs of students with autism.
Teacher's have a clear pathway to further develop their professional learning through the NCSE seminars and teachers are further supported through funding provided by my department via the NCSE to complete a variety of training programmes. These programmes focused on special education range from whole staff training for schools to post graduate programmes for teachers at Master and PHD level.
The NCSE provide specific training annually to schools opening new special classes.
In addition, the NCSE advisors provide in-school supports to primary, post-primary and special schools tailored to meet the needs of individual schools with specialist training provided where required to teachers and SNAs through the Middletown Centre for Autism.
Detailed information on the comprehensive programme of TPL seminars, postgraduate opportunities and on a variety of other special educational needs training supports is available on the NCSE website.
My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.
