Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In my reply I outlined some of the teacher training that takes place prior to the opening of a class. Subsequent to a class being opened, resources are provided on behaviour management, language and literacy, numeracy, metacognition, school self-evaluation, CPD audit tools, teaching methods and organisation, assessment, individualised planning, and co-teaching, and other seminars on inclusion are provided.

The Deputy specifically asked me, on behalf of Deputy Carroll MacNeill, about psychological support and particularly about autism training when we know that the main driver of special classes is autism. In March 2022, the Department published an interactive guidance document, Autism Good Practice Guidance for Schools, as a resource for schools and their teachers. That guidance document has been developed as a resource for schools to support the needs of students with autism and it aims to assist teachers and SNAs.

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