Written answers

Wednesday, 15 June 2005

Department of Education and Science

Special Educational Needs

9:00 pm

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 315: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the action she has taken to date on foot of her assessment of the needs of pupils with dyslexia; and the recommendations which remain to be implemented. [20268/05]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The report of the task force on dyslexia contains over 60 individual recommendations ranging across a wide variety of issues from identification and assessment, to models of service delivery, specialist training for service providers, to issues relating to structural reforms and the maintenance of a database of pupils with specific learning difficulties, including dyslexia, who are in receipt of special education services in primary and post-primary schools.

Since the task force reported, several initiatives have been taken in the area of dyslexia. These include: the introduction of the first ever on-line training course for teachers catering for pupils with dyslexia; the appointment of ten new learning support trainers to the primary curriculum support programme, specifically to provide in-depth support for the implementation of learning support guidelines for children with dyslexia; a reduction from 11:1 to 9:1 in the pupil-teacher ratio applicable to special classes catering for pupils with dyslexia; the development, in association with the Department of Education in Northern Ireland, of an information resource on dyslexia to be made available in CD-ROM, DVD and video format.

In addition to the above measures, a key focus of my Department has been on advancing the fundamental structural and legislative measures, which are necessary to underpin the development and delivery of services for persons with special needs, including children with dyslexia.

A key development on the structural front has been the Government's decision to approve the establishment of the National Council for Special Education. The National Council for Special Education, which became operational on 1 January 2005, now processes applications for special educational needs supports. The council has a key role in the development and delivery of services for persons with special educational needs, including children with dyslexia. It will have a research and advisory role and will establish expert groups to consider specific areas of special needs provision. It will also establish a consultative forum to facilitate inputs from the education partners and other interested parties. The council has a local area presence through a network of 71 special educational needs organisers.

On the legislative front, the Oireachtas has approved the Education for Persons with Special Needs Act 2004. This act sets out the rights and entitlements of persons with special educational needs, including dyslexia, to an appropriate education service and provides the necessary framework for effective service delivery.

My Department also provides funding to schools for the purchase of specialised equipment such as computers to assist children with special educational needs, including children with dyslexia, with their education where such equipment is recommended by relevant professionals. Schools can apply to the local special educational needs organiser directly for this support. Training is available through the 21 teacher education centres nationally for teachers using ICT and assisting technologies to support pupils with special educational needs, including those with dyslexia.

The provision of resources to address the learning difficulties of children with low levels of achievement in reading has been given a very high priority by my Department. Last month, I announced that 660 additional special needs teaching posts will be put in place in primary schools from next September to cater for the needs of pupils with high incidence special needs, including pupils with dyslexia. Every primary school will be allocated resource teaching hours, based on their enrolment figures to cater for this pupil cohort.

One in five of the teachers in primary schools is allocated for the support of children with special educational needs including those with dyslexia. Where the condition of a pupil with dyslexia is of a more serious nature, provision can be made in one of the four special schools or 23 special classes attached to ordinary primary schools and dedicated to the needs of children with dyslexia. All special schools and special classes for such children operate at a reduced pupil-teacher ratio of 9:1.

At second level, each school in the free education scheme or block grant scheme with an enrolment of fewer than 600 recognised pupils, excluding pupils on post-leaving certificate programmes, receives an allocation of 0.5 of a learning support post. Schools with an enrolment of 600 such pupils and more receive a full learning support post. The Department also allocates resource teacher posts and special needs assistant posts to second level schools and vocational education committees to cater for pupils with special needs, including pupils with dyslexia.

There are a total of 528 remedial-learning support teachers, 620 guidance posts and 1,388 whole-time equivalent resource teachers in place. Additional special support services are being made available on an ongoing basis in response to identified needs. A further 100 posts will be allocated for guidance from the commencement of the 2005-06 school year. Second level pupils with specific learning disability are normally integrated into mainstream classes. In such situations, they may receive additional tutorial support through the remedial teacher, guidance counsellor and subject teacher. Depending on the degree of the condition, they may also be eligible for special arrangements in the certificate examinations.

In September 2003, my Department established the special education support service to manage, co-ordinate and develop a range of supports in response to identified training needs. The special education support service, which is hosted in County Laois Education Centre, provides a nationwide service to teachers and special needs assistants. As part of its response to the growing demand from teachers for support and training, the special education support service is developing teams of trainers to deliver training in four specific areas, autism, challenging behaviour, dyslexia and inclusion. This training will be delivered locally through the education centre network.

My Department is continuing to prioritise the development of the network of special educational provision for children with special educational needs, including children with dyslexia and I believe that the steps taken in recent years and those in hand represent significant progress in the development of those services.

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