Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 778: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason a person (details supplied) in County Donegal who has been diagnosed with a specific learning difficulty cannot be acknowledged as such by her Department due to criteria put in place by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9579/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department's criteria for allocating additional supports in respect of pupils with a specific learning disability (SLD) are that such pupils have been assessed by a psychologist as being of average intelligence or higher and having a degree of learning disability specific to basic skills in reading, writing or mathematics which places them at or below the 2nd percentile on suitable, standardised, norm-referenced tests.

It is generally accepted that the child with a specific learning disability has otherwise normal levels of ability, and the specific learning disability is not attributable to general learning disabilities. The pupil referred to by the Deputy attends a special school for pupils with a mild general learning disability. Such schools operate at an enhanced pupil/teacher ratio of 11:1 and the education provided in the schools is specifically focussed on assisting pupils who have mild general learning disabilities.

The difficulties described in the details supplied are typical of those shared by most children with general learning disabilities. These pupils require more concrete presentation of material, smaller steps, greater repetition and practice, use of a variety of materials, frequent revision and practical application. All of these teaching approaches are features of the work with pupils who have general learning disabilities, in special schools, special classes or in supported mainstream classes.