Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

88. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the supports in place for a child (details supplied) struggling with a subject; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11303/19]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The primary supports in place for a child struggling with a subject are the teaching staff in the school and the matter should in the first instance be discussed with them.

In the event that the child has a specific learning difficulty this should be brought to the attention of the school’s assigned psychologist.

Should a Special Education Need be diagnosed the National Council for Special Education offers support for parents through its network of Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENO)

The Primary Language Curriculum (PLC) is for children of all abilities in all school contexts; including English-medium schools, Gaeltacht schools, Irish-medium schools and special schools. It is an integrated curriculum — it has the same curriculum structure and components for English and Gaeilge to support integration and the transfer of skills across the two languages; it is aligned with the principles and methodologies of Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework which emphasises the use of play-based approaches to learning; and it has a learning outcomes focus as opposed to the learning objectives focus of the 1999 Primary School Curriculum. The PLC recognises the linguistic diversity present in modern day Irish classrooms and builds on the language knowledge and experiences that children bring to school. Furthermore, it supports children to develop positive dispositions toward language and literacy.   The PLC includes a differentiated teaching approach which allows teachers to guide children’s progress in learning at a pace that is developmentally appropriate for each child along a Progression Continua.

Exemptions from the study of Irish are currently granted in accordance with the provisions of Departmental Circular 12/96 for primary schools and Circular M10/94 for post-primary schools.  The Department is reviewing these circulars and a public consultation has recently been completed on proposed changes with a view to bringing the existing circulars up to date with current policy and in line with new language curricula.