| This article is an introduction to special education in Irish | | | | causes to school failure at second level but a hidden |
| secondary schools. The past then years have | | | | disability can often be reasonably suspected when one |
| witnessed a sea change in special education provision | | | | or more of the following difficulties become |
| in Ireland. The Department of Education and Science | | | | noticeable:oMemory problemsoOrganisational |
| has issued numerous directives and guidelines in | | | | difficultiesoRefusal to go to schooloProblems with |
| relation to policy, provision, structure and supports. | | | | written language expressionoDifficulty organising |
| Since 1998 there have been ten pieces of legislation | | | | thoughts into speechoInability to recall facts from |
| passed through the Dail that relate, one way or | | | | yesterday's lesson even if they seemed retained the |
| another to children and special education needs The | | | | night beforeoUnusual spelling problemsoUnusual |
| National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has | | | | difficulty with more advanced mathematical |
| been established along with the Special Education | | | | problemsoPronounced difficulty in foreign language |
| Support Service (SESS). Both these organisations | | | | classoBehavioural difficulties not present in primary |
| oversee and coordinate all special education initiatives | | | | schooloMood swings or sudden mood changes that |
| nationwide. Ireland's primary schools have pioneered | | | | last several hoursoReluctance to engage with parents |
| these new directives. Special education provision at | | | | about school difficulties |
| primary level is developing at a rapid pace and great | | | | Although a partial list it is a good guide for parents and |
| strides are being made. The next horizon for | | | | teachers to thoughtfully consider the presence of a |
| improvement is secondary school. | | | | hidden learning disability. |
| Ireland's secondary schools are driven by an | | | | I think my child may have a problem. Where do I go |
| exam-oriented curriculum. Subject area specialists | | | | from here? |
| teach all of the curricular content. The supports | | | | First speak with your child's teachers. Ask for the |
| available to children with special needs are not | | | | facts: what does teacher think the problem might be? |
| extensive or as tested as those at primary level. In | | | | How often is this occurring? When? Is it serious? |
| what follows we will look at the needs and | | | | Present your own perception to the teacher(s) clearly |
| entitlements of children entering secondary school who | | | | and succinctly. If you have done some Internet |
| have identified special education needs and those who | | | | homework on your own be clear about it and raise it |
| are entering and later discovered to have a special | | | | as a query needing to be resolved. Try and get some |
| education need. | | | | samples from homework you have seen and ask for |
| My child has been receiving extra help in primary | | | | some samples of the child's work in class if it is |
| school. What should I look for in a secondary school? | | | | appropriate to do so. Speak to the Year Head and |
| You should look for a school with a special education | | | | ask him or her to get some information about your |
| teacher in place on a full-time basis to support all | | | | concerns from all teachers. See if you can spot a |
| children with special needs in the school. It is important | | | | pattern that validates your concern. |
| to also be sure the school has a commitment to | | | | If you become more concerned then you have a right |
| supporting and educating children with special needs. | | | | to ask for an assessment. Sometimes the special |
| The school should have on its staff teachers who | | | | education teacher, with your permission, can perform |
| have had some training in how to differentiate their | | | | some individually administered tests to discover if the |
| methodology and curriculum for children with special | | | | child is seriously behind in reading or math achievement |
| needs. There should be an accepting attitude on the | | | | age. It is possible to discover if there are significant |
| part of all staff. Remember, your child is entitled to | | | | written language deficits in some cases. If this |
| enter fully into the life of the school and avail of all it | | | | assessment leads to more significant concerns then |
| has to offer. How do you find out these things? Talk | | | | you should request a psychological assessment. |
| to the school principal and ask questions about the | | | | These can be provided free by the National |
| topics listed above. Remember, your child may be | | | | Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) but be |
| eligible for special consideration at the time of Junior | | | | mindful that a lengthy waiting list may be in place. |
| Cert and Leaving Cert but this will have to be | | | | The most important thing is to be persistent and to talk |
| determined about a year before these exams will be | | | | to the right people. Begin with teachers, speak to Year |
| taken. | | | | Head, go to Principal if necessary and don't forget the |
| What is s/he entitled to? | | | | Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO). If an |
| A child who has been receiving special education | | | | assessment is carried out there will be a team meeting |
| resources or support in primary school is eligible for | | | | to discuss the results and to begin the process of |
| continued support at secondary level so long as they | | | | writing an IEP. |
| continue to have a special education need. It is possible | | | | In the case of a diagnosis, where do we go from |
| that a primary school child, after receiving several | | | | here? |
| years of support, could no longer be deemed to have | | | | If your child is found to have a special education need |
| a special education need but this is the exception not | | | | an IEP should be written. This is, as stated previously, a |
| the rule. | | | | road map to your child's education plan. It should be |
| Your child will be entitled to the same general provision | | | | reviewed annually but can be reviewed more |
| he or she received in primary school. Typically this | | | | frequently if it is decided to do so. The special |
| takes the form of specialist teaching from a Learning | | | | education team, often referred to as a multidisciplinary |
| Support or Special Education Resource teacher (both | | | | team, will be responsible for writing the IEP. You are a |
| are now often being referred to simply as Special | | | | member of that team. Your child is also entitled to be a |
| Education teachers. This support is to be determined | | | | member of the team and it is particularly important for |
| based on need with the number of hours of support | | | | secondary school students to participate in this stage |
| being determined by the Individual Education Plan (IEP) | | | | of planning. This gives them a sense of ownership and |
| drawn up in the last year of primary school. In addition | | | | control over their educational life. |
| to the IEP there should have been a Transition Plan | | | | Be sure that the plan covers all the areas of concern |
| completed during the last year of primary school The | | | | that have been discovered in the assessment process. |
| Transition Plan will devise the structure of transition to | | | | Plans for children with social and behavioural difficulties |
| secondary school and may alter the IEP for a short | | | | that address only academic issues are useless and |
| period of time. If this happens there should be a team | | | | doomed to fail. Special education planning is a |
| meeting in about six months or less to write the | | | | thoughtful and time-consuming process when it is done |
| secondary school IEP. In general students in secondary | | | | correctly. Don't feel rushed into accepting a plan you |
| school are eligible for the same supports as in primary | | | | don't think will work. Take it away and ask if you can |
| school. This may include a Special Needs Assistant | | | | return in a week to revise it with the team. This may |
| (SNA). | | | | not make you the most popular parent in the school |
| How do I go about making sure they get that? | | | | but it is responsible parenting. |
| Generally speaking your child's Individual Education Plan | | | | Possible Panels: |
| is the map which documents exactly what services | | | | Autism/Asperger's in Secondary School |
| your child will receive, when he or she will receive them | | | | There are large numbers of children with an Autistic |
| and from whom. The IEP is your best protection | | | | Spectrum Disorder that are having considerable |
| against a child not receiving the services they need. | | | | difficulty finding a secondary school to enrol them. The |
| IEP's will eventually become legally binding documents | | | | problem revolves around the lack of supports at |
| on all parties and a school must provide the services | | | | second level and the lack of teacher training in this |
| outlined in the IEP. An IEP cannot be changed or | | | | speciality area. Unfortunately there is little that can be |
| implemented without your consent. Remember that | | | | done if a school refuses to enrol a child on the autistic |
| upon entering secondary school a Transition Plan may | | | | spectrum. What is needed is the development of |
| be in place that slightly alters the previous IEP. This will | | | | resource support. By that I mean resource rooms |
| have to be reviewed within a short span of time to be | | | | where these children can get services by a specialist |
| sure the child receives appropriate support services. | | | | teacher. Availability to the teachers of advanced |
| Don't be afraid to talk to the school principal because | | | | training. Availability of print and video resources |
| he or she is ultimately responsible to see to it that | | | | teachers can access to learn more about the |
| children receive the services they are entitled to | | | | spectrum. Along with this there should be a |
| receive. | | | | whole-school commitment to inclusion for children on |
| What are my options if we run into difficulties? | | | | the spectrum so they are not isolated from same-age |
| Should problems arise you should first speak to the | | | | peers. |
| Year Head and address your concerns. The Special | | | | The education of children on the spectrum is not that |
| Needs Organiser (SENO) assigned to the school | | | | difficult once educators get the knowledge about how |
| should be alerted as well as the appropriate special | | | | to do it and have the proper attitude towards these |
| education teacher(s). A team meeting, of which you | | | | children and their families. Of course they present us |
| are entitled to be a member, can be convened within a | | | | with challenges but the good news is that once we |
| reasonable time frame and your concerns will be | | | | get it reasonably right for them we begin to improve |
| discussed. If this meeting does not satisfy you or not | | | | the education of all children. There are considerable |
| result in the child receiving the services you may | | | | challenges in the future to our secondary schools in |
| contact the National Council for Special Education for | | | | education these children and it is time to get it right. |
| further information and support. | | | | Those schools which stubbornly refuse to enrol |
| It is important to take things one step at a time. Speak | | | | children on the spectrum are in the stone age of |
| to your child's special education teacher first and be | | | | education. There is a clear choice for secondary |
| clear about your concerns. Be assertive and not | | | | schools in relation to these children: be in the forefront |
| aggressive. Remember, generally speaking everyone | | | | of change and development or be left behind forever. |
| is doing the best they can. Do have your child's IEP in | | | | Parents will not forgive or forget. It's time to get it right |
| front of you when you are speaking to the teacher or | | | | once and for all. |
| other staff member. Be aware of your rights to appeal | | | | ADHD |
| as outlined in the NCSE and SESS websites. Don't | | | | Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder affects about |
| rush to judgement, try and work things out amicably | | | | 5% of all children and adults. Unlike other special |
| before you make threats to appeal. The next most | | | | education conditions, children and adolescents with |
| important port of call will be the Special Needs | | | | ADHD are frequently blamed for having the condition, |
| Organiser assigned to the school. | | | | perceived as hostile or unmotivated, lazy or cheeky. |
| Hidden Disabilities | | | | When ADHD goes untreated it becomes a serious |
| Not all children who have special education needs | | | | condition affecting self-esteem, motivation, behaviour, |
| come to the attention of parents or educators in | | | | self-confidence and relationships with adults and peers. |
| primary school. The human brain is an organ that tries | | | | ADHD is a high-stakes condition and it needs to be |
| to meet the demands placed upon it at any given time. | | | | recognised that students who have it didn't choose to |
| As anyone who has gone to school knows, the | | | | be the way they are. |
| demands of the curriculum get greater and greater | | | | ADHD is a condition that is caused by brain chemistry |
| each year of schooling. In secondary school the | | | | and activity. It is a neurobiological condition. People with |
| curriculum subjects become incredibly complex each | | | | ADHD often have difficulty paying attention and |
| year. The fact that a student is being educated by | | | | concentrating, especially on things that require |
| many different teachers each year further | | | | sustained attention and concentration. The can have |
| complicates matters. There are students who have | | | | problems controlling their emotions and impulses, can |
| had no difficulty suggestive of a special education | | | | rush to finish things or have considerable difficulty |
| need at primary school who suddenly seem to have a | | | | waiting their turn. They often ask questions without |
| lot of difficulties in secondary school. Unfortunately | | | | thinking them through and sometimes make |
| they are often perceived as "lazy" or "unmotivated" | | | | unfortunate comments in front of others. |
| and sometimes as "difficult" students. | | | | ADHD is a life-long condition. One never grows out of |
| If these labels stick and no thought or concern raised | | | | it but the symptom picture changes over time. Often |
| about a possible learning difficulty being present the | | | | the impulsivity and high level of activity, if they were |
| student can become trapped in a cycle of failure and | | | | initially present, disappear in the teen years. The |
| rejection by teachers. The result could be early school | | | | learning problems associated with ADHD do not go |
| leaving, behaviour difficulties to hide the learning | | | | away easily and it is vitally important for them to be |
| problem, lowered self-esteem, loss of self-confidence | | | | addressed in school. As in the case of children on the |
| and trouble at home. It is important to recognise that | | | | autistic spectrum, once educators and schools get it |
| some students, no matter how well they performed in | | | | correct for children with ADHD they have improved |
| primary school, may have a special education need | | | | the educational provision of all children. |
| that doesn't appear until secondary school. | | | | Understanding is critically important. Adolescents with |
| What are the warning signs? | | | | significant ADHD do not chose to be in trouble with |
| It is not possible to list the many warning signs of a | | | | and in conflict with adults. Constant rejection and |
| hidden disability but generally speaking one should be | | | | criticism, constant punishment, and in severe cases |
| considered any time a student with a previously | | | | expulsion from school is not the answer. Corrective |
| successfully record in primary school begins to exhibit | | | | teaching is the answer and appropriate support from |
| difficulties in secondary school. There are a variety of | | | | specialist teachers is vital. |