Course Description

This is a 1 day course for Support and Mainstream teachers. This course will provide a substantial understanding into the teaching and learning of students with Language and Communication difficulties. It will focus on understanding the impact that language and communication difficulties have on students in a number of settings.

Anticipated Outcomes

Participants will:

• Understand what is meant by Language and Communication difficulties

• Understand the impact of a Language and Communication difficulty

• Examine the importance of student profiling and identification of individual student planning

• Understand the importance of focused and adapted assessment in establishing a baseline for their students with Language and Communication difficulties

• Understand the importance of focused and adapted assessment in establishing attainment and tracking progress for their students with Language and Communication difficulties

• Explore the concept of ‘Prioritising’ in relation to teaching and learning for student with Language and Communication difficulties

• Understand the need to plan to meet the needs of their students with Language and Communication difficulties and consider a range of effective planning techniques

• Be introduced to a range of effective strategies for improving teaching and learning for students with Language and Communication difficulties

Course Overview / Content

This course will;

• Explain the terminology associated Communication and Language difficulties

• Look at the impact of Communication and Language difficulties on their students

• Examine the arising implications in planning to meet the needs these students

• Explore methods for profiling students with Communication and Language difficulties

• Look at various forms of assessment as a tool for establishing student baseline attainment

• Look at efficient way of preparing effective individualised/group learning plans for students

• Understand effective target setting and understand the need to prioritise needs in order to ensure target attainment

• Look at the role of adapted and focused assessment in tracking student attainment and progress, preferred student learning styles, areas of strength and difficulty

• Present participants with the idea of a strategies toolbox for students at the school, classroom and individual level

• Look at the importance of planning for effective teaching and learning for students with Language and Communication difficulties

Information for Applicants

The course is open to

• Teachers working with students with a special education need
• Full-time Special Education Teachers who are currently working with student(s) with a special education need
• Participants will require permission from the Board of Management to attend. Typically, substitution for this seminar will only be allowed to classroom teachers with primary responsibility for students with a special educational need and if it is deemed absolutely essential by the Principal
• Typically substitution will only be allocated to non - substitute teachers
• Payment is not available to teachers in a substitute capacity

Refreshments and lunch will be provided.