Course Description

The Special Education Support Service (SESS) is presenting a one day seminar which will provide professional development for Special Education and Guidance teachers in mainstream Post Primary schools. This course will provide a substantial understanding into the current landscape of teaching and learning and set the context for whole school and individual planning for the teaching and learning of students with educational needs. This guidance is provided in the context of a revised model for allocating special education teaching resources which is being introduced by the Department of Education and Skills in September 2017.

Anticipated Outcomes

Participants will:

• Gain an understanding of SEN in its current educational landscape

• Develop an informed understanding of the context for whole school planning for students with SEN and individual planning in light of recent legislation and circulars

• Explore the resource teachers planning toolkit

• Discover the partnership in special education, with specific reference to the roles and functions of the Special Education Teacher

• Examine planning for all students with an educational need

• Focus on the promotion of positive behavioural, social and emotional skills

• Develop an understanding of identification, assessment, target setting for students with SEN

• Engage in individual student planning

• Explore planning and structuring provision

• Develop exemplars of good practice

• Engage in sharing of expertise among participants

Course Overview / Content

• Examining the current role of SEN within the Irish Education system

• Overview of the role of SEN in whole school planning

• Understanding the role of the Special Education Teacher

• Explaining the range of additional learning needs

• Understanding Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (EBD)

• Developing an awareness of challenging behaviour and its link to SEN

• Understanding the pertinence of assessment as a means of identifying student’s strengths and needs

• Examining the role of individual planning for students with SEN

• Identification of targets and actions for students with SEN

• Outlining the importance of monitoring and review of progress

• Workshop on formulating individual planning for students

Information for Applicants

The course is open to

• Full-time Special Education and Guidance Teachers who are currently working in a mainstream Post Primary school
• Participants will require permission from the Board of Management to attend. Typically, substitution for this seminar will only be allowed to subject teachers with primary responsibility for students 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.