1. SPECIAL EDUCATION SUPPORT SERVICE building on ability Madeline Hickey Deputy Director Special Education Support Service (SESS) 12 th May 2009

2. Overview SESS - The Organisation SESS - The Organisation SESS - The Support Service SESS - The Support Service

3. SESS : The Organisation  Established in September 2003  A nationwide service, serving mainstream primary and post-primary schools, special schools and special classes

4. SESS : The Organisation Aims: To enhance the quality of teaching and learning with particular reference to the education of children with special needs To enhance the quality of teaching and learning with particular reference to the education of children with special needs To design and deliver a range of professional development initiatives and supports for school personnel To design and deliver a range of professional development initiatives and supports for school personnel To consolidate and co-ordinate existing professional development and support To consolidate and co-ordinate existing professional development and support

5. SESS : The Organisation Department of Education Teacher Education Section (TES) SESS Steering Committee Director Assistant National Co-ordinators Administrator Secretary Cork Education Support Centre Deputy Directors

6. SESS : The Organisation Director Assistant National Co-ordinators Administrator Secretary Deputy Directors Associates (Part-time) Tutors (Capacity Building ) SESS Advisors (Full-time)

7. SESS - The Organisation Models of Support Telephone Telephone E-mail E-mail Seminar delivery Seminar delivery School Visits School Visits School Visit: Class Teacher School Visit: Class Teacher On-line Learning On-line Learning Use of External Providers Use of External Providers Capacity Building-Local Regional & National Capacity Building-Local Regional & National

8. SESS Publications ‘Cabhair’– SESS Newsletter‘Signposts’

9. Science Differentiation in Action http://www.sors.ie Click on all courses and select SESS

10. Useful Publications

11. SESS – The Support Service Work of SESS - Main Strands Work of SESS - Main Strands  Liaison and Contact with Third-Level Institutions  Supports Scheme – see website  SESS Core Strategy for Support Provision

12. SESS - Strategy Liaison and Contact with Colleges and Third-Level Institutions  On-going liaison with Colleges  Designing of SESS Programmes  Inputs at various colleges courses  Accreditation of SESS Provision

13. SESS – The Support Service The Support Scheme  Teachers / Schools identify their own professional needs  Website: Application forms  Consideration (a) Support (b) Funding

15. SESS - Core Strategy Dyslexia Primary Primary A Seminar on Planning and Intervention for Class Teachers A Seminar on Planning and Intervention for Class Teachers Post Primary Post Primary Dyslexia at Post-Primary – A Seminar for Mainstream Dyslexia at Post-Primary – A Seminar for Mainstream Teachers Teachers Applications – Support Scheme Understanding Dyslexia: Challenges and Opportunities

16. SESS - Core Strategy Autism Professional Development and Support for Schools with Autism Classes Units Whole-Staff seminar Whole-Staff seminar SNA Training SNA Training Post-Graduate Certificate/Diploma in Special Educational Needs (Autism) - St. Angela’s College Post-Graduate Certificate/Diploma in Special Educational Needs (Autism) - St. Angela’s College Development of Local Support Groups for Teachers working with Students with ASDs Development of Local Support Groups for Teachers working with Students with ASDs Support for Teachers working in Autism Classes/Units through school visits Support for Teachers working in Autism Classes/Units through school visits Behaviour Support Behaviour Support

17. SESS - Core Strategy Autism Social Stories Social Stories Hanen Hanen Floortime Floortime Assessment: Pep 3 Assessment: Pep 3 Intensive Interaction Intensive Interaction Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) Sensory Integration Sensory Integration Social Skills Training Social Skills Training

18. SESS - Core Strategy Autism 4-day SESS Course: Introduction to Autism 4-day SESS Course: Introduction to Autism Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication-handicapped Children (TEACCH) Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication-handicapped Children (TEACCH) Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)

19. SESS - Core Strategy Deaf/Hearing Impaired 5-Day Course for Teachers of Pupils who are deaf 5-Day Course for Teachers of Pupils who are deaf 1-Day Course: Resource Teachers 1-Day Course: Resource Teachers Language Assessment Language Assessment - Special Schools / Units - Special Schools / Units - Visiting Teacher Service - Visiting Teacher Service - Resource Teachers - Resource Teachers Funding: Funding: - ‘Post-Graduate Diploma in Special Education Needs: Hearing Impairment’ University of Birmingham - ‘Post-Graduate Diploma in Special Education Needs: Hearing Impairment’ University of Birmingham - Audiology: Oxford Brookes (Mary Hare Grammar School) - Audiology: Oxford Brookes (Mary Hare Grammar School) - Training in Irish Sign Language (ISL)

20. SESS - Core Strategy Visually Impaired Summer Course for Teachers of pupils who are visually impaired Summer Course for Teachers of pupils who are visually impaired Funding: Funding: - Post-graduate Diploma in Visual Impairment: University of Manchester - Post-graduate Diploma in Visual Impairment: University of Manchester

21. SESS - Core Strategy Challenging Behaviour & SEN Whole Staff Seminar Whole Staff Seminar School visits School visits Summer School Programme Summer School Programme

22. Transition from Primary to Post-Primary for Pupils with Special Educational Needs Challenges for Pupils and Strategies for Teachers Challenges for Pupils and Strategies for Teachers Comprehensive transition programmes will facilitate the pupil’s move to post-primary ‘‘Without such programs for far too many students, systematic transitions are the beginning of the end, rather than a new beginning’’ Anderson et al. p.337 Evening seminar delivered through Evening seminar delivered through the Education Centres for primary the Education Centres for primary and post-primary teachers and post-primary teachers

23. Transition from Primary to Post-Primary for Pupils with Special Educational Needs Comprehensive transition programmes will facilitate the pupil’s move to post-primary ‘‘Without such programs for far too many students, systematic transitions are the beginning of the end, rather than a new beginning’’ Anderson et al. p.337

24. SESS - Strategy Pilot Project Kids on the Block INC Disability and difference Disability and difference Foster positive attitudes Foster positive attitudes Promote inclusion Promote inclusion ‘What a Hunk’ ‘What a Hunk’

25. SESS - Core Strategy Post-primary  Seminars –Inclusion at Second Level:Catering for a diversity of learners’ –Dyslexia at Post-Primary –Challenging Behaviour and Special Educational Needs –Team-Teaching –Differentiation  Individual Education Planning Education  Transition from Primary to Post-Primary Centres  Individualised Support through Supports Scheme  Enabling Schools Project  Eagle Eyes Project  Post Primary Inclusion Presentations – www.sess.ie www.sess.ie

26. SESS - Core Strategy International Conferences Professor Tony Atwood - Asperger’s syndrome: A series of one-day seminars (May 2009) Professor Tony Atwood - Asperger’s syndrome: A series of one-day seminars (May 2009) Sue Lewis – Assessment of Language (Deaf) Sue Lewis – Assessment of Language (Deaf) Professor Amanda Kirby: Specific Learning Disability Professor Amanda Kirby: Specific Learning Disability Paul Blum – ADHD Paul Blum – ADHD

27. SESS - Core Strategy Meeting the Needs of Pupils with SEN through individual Education Planning 2-hour Evening Seminars – April ‘09 2-hour Evening Seminars – April ‘09 One-day seminars for Principals and 2 members of the SEN team – May / June ‘09 One-day seminars for Principals and 2 members of the SEN team – May / June ‘09 Why? What? How? Rationale Product Process

28. Cluster Groups Autism Coping with the Changes from Home to School Language and Communication See My Word Tree Grow Hard to Help Through the School Gates www.metc.ie SESS - SEN Cross Border Professional Exchange Programme (2006-2008)

29. Contact Details Special Education Support Service c/o Cork Education Support Centre Western Road Cork Telephone: 1850 200 884 info@sess.ie