This course aims to enable teachers to:

• Identify the elements of, and propose practical solutions to combating, the cycle of failure and discouragement in learning within the school.
• Analyse the attitudinal base for school policies on special educational support and construct practical solutions to minimizing barriers to achievement and successful participation of all learners.
• Gain insight into the mistaken goals of misbehaviour and set out clear strategies for a consistent school policy in managing behaviour.
• Construct guidelines for positive collaboration between teachers and special needs assistants and to explore collaborative strategies for the whole school staff to maximise support for learning.
• Maximise effective methods of enabling the involvement of parents, families and the local community in the support of special educational needs in a way that celebrates a welcoming and inclusive school culture.

• 5 fully interactive lessons complete with audio, links and exercises to complete
• A moderated discussion forum to answer course-related questions, share you experiences with your teaching colleagues and communicate with your facilitator
• A Reflective Learning Log where you reflect on your understanding of the course and how you will use it in your day to day teaching
• Completion of a course gives 3 EPV Days.  Your individual entitlement for EPV days should be checked with the DES.
• A course is expected to take 20 hours to complete
• Each course has a facilitator who will be in contact with you regularly and whom you can contact by email with any queries before or during the course

Sean Griffin

Sean Griffin M.Ed., Dip.Sp.Ed., has spent over 20 years as a primary school teacher and has worked with all age groups of children both in mainstream and in special school settings. In addition, he was a principal of a special school for children and young people with autism spectrum disorders. Since the mid 1990s he has worked in initial teacher education and is currently Academic Head and Director of Special Education Studies in St. Nicholas Montessori College Ireland. He also contributes part-time to postgraduate and continuing professional development programmes in Trinity College Dublin and in Dublin City University.

He is the founder editor of REACH Journal of Special Needs Education in Ireland which has been published twice yearly by the Irish Association of Teachers in Special Education for the past 21 years. He is co-author with Michael Shevlin of Responding to Special Educational Needs – an Irish perspective published by Gill and Macmillan in 2007.

Sean is coordinator of studies in Additional Learning Needs/Special Education in Hibernia College.

Email Sean Griffin