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Check out this link to be redirected to the most update information on this year's Reasonable Accommodations scheme

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Catalogue of Resources for Post-Primary Schools

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Catalogue of Resources for Post-Primary Schools

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From Monday 18th September to the following Sunday, Deaf people all over the world celebrate "International Week of Deaf People 2023." This is an annual event promoted by the World Federation of the Deaf and the theme this year is " A World Where Deaf People Everywhere Can Sign Anywhere!

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Cochlear implants can help people who have severe to profound hearing loss. ​

This is when a person:

cannot hear speech at a conversational level

can only hear very loud speech or sounds

Even loud sounds may sometimes feel like a vibration.

Eligible patients can get cochlear implants for free through a national programme.

The programme is run by the National Hearing Implant & Viani Research Centre - nhivrc.ie.

What are cochlear implants

A cochlear implant is an electronic device. It does the same job as the thousands of tiny hair cells in the inner ear.

It responds to sound by turning it into an electrical response. This response stimulates the hearing nerve which sends a signal about the sound to the brain.

Who can they help

Cochlear implants can help who people may not benefit from hearing aids. This is because hearing aids work by making sounds louder.

If the hair cells in the inner ear do not work, even loud sounds cannot be turned into electrical signals and sent to the brain. In this case, cochlear implants may help.

Getting an implant

If you think a cochlear implant could help you or your child, speak to your GP, public health nurse, audiologist or ear, nose and throat (ENT) consultant.

They can arrange an appointment for you at the national programme for cochlear implants. The programme offers assessment and treatment at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin.

The waiting time for the first appointment can be up to:

3 months for children

9 months to 1 year for adults

Assessment

You or your child will see an ENT doctor at your first clinical appointment with the national programme.

The ENT doctor will:

examine your ears

take a medical history

ask the audiologist to do a hearing test with and without hearing aids

The ENT doctor will arrange an MRI scan if they think you or your child should have a cochlear implant.

Sometimes they will also do a CT scan. This is to check if it is possible to insert electrodes into the inner ear.

During the assessment, you or your child may also be asked to:

see a speech and language therapist

see a clinical psychologist

meet other people who have had a cochlear implant

After all the assessments with the team, you or your child will meet the ENT doctors again. This is to check you can still have the surgery.

They will:

ask you to sign a consent form

give you a date for the surgery

The time between the first clinical appointment and the operation can be up to:

9 months for children

2 years to 2 years 6 months for adults

Cochlear implants surgery

The operation can take around 2 to 4 hours to insert implants into both ears.

You or your child will stay in hospital for at least 24 hours after the surgery.

After surgery

Around 2 to 4 weeks after the surgery, you or your child will go back to hospital. This is to have the external part of the implant fitted and switched on. These are the speech processors.

The audiologist will programme the processor so that you can hear sounds.

As you or your child get used to the implant, you'll need to go back to hospital several times. This is so the audiologist can adjust the settings.

There will also be regular appointments with a speech and language therapist.

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A cochlear implant is an electronic device that responds to sound by turning it into an electrical response. They can help if you have damage in your inner ear.

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D.A.R.E. Scheme - Deaf/Hard of Hearing Students

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D.A.R.E. Scheme - Deaf/Hard of Hearing Students

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Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing will be assessed on the basis of evidence submitted with the DARE Application. Evidence for three categories of applicant are acceptable. A: Applicants who have an Audiogram (read screening criteria A B: Applicants attending School for the Deaf (read screening criteria B C: Applicants who are recipients [...]

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NCSE 2011 Report on Education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children 

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NCSE 2011 Report on Education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children 

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Visiting teachers are qualified teachers with particular skills and knowledge of the development and education of children with varying degrees of hearing loss and/or visual impairment. They offer longitudinal support to children, their families and schools from the time of referral through to the end of post-primary education.

Visiting Teacher Information

Click here to find out more information on the Visiting Teacher services.

Visiting Teacher Resources

Click here to view resources to support students who are Blind/Visually Impaired or Deaf/Hard of Hearing.

Visiting Teacher Contact List

Click here to find contact details for our Visiting Teachers.

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Visiting teachers are qualified teachers with particular skills and knowledge of the development and education of children with varying degrees of hearing loss and/or visual impairment. They offer longitudinal support to children, their families and schools from the time of referral through to the end of post-primary education.

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A better way to read Bookshare!

EasyReader is a FREE accessible reading app for readers with dyslexia, low vision or blindness. Browse & download from the World's largest collection of talking book and newspaper libraries, including Bookshare. Or copy text from anywhere on your phone & hear EasyReader read it back to you. Experience perfectly synchronized text & audio. Or for text only titles, EasyReader can add a human sounding voice of your choice. Boost comfort or contrast - choose colors, text size and highlights to suit your visual needs.

Make your books' text as big as your eyes require. Unlike other mainstream reading apps, there's no restriction with EasyReader. Zoom in with a standard 2-finger pinch or make fine adjustments with the simple sliders. There's never any blurry text or fuzzy fonts - your books' words are always crystal clear and always easy on the eye.

Navigate your books or newspapers by skipping directly to specific pages or headings. Search your book for words or phrases. Add text bookmarks or record your own audio bookmarks and return to them with ease.

Features

Direct access to browse & download from Bookshare & other accessible book libraries

Subscribe & read newspapers with NFB-NEWSLINE

Read with your ears & eyes with perfectly synchronized text & audio

Play audio books or add a human sounding voice to text only titles

Choose colors, text size and highlights to suit your visual needs

Intitutive search & navigation or add audio bookmarks

Copy text from anywhere on your phone & hear EasyReader announce it

Fully compatible with iOS VoiceOver & iOS supported Braille displays

Supports Bookshare's Reading Lists

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EasyReader is a FREE accessible reading app for readers with dyslexia, low vision or blindness. Browse & download from the World's largest collection of talking book and newspaper libraries, including Bookshare. Or copy text from anywhere on your phone & hear EasyReader read it back to you. Experience perfectly synchronized text & audio.

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Some Practical Tips That May Suit Visually Impaired Learners

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Some Practical Tips That May Suit Visually Impaired Learners

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The average classroom is designed for fully sighted students. But according to the CDC, nearly 3 percent of children under the age of 18 are blind or visually impaired. Some of these children attend schools specifically for teaching blind students, but others enroll in their local public or private schools. As a teacher, you may wonder how to accommodate these students to give them the best chance to succeed. That's why we've asked some experts to offer practical tips you can use every day.

What does it mean to be blind or visually impaired?

When you hear the term "blind," you likely think of someone who has no vision at all. But that's just one part of the visual spectrum. Here are some other terms you should know.

Partially sighted: A person who is partially sighted has some vision in one or both eyes. This term is frequently used in educational settings.

Low vision: This term describes a person with poor vision that cannot be fully corrected with glasses or contacts. In some cases, the person can see things up close but not at a distance, or vice versa. Others have poor visual acuity across the entire spectrum.

Legally blind: A legally blind person has vision that cannot be corrected to better than 20/200 in at least one eye. It also refers to those who have a field of sight of 20 degrees or less.

Totally blind: One who is blind has total loss of sight.

Students may fall anywhere along this spectrum, so it's important to know more about their specific level of impairment. They may have an IEP or 504 on file, so study it carefully to learn what you can do to help them do well in your classroom.

Source: USA Today

A Note About Language

The debate continues about "person-first" vs. "identify-first" language, and the correct terms to use to describe those who are differently abled. Some organizations and people prefer the terms "blind person" or "visually impaired person." Others encourage the use of "person who is blind" or "person with visual impairment." In this article, we've used both forms, since you're likely to encounter them both in the real world. We recommend asking affected students in your classroom if they have a preference, and follow their lead.

Meet the Experts

Charlene Laferrera, MEd, is a Certified Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVI). She's spent 30+ years working in various school systems, including the Perkins School for the Blind, with students ranging in age from birth to 22 years of age.

Magali Gueths, MEd, has been a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) for 20+ years, working in various locations and school districts. Magali has a fully blind son, so she innately understands the needs of blind and visually impaired students.

10 Practical Tips for Teaching Blind or Visually Impaired Students

Source: Perkins School for the Blind

Charlene and Magali assembled this list of tips for teachers who work with students who are blind or visually impaired. Overall, they stressed the importance of ensuring these students always have access to COMS or certified TVIs in their schools. They also offer these day-to-day actions for helping blind or visually impaired students succeed.

1. Always use names

Always use a visually impaired student's first name when addressing them. This way they will know you are talking to them and not someone else. When passing them in hallways, instead of saying, "Hi," have people announce their names, as blind or visually impaired students may not be able to recognize faces. For example: "Hi Sara, it's Mrs. Murphy. How are you today?" Prompt fellow students to do the same because this fosters connection in the school community.

2. It's OK to use words that reference sight

Don't avoid words like "see" and "look." Just like their sighted peers, these words should be part of a blind or visually impaired student's vocabulary to connote how they see, whether by touch, bringing things close, or in normal conversation, like saying "see you later!"

3. Don't gesture, always verbalize

When writing on the board, always verbalize what you are writing so the student has access to that information and can follow along. Use positional and directional concepts like above/under, on top, behind/in front of, left/right, etc., and use descriptive sentences like "The ball is next to the door" instead of "The ball is over there." Avoid words and phrases like "here," "there," "over here," "over there," and gestures that provide direction, e.g., pointing to a location without verbalizing what is being pointed to because visually impaired students cannot see that.

4. Avoid asking if a student can see something

Don't ask a student, "Can you see this?" They often can see it, but that does not mean that they can access it or read it. Instead ask, "Can you find X?" or "Can you identify all the words and numbers without guessing?" or "Can you see some parts of the board better than others?"

5. Correct seating is crucial

Always favor the stronger side of the student's vision due to visual field deficits. For example, if the student only uses his left eye, they would need to sit on the right side of the classroom away from the windows. Seating facing a light source (sun, windows) should ideally be at their back.

6. Contrast, contrast, contrast!

When teaching visually impaired or blind students, use contrast for everything. Think, "bold, big, and simple!" Use bright balls in contrast with the floor at the gym. Stairs should have at least the first and last steps taped with a contrasting color (typically yellow) at the edge of the step.

7. Follow the leader

When in line, direct their attention to the child in front of them using color of clothing or hair and have them model/follow what that child is doing (stopping, walking straight, turning, etc.), always moving slowly for safety.

8. Be a confident sighted guide

If you need to be a sighted guide for a preschooler, offer two fingers or your wrist for them to hold. You are not holding them unless it is for their safety. For older students, they hold just above your elbow with their dominant hand.

9. Safety first

Students need to understand the "rules of the road" and always use the right-hand side of hallways or the right railing. Use boundaries like cones in the gym, lines on the pavement to follow from school to the playground, etc. If there are changes to the classroom, walk the student through alone so they know where things are.

10. Examine your own beliefs

Be aware of your own acceptance and your beliefs surrounding what a student who is blind or visually impaired can do both in your classroom and as a professional. Your acceptance of a student who has a visual impairment will serve as an example to all the students in your class.

What practical tips do you have to offer those who are teaching visually impaired or blind students? Come share your thoughts and ask for advice in the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

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10 Tips for Teaching Blind or Visually Impaired Students

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When teaching visually impaired or blind students, these simple suggestions from experts in the field can make a world of difference.

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Visiting teachers are qualified teachers with particular skills and knowledge of the development and education of children with varying degrees of hearing loss and/or visual impairment. They offer longitudinal support to children, their families and schools from the time of referral through to the end of post-primary education.

Visiting Teacher Information

Click here to find out more information on the Visiting Teacher services.

Visiting Teacher Resources

Click here to view resources to support students who are Blind/Visually Impaired or Deaf/Hard of Hearing.

Visiting Teacher Contact List

Click here to find contact details for our Visiting Teachers.

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Visiting teachers are qualified teachers with particular skills and knowledge of the development and education of children with varying degrees of hearing loss and/or visual impairment. They offer longitudinal support to children, their families and schools from the time of referral through to the end of post-primary education.

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Twinkl: Tips to Support Dyslexic Learners with Assistive Technology

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Twinkl: Tips to Support Dyslexic Learners with Assistive Technology

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Dyslexia is one of the most common Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs). Approximately 1 in every 10 people in the UK have some form of dyslexia. But, whilst the learning difficulty is relatively well known, the available range of assistive technology for dyslexia is less well known.

So let's take a look at what assistive technology is and how we can use it to support children with dyslexia in school and at home!

What is assistive technology?

Assistive technology is a broad term that refers to a range of different equipment, devices and digital software that are designed to assist people with learning difficulties or disabilities in learning or daily tasks.

Through assistive technology we can provide students with discreet support in their everyday learning, and help them to be more independent both in and outside the classroom. This means that we can boost the confidence of and self-esteem of students simply by incorporating some digital technological support! It's a great way to level the playing field and make sure that all students have the opportunity to focus on their strengths and abilities without being held back by things that they struggle with.

In the case of assistive technology for dyslexia, there are lots of options available.

Different types of assistive technology for Dyslexia

Each of these assistive technologies has its own benefits, but it's important to note that not all of them will work for every student. It's essential that you choose a type of assistive technology that best suits the specific needs of the student in order for them to be able to get the most out of it.

This may involve allowing children to try out a few different methods and technologies to find the right option for them!

Here are some examples of popular assistive technologies that are designed for children with dyslexia.

Whilst it might seem redundant to buy an e-reader when tablets can do all of that and more, e-readers are the more affordable option. They also have specialised features that further support children with dyslexia. They are a no-fuss option that get the job done.

For example, children can easily change the font size to suit them and some e-readers are even compatible with some text to speech applications.

Text to Speech Devices

Although you can buy devices that have the sole purpose of copying hard text into an audio file, some smartphones and tablets have apps that do just this! Very modern, right? Many of us just have to reach into our pockets to do this.

However, as there are so many applications that can provide Optical Character Recognition (OCR), it's important that you research and choose a trusted one. This will ensure that the text to speech files are accurate and actually help students, instead of confusing them.

Tablets are probably the most versatile and powerful of our suggestions. Of course, there are things a tablet can't do, but in terms of education, they're by far the most mobile and easy to use assistive device for children with dyslexia.

The majority of tablets come ready with dictation applications that are extremely beneficial to some students with dyslexia. Using dictation will increase their confidence when it comes to putting accurate sentences together. They'll then be able to look over their dictations and could even copy these in their own handwriting to help reinforce the spelling of the words they've used.

Our next marvel of modern technology is the humble E-pen. Electronic pens come in two main types, both of which are great for helping children with dyslexia in their education.

Scanning pens are used to support a child's reading skills. They can scan the hardcopy in a book, for example, and then read the text back aloud to the student - even providing definitions of any tricky words. Some scanning pens have the ability to upload scanned text on to a computer or smartphone, which is a great way to help children build their vocabulary.

Alternatively, you could try a recording pen with your students. Whilst they might look like a regular pen on the surface, recording pens do exactly what the name suggests. Not only do they record what you're writing digitally, but they can also record live audio at the same time. Both of these types of recording can then be uploaded to a computer or mobile device to use for revision and further practice.

Getting the Most Out of Assistive Technology for Children With Dyslexia

Now we've established what some assistive technologies for children with dyslexia are, we want to make sure that you and your students get the most out of them. We understand that many of these technologies are quite different, but the five tips below can be used as a checklist to ensure you're using them to their full potential.

Here are our five tips to make the most of assistive technologies:

1. Explore the built-in accessibility features that are freely available and can make a huge difference, like text to speech tools (TTS) or voice recognition (VR) for those who find reading information or recording written information challenging. Reading, writing and understanding new, technical or subject vocabulary can create barriers to learning.

2. Ensure pupils and support staff know how to access personal settings and how to save them, such as options for colour background, font style and size, line spacing and speech settings for TTS.

3. If funding is an issue, find out what is freely available for support in free apps and tools like talking spellcheckers, or that enable TTS to be used for web pages or accessible formats of educational texts such as found in RNIB bookshare.

4. Many pupils may be entitled to use technology for reading and/or recording in exams, depending on access arrangements. They will need to be using the technology routinely in the classroom. This could have a huge impact on pupil success and save schools precious funding for readers or scribes. Is this happening in your school

To help mark Dyslexia Awareness Week, Twinkl have produced some resources to use in your class or at home to help raise awareness. We have a free teaching resource pack designed especially for Dyslexia Awareness Week and a classroom banner which is also free!

The above video may be from a third-party source. We accept no responsibility for any videos from third-party sources. Please let us know if the video is no longer working.

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Assistive Technology for Children with Dyslexia: A Beginner's Guide

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This article was updated on 07/01/22 Take a look at the different types of assistive technology for dyslexia that are available for use in schools or at home.

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Dyslexia Association of Ireland: Assistive Technology

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Dyslexia Association of Ireland: Assistive Technology

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Computers, tablets and smartphones, and the software they use, can be extremely useful tools for people with dyslexia

They can support key areas of difficulty including reading, spelling and study skills. Technology can help solve many of the problems faced by people with dyslexia in everyday life, education and employment. The range of technologies available is constantly evolving and growing. Technology can be used to assist the learning process, and provide valuable reinforcement, customisability, variety and can increase motivation. However, no technological solution will itself be a substitute for individualised specialist teaching.

With so many programmes and products available, it is easy to become confused with the choice. Some established software and apps can be expensive. The software is increasingly built-in to devices and is therefore often free and even for paid products it can sometimes be possible to get a free 30-day demo or 'lite' version, where introductory levels are free and further levels can be purchased. It is also now nearly always possible to find demonstration videos online for virtually any piece of equipment, software or app. It is always worth checking if the makers of the product have demo videos.

Check out our Youtube Technology Playlist where we demo tech that can help individuals with dyslexia, focusing on free, inbuilt and low costs tech.

CALL Scotland have a range of excellent guides to Assistive Technology www.callscotland.org.uk. Check out their Apps wheels.

Enable Ireland AT Service and the Dyslexia Association of Ireland have collaborated to produce a free learning resource outlining free and low cost apps and software to support literacy. This short eLearning module should be of interest to parents, students, teachers and other professionals working with people with dyslexia. To access this Study Smart module just follow the link below, find the Study Smart module, and click the "Login as Guest" button: https://enableirelandat.ie/

This free module is available in a number of formats if you would like to use it on your own blog or website. It is also available in SCORM format for use in schools or colleges own Learning Management Systems (Moodle etc.).

Funding

For school students with very significant dyslexia, the school can apply to the Department of Education and Skills for a laptop/tablet and any specialist software needed by the individual student. Details of the scheme can be found on the Departments website: https://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/Grants-and-Additional-Support/Assistive-Technology-Grant/

If a computer/tablet and/or software is bought by parents or an individual for home/personal use, the VAT can be claimed back. More information is available on the Revenue's website: https://www.revenue.ie/en/online-services/services/claims-and-refunds/apply-for-refund-of-vat-on-aids-and-appliances-for-persons-with-disabilities.aspx

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They can support key areas of difficulty including reading, spelling and study skills. Technology can help solve many of the problems faced by people with dyslexia in everyday life, education and employment. The range of technologies available is constantly evolving and growing.

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 ADHD Ireland Friendly Schools Programme

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 ADHD Ireland Friendly Schools Programme

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On February 20th, 2023, Loreto College became the first post-primary school in Co. Westmeath to complete the ADHD Friendly Schools Programme. The project "aims to inform all professionals in education about ADHD by promoting understanding, knowledge, and practical strategies to support students in primary and second level education." All members of the AEN Dept. of Loreto College in 2022/2023 became received training in the programme and were awarded certificates of completion.

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The ADHD Friendly School Programme

€45 per individual teacher or €300 in total for the Whole School to attend the training

This project aims to inform all professionals in education about ADHD by promoting understanding, knowledge, and practical strategies to support students in primary and second level education. Following our successful pilot programme last year, we will be blending the expert training we currently deliver online and incorporating bespoke services to individual schools to support their students with ADHD.

Each setting will receive the expertise of our Service Development Team who will work individually with a core member of staff. Each school will receive training and recommendations on how to support children with ADHD with general and specific accommodations, thereby improving ADHD awareness, creating an ADHD friendly environment, and reducing challenging behaviour in the classroom.

All schools who successfully complete the programme will be invited to participate in our Graduation Ceremony. This includes a flag raising ceremony and presentation of certificates.

What is involved?

Pre and post programme meeting with Principal and SENO, school visit onsite /online.

Up to five staff to become ADHD champions to participate in our ADHD intensive training with Colin Foley from The ADHD Foundation, UK.

Whole school staff training on ADHD, providing awareness and accommodations.

Parent/carer information session on ADHD. · Access to a monthly online teacher/SNA support group.

Resources provided to support staff and students. · Graduation Ceremony upon completion

Benefits from participating

This programme addresses the stigma and myths associated with ADHD.

Each school will benefit from increased knowledge and understanding of ADHD through specialist training and the latest research.

School staff will be able to recognise the characteristics of ADHD.

School staff will have increased confidence on how to manage and support pupils with ADHD.

The ADHD Friendly School Programme will run twice a year, new term is starting September 2023.

Registration for September 2023 is closed.

Enrol for January 2024 - enrolment open until 5th of December 2023.

If your school would like to become ADHD Friendly, please - click HERE to fill-out the form to register your interest.

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ADHD Friendly School Programme - ADHD Ireland

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ADHD School Programme. Each school will receive training and recommendations on how to support children with ADHD with general and specific accommodations, thereby improving ADHD awareness, creating an ADHD friendly environment, and reducing challenging behaviour in the classroom.

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Parent Information Webinar - ADHD Ireland

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Welcome to the L1LPs section of the Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT) website.

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Understanding and Supporting Your Student With ODD

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ADHD is a disorder that can co-exist to a greater or lesser degree, with any or other disorders such as depression, anxiety, mania, autism, learning disorders (dyslexia and dyscalculia being the most common), dyspraxia, conduct disorder, oppositional defiance disorder, sleep disorders and Tourette's Syndrome.

During a clinical assessment, one or more of these disorders may be identified. It's important that the correct support is attained for these symptoms.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)

The most notable figure of ODD is the hostility shown to authority figures. This results in argumentative behaviour and an inflexible persistence with requests. The child has difficulty with compromise and tends to engage in insistent whining until the request is granted. Then, of course, he/she begins immediately with the next "request". Other qualities include a failure to take responsibility for behaviour, a tendency to blame others, disobedience, resentment and over-sensitivity to correction.

Learning Disorders

Dyslexia - An individual is identified as dyslexic when a significant discrepancy exists between intellectual ability and reading/comprehension performance, without an apparent physical, emotional or cultural cause. Dyslexia Ireland are an organisation who can offer further support.

Dyscalculia - This is recognised by a deficit in skills of counting and calculating; difficulties in comprehension of instructions, or failure to master skills required for a task or the inability to use or understand symbols or numbers.

Dyspraxia - This is an impairment, or an immaturity of the organisation of movement.
Areas of difficulty include:

Body movement - large movements, such as walking; balance, fine movement such as writing, using a sellotape dispenser etc

Speech and language - talking continuously or slowly and ponderously; repeating themselves; difficulty with pronunciation

Visual problems - difficulties with tracking text when reading or looking quickly at information

Perceptual difficulties - interpretation by different senses, problems with organisation, memory, sequencing, concentration and time management
A heightened sensitivity to sound, light, touch or certain fabrics. Difficulty in coping in a noisy environment or working in brightly lit areas.

Contact Dyspraxia Ireland for more information and support on Dyspraxia.

Asperger's Syndrome

Symptoms include:

Social isolation and eccentric behaviour in childhood;

Impairments in two-sided social interaction and non-verbal communication

Abnormalities of inflection and a repetitive pattern in speech

Narrow or restricted interests e.g trains, door knobs, cappuccino...

Visit Aspire Ireland for more information

Conduct Disorder (CD)

Conduct Disorder is considered the most disquieting of co-existing conditions because of the violations of accepted social norms. Behaviours such as deceit, dishonesty and serious infractions of rules may occur. The child may engage in willful aggression such as bullying, verbal abuse, physical fighting or sexual violation. Aggression may also be directed at property in the form of damage to property, breaking and entering, theft, or vandalism.

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ADHD is a disorder that can co-exist to a greater or lesser degree, with any or other disorders such as depression, anxiety, mania, autism, learning disorders (dyslexia and dyscalculia being the most common), dyspraxia, conduct disorder, oppositional defiance disorder, sleep disorders and Tourette's syndrome.

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Oppositional Defiant Disorder is, in my book, a red flag. It is an indication that there is something else going on. I have never... seen a kid that meets criteria for ODD and did not meet criteria for some other diagnosis. It is as if the oppositional and defiant behavior is a coping strategy for dealing with other issues. Or a poorly functional reaction to other issues that are NOT being dealt with.

ODD is a psychiatric disorder, the definite causes of which are unknown, although biological and environmental factors may have a role to play. The hallmark of ODD is a recurrent pattern of negative, defiant, disobedient and hostile behaviour towards authoritative figures in particular that continues for at least six months, during which four or more of the following are present:

often loses temper

often argues with adults

often actively defies/refuses to comply with adults' requests or rules

often deliberately annoys people

often puts the blame for own mistakes or behaviour on others

often is easily upset or annoyed by others

often is angry and resentful

often is spiteful and vindictive

The disturbance in behaviour causes clinically significant impairment in social, academic and/or occupational functioning. Students with ODD possess a 'counter-will': the more pressure one applies the greater the opposition. Actions are premeditated and often the student may want confrontation. Typically, in the school situation the student with ODD will be aggressive and will purposefully bother and irritate others.

It is exceptionally rare for a student to present with ODD alone: usually students have other neuropsychiatric disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, conduct disorder (CD) and bipolar disorder. Students may also present with Tourette syndrome or other special educational needs.

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Oppositional Defiant Disorder is, in my book, a red flag. It is an indication that there is something else going on. I have never... seen a kid that meets criteria for ODD and did not meet criteria for some other diagnosis. It is as if the oppositional and defiant behavior is a coping strategy for dealing with other issues.

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) | Special Education Support Service

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ADD is described as ADHD without the hyperactivity and is characterised by excessive daydreaming, frequent staring, cognitive sluggishness, lethargy, confusion, memory problems and social reticence. Student often blurt out answers before questions have been completed, have problems awaiting their turn and may frequently and unwittingly interrupt or intrude on others.

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Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is the predominantly inattentive subtype of ADHD which is a neurological condition affecting the neurotransmitter chemicals in the brain. This subtype does not include the symptom of hyperactivity associated with ADHD but mainly affects an individual's ability to focus. Although this conditions affects all ages, it is most prominent in school aged children. ADD is incredibly treatable but, in many cases, difficult to diagnose.
Symptoms

The hyperactive form of ADHD is easily noticed through disruptive or hyperactive behaviour. This is not the case with the inattentive subtype of ADD as the individual in this case is likely to struggle silently. This can lead to frustration for teachers, parents and, of course, the individual themselves.

The main effect of ADD is a difficulty to focus in specific environments. The difficulty here is that the condition may be selective with the individual showing symptoms in some areas but not in others. A common example of this is difficulty focusing on schoolwork but normal focus in other areas such as sport or videogames.

This often leads to difficulty in completing work, flitting from task to task and apparent forgetfulness. These symptoms can be a source of frustration as they are often seen as disobedient or undisciplined traits rather than as a condition which is highly treatable. As the individual is unlikely to be displaying any hyperactive traits, the possibility of a disorder is overlooked in many cases.

The disorder is linked with traits such as low self-esteem and stubbornness and may coexist with specific mental disorders such as dyspraxia and forms of autism. It is important to note that mixed symptoms from different disorders or traits within one individual may also complicate the diagnosis process.

Treatment

The most direct way to seek a diagnosis and treatment for ADD is to visit your doctor who will likely refer you to a specialist in the area, usually a psychiatrist or a psychologist. This specialist may then set up assessments to determine the presence of a disorder. More than one assessment may be necessary as symptoms can be selective and not always apparent in every test. It is also possible that a consultation alone will satisfy the criteria for a diagnosis.

The most important treatment for this disorder is education for the individual, their family and others in positions of support about what exactly the disorder is and how to deal with its symptoms. This will ease frustration for all parties as well as giving the individual a solid support system with a clear understanding of their needs.

It is highly recommended to accept the therapies which are recommended by your specialist. The proven effectiveness on therapy focused on specific areas which might be a struggle is undisputed. Speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and therapists are a few among the many options which specifically cater to the very specific needs of each individual.

Medication is rarely the first option explored in treating ADD but is likely to be suggested at some stage during treatment. Medications used will focus directly on stabilising the chemicals in the brain which are causing the disorder to take hold. The areas targeted are those regions of the brain which control attention and behaviour as these are the areas most affected by ADD.

All in all, the most difficult stage of the process is noticing symptoms and obtaining a diagnosis of ADD. After this, the wide variety of treatments which can be custom fit to the needs of the individual are generally highly effective and will aid the individual in reaching their maximum potential.

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Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) - Spectrum Mental Health

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Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is the predominantly inattentive subtype of ADHD which is a neurological condition affecting the neurotransmitter chemicals in the brain. This subtype does not include the symptom of hyperactivity associated with ADHD but mainly affects an individual's ability to focus. Although this conditions affects all ages, it is most prominent in school [...]

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ADHD Ireland | Our Mission is to make life better for people affected by ADHD

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We are dedicated to providing up-to-date information, resources and networking opportunities to individuals with ADHD, parents of children with ADHD and the professionals who serve them.

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Our school has three SNAs who support students with additional needs 

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Our school has three SNAs who support students with additional needs 

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Student Leadership In Our School from Loreto Link

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(Pending Covid Guidelines - students did not use lockers in 2020/2021)

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Social Story Written by a Past Student of Loreto College

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Social Story Written by a Past Student of Loreto College

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Written to explain illness, particularly the effects of Covid-19 to students with Additional Needs

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"Caring for Animals"

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"CSI: Exploring Forensic Science"

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CSI: Exploring Forensic Science (Level 2)

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The new junior cycle features newly developed subjects and short courses, a focus on key skills, and new approaches to assessment and reporting.

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"Grow It, Cook It, Eat It!"

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Android Compatible Apps for learners with Dyscalculia 

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Android Compatible Apps for learners with Dyscalculia 

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Last Updated on January 8, 2021 by Editorial Team

The intervention of technology in education is one of the marvelous phenomena that happened in this era. Things possible now with available gadgets could have never be imagined 10 years ago. From regular student's wiki to braille assistance, technology has achieved great heights in the sector.

We curated a list of top 10 free mobile apps for people with dyscalculia. Our focus in this post is on the apps that are directly or indirectly related to dyscalculia and its impact on our daily lives. We tried to reach every corner of it and thus, coming up with apps that help in tackling the issues with ease.

Other than Mathematics, Socratic also supports Science, History, English, and Economics. The app uses vision technology to read the submitted image and AI to figure out the concepts for solving it.

Simple but interactive UI makes it really easy to use. The ability of the machine to spit out the results in just a few seconds is pretty impressive. However, the app itself is limited by its dependence on optical character recognition.

Links: Android Playstore | Apple Appstore

Photomath is another super popular app sharing a similar goal to Socratic. However, Photomath is buffed with additional great features that make it lucrative to use over Socratic.

It has a scientific calculator to edit equations right there in the app. An interesting find in the app is that it not just explains the answer, it also shows multiple methods of tackling the problem. Furthermore, the app supports more than 30 languages, which is really impressive considering the limitation of OCR technology. We tried comparing the functionality aspects of Socratic with Photomath, the machine learning of the latter's turns out to be more powerful than former.

Links: Android Playstore | Apple Appstore

Improving mental math is one of the main practices necessary in overcoming Dyscalculia. Mental Math is our ability to do mathematical calculations in our mind without the help of any device, such as calculator and mobile phones, etc. The more we develop mental math skills, the faster our brain will have computational power. The mental Math Practice app is here to serve that purpose.

Mental Math Practice app aims at improving mental math skills by using flashcards. Some of the features mentioned :

200 mental math flashcards crafted by an expert math tutor

Concept explanations of shortcuts used.

Detailed insights and progress tracking

The app is developed by an online test prep company, Magoosh. It currently sits at 4.5-star ratings with more than 100k downloads on play store.

Links: Android Playstore | Apple Appstore

Flow Free is a widely popular addictive game that involves connecting dots based on their colors. This app demands spatial reasoning and planning to complete all of the color matches without crossing or overlap of the lines or pipes.

People with dyscalculia generally have trouble with spatial awareness, this game can be really beneficial in training their minds about it. It has over 2500 free puzzles for kids to try and challenge their visual-motor skills. The app is developed by NoodleCake Studios with over 100 million downloads on play store.

Links: Android Playstore | Apple Appstore

Smartynote is a notepad app with powerful features like OCR, Voice recognition, and Text to speech. Although the app is made specifically for dyslexics, people with dyscalculia can also take the benefit as it can read numbers as well.

It really makes note taking so much easier. All you have to do is click a photo of a page or some text, it will extract the text and save it to your note. You can use voice recognition if you want the app to write a note while you speak. You can also let the app dictates the saved note to you. Different color combinations and fonts are available to suit your needs. Around 20k people use this app worldwide.

Links: Android Playstore

Puzzles and games are curated according to the user's training habits and preferences. Moreover, users can check detailed insights into their training process and analyze the progress. The app is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Japanese, and Korean. More than 90 million people use this app worldwide.

Links: Android Playstore | Apple Appstore

NeuroNation is another brain training app with tasks and exercises similar to Lumosity. However, it majorly targets people with weak memory and concentration power (as in the case of dyscalculia).
At the moment, the program consists of 27 exercises. More than 15 million people use this app worldwide.

UI is pretty simple and easy to understand. Users can personalize activities according to their potentials. Just like Lumosity, the Neuro nation also provides detailed insights into training progress. A daily 15 minutes of exercise with the app is recommended.

Links: Android Playstore | Apple Appstore

Prodigy Game is the perfect example of 'learning while playing'. It lets you practice concepts of mathematics in an interactive way. As per the description, Prodigy delivers a unique learning experience through an interactive math game where success depends on correctly answering skill-building math questions. Players can earn rewards, go on quests, and play with friends - all while learning new skills.

The app mainly targets kids age up to 6-12. Its user base comprises of over a million teachers and 50 million students around the world. Parents can monitor their child's progress through the levels and understanding of the concepts. Teachers should allow students a 10-minute play in class as a reward of completing a task. This will motivate students and give them a sense of achievement.

Links: Android Playstore | Apple Appstore

Although apps like google maps may have eased the burden still a complete solution is required to ensure driving safety. Well, there are no such apps which you could blindly trust for driving as it depends upon your own practice and experience and we recommend to include driving expert if you have alarming issues while driving. Car Dashdroid, however, aims to serve the one-stop platform for complete driving assistance while you are on road.

Car Dashdroid gives you quick, easy access to things you'd normally want on the road. That includes navigation, music, contacts, messages, voice commands, and more. It has a smart dialer so you won't have to search for your contacts anymore. It can read text messages out loud and it supports popular messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, and others. It also comes with a compass, speedometer, and plenty of other useful features. There is even Tasker support.

Links: Android Playstore | Apple Appstore (Alternative iCarmode)

Abacus is a manual aid for calculating that consists of beads or disks that can be moved up and down on a series of sticks or strings within a usually wooden frame. Practicing abacus is to consider one of the best ways to develop number sense. Numbers are physically constructed and manipulated in Abacus. Practicing 10-15 minutes daily can effectively build your math calculative skills.

One problem with an abacus is that its difficult to carry it everywhere. Know Abacus app is here to serve this purpose. You can carry virtual abacus on your smartphones and play with it anytime you want. You have to perform steps on Know abacus according to the tasks given by the app. The app is developed by the developer, Kittipong Mungnirun and over 500k people use it worldwide.

Links: Android Playstore | Apple Appstore

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Top 10 must-have free apps for Dyscalculia [2021] - Number Dyslexia

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A list of top 10 free mobile apps for people with dyscalculia. Apps that directly or indirectly related to overcoming dyscalculia and its impact to our daily lives. We tried to reach every corner of it and thus, coming up with apps that helps in tackling the issues with ease.

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A carefully-structured system that helps learners develop independent reading skills, fluency and confidence. This is used in a short-term intervention basis.

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Age and level appropriate resource that targets key comprehension skills within students. This programme is used on a one-to-one basis over a short-term intervention period.

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When a large box arrived on my doorstep, I got very excited! It wasn't my birthday, not my anniversary, but I was convinced I was getting a present of some sort. It was heavy too! And although it turned out not to be a present of any sort, but a product to review, I was a little bit excited anyway. The Comprehension Box looks mighty impressive on the outside.

On the inside you'll find 150 comprehension cards along with corresponding answer cards and a teachers' guide book. Each comprehension card contains a different piece of text, from poetry to stories to non-fiction. On the back of each card are some multiple choice questions. The idea, is that children get to answer the questions, then they can get the corresponding answer card and check whether they are correct or not.

Relevance to Curriculum Aims: 4/5

It's difficult to fault the programme for helping children to consolidate comprehension strategies. While really no different to a book with the answers in the back, this package is simply a more colourful and more interesting version of this. An advantage of the packaging is that a child will find it difficult to cheat as they will have to answer the questions honestly before checking the answers on the separate card. There are a number of useful assessment photocopiables, which are ok.

Teacher Usability: 3/5

Picture the scene. "OK Johnny, time for your comprehension work. Go to the Comprehension Box and do one of the Emerald cards." Johnny goes to the box, takes out a card and then asks for a piece of paper or gets his copybook. The company missed a BIG opportunity to make the cards dry-wipe here. Anyway, a few minutes later Johnny has the answers written down somewhere and asks the teacher for the answer card. The teacher gives him the appropriate card and Johnny corrects his work. Johnny then self-evaluates on one of the photocopiable sheets and he's done....and so are you! (Apart from checking out how Johnny did, obviously!)

Extras: 2/5

As a pack in itself, it probably doesn't need many extras but, like many of these packs, they miss the ball when it comes to ICT integration, which would be so easy to do. An accompanying CD-ROM with the comprehension cards in electronic format would be great for Interactive Whiteboards. If they were really clever, they could have created a "Design your own Comprehension Card" set where children could create their own printable cards. Alas, this isn't the case, but maybe in a future version.

The Comprehension box is a decent pack, which will give a slightly different way to teach comprehension strategies. The content is excellent, there's no doubt about that, but it would have been nice had they pushed the boat out a little bit more to make it more interactive.

Last Update: August 22, 2017

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The Comprehension Box (Prim-Ed) * Anseo.net

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When a large box arrived on my doorstep, I got very excited! It wasn't my birthday, not my anniversary, but I was convinced I was getting a present of some sort. It was heavy too! And although it turned out not to be a present of any sort, but a product to review, I was a little bit excited anyway.

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Age and level appropriate resources used with our students on a one-to-one basis or in small group settings for a short-term intervention period

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If you have read my review on Writing Prompts box from Prim-ed, you will know that I loved the cuteness of the cards in the teacher box! The Literacy Boxes 1-3 are even cuter but on a larger scale!

The Literacy Box series is a set of three boxes suitable for students of ages 5-7, 8-10 and 11 plus. They are basically supplementary materials to support reading in the primary classroom, catering for independent and more able readers.

Each "box" contains: 1 teachers guide, 75 four page-literacy cards and 75 answer cards. The cards within the box feature a range of texts types from imaginative, informative to the persuasive and cover a range of genres and curriculum subjects.

The cards are all colour coded, with the easiest cards at the start and more difficult at the back. There are 13 types of comprehension questions contained on the cards, from lower to higher order. The text types contain fiction and non-fiction, impossible to list all of the types here but the range is staggering!

The teacher resource book that accompanies the box is detailed and quite large but it explains the whole program really well so my advice would be to read it first before launching it on your class.

As well as all of these activities, the resource book contains a huge amount of supplementary material like pupil answer recording sheets, pupil tracking/assessment sheets, teacher tracking/assessment sheets, detailed lesson plans and ways to use a cross curricular approach linking reading, oral and writing skills together. There is also a really succinct and neat section on grammar and punctuation in the form of worksheets at the back.

I really loved this resource as it is just the most comprehensive resource you will find that understands how comprehension works with reading as a skill. I loved the way the pack seamlessly works together with the resources in it-colour coded cards for differentiation, extra resources for even more extension activities, grammar and punctuation and assessment and tracking sheets. It is a very appealing and attractive resource that will ensure a school is covering and challenging the independent and more able readers they have.

You could also use these really well in a group teaching setting or station teaching. They will free up your time significantly as the cards are all designed to be self-assessed by the child.

These boxes are expensive but a wise and long-sighted investment for a school as long as they were well looked after, they could last forever! I know some schools are putting them down as part of their rental book scheme so that may be an option. Prim-Ed are being very generous to us and offering us a Literacy box in this month's competition!

In order to enter, all you have to do is subscribe to Anseo.net by filling in the form below or on the side of the web site. All subscribers will be entered into a draw and one lucky winner will be drawn on 30th January. By subscribing, you will receive an email when we write an article on Anseo.net. If you have subscribed previously, there is no need to subscribe again with the same email. You will be re-entered into the draw.

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The Literacy Boxes are priced at €250 a box and are available from the Prim-Ed website or contact them directly for more information.
Last Update: August 22, 2017

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Review & Competition: Literacy Boxes (Prim-Ed) * Anseo.net

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If you have read my review on Writing Prompts box from Prim-ed, you will know that I loved the cuteness of the cards in the teacher box! The Literacy Boxes 1-3 are even cuter but on a larger scale! The Literacy Box series is a set of three boxes suitable for students of ages 5-7, 8-10 and 11 plus.

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NSCE's Adapted Vocabulary Enrichment Programme

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NSCE's Adapted Vocabulary Enrichment Programme

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Our SEN team have members qualified to implement the highly acclaimed VEP with our students. It is a ten week, twice-weekly course that allows students to understand vocabulary more and how it functions, increasing their confidence as readers and writers.

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Speech, language and communication skills are an integral part of literacy. The adapted Vocabulary Enrichment Programme (VEP) is a school based, whole class intervention that supports development of oral vocabulary skills in adolescents. This research project aimed to evaluate if the programme would be successful in improving the oral vocabulary skills of first year students in Irish post-primary schools. Four hundred and seven first year students from six NBSS partner schools received the intervention in 2013. This report presents the findings from this research project.

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The Vocabulary Enrichment Programme: An Intervention to Improve Vocabulary Skills with First Year Students | NBSS

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Speech, language and communication skills are an integral part of literacy. The adapted Vocabulary Enrichment Programme (VEP) is a school based, whole class intervention that supports development of oral vocabulary skills in adolescents.

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Take a virtual tour of the Giant's Causeway

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Discover the Giant's Causeway in County Antrim, Northern Ireland on a virtual tour with the National Trust.

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Visit Ireland's towns, cities and sights

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Brush up on your Ulster Rugby knowledge with a visit to The Nevin Spence Centre and a fully guided tour of Kingspan Stadium, home of Ulster Rugby. Officially opened August 2015, The Nevin Spence Centre is a vibrant and fitting education and heritage centre at Kingspan Stadium in memory of young Ulster player Nevin Spence.

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Virtual Visit Tours | Tour Ireland in 360 Degrees

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Taking you on an inspirational journey across the Island of Ireland via 360° Virtual Tours.

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Strategies & Methodologies for Teaching Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students

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Strategies for Learning and Teaching | National Council for Special Education - CPD and In-School Support

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ISL (Irish Sign Language)

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If you would like to book an Irish Sign Language Class, please click here

Irish Sign Language is the first and/or preferred language of 5000 Deaf people in Ireland and approximately 40,000 people in general will communicate in ISL (family, friends, co-workers, etc).

Irish Sign Language is the indigenous language of the Deaf community and research shows that sign languages are full languages with its own complex linguistic structure, rules and features. It is a visual and spatial language with its own distinct grammar and not only is it a language of the hands, but also of the face and body.

Irish Sign Language is different from all other sign languages such as British Sign Language, American Sign Language etc.

Ireland is unique in that we have gender sign language, i.e. Men and Women in Ireland have different sign languages due to being educated in separate schools.

The Deaf community sees itself as a linguistic and cultural minority group as opposed to being disabled.

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If you would like to book an Irish Sign Language Class, please click here Irish Sign Language is the first and/or preferred language of 5000 Deaf people in Ireland and approximately 40,000 people in general will communicate in ISL (family, friends, co-workers, etc).

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NCSE - Educating Deaf/Hard of Hearing Children 

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NCSE - Educating Deaf/Hard of Hearing Children 

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Google Classroom Tutorial for Students and Parents

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Read Aloud uses text-to-speech (TTS) technology to convert webpage text to audio.  It works on a variety of websites, including news sites, blogs, fan fiction, publications, textbooks, school and class websites, and online university course materials.

Read Aloud allows you to select from a variety of text-to-speech voices, including those provided natively by the browser, as well as by text-to-speech cloud service providers such as Google Wavenet, Amazon Polly, IBM Watson, and Microsoft.  Some of the cloud-based voices may require additional in-app purchase to enable.

Read Aloud can read PDF, Google Docs, Google Play books, Amazon Kindle, and EPUB (via the excellent EPUBReader extension from epubread.com).

Read Aloud is intended for users who prefer to listen to content instead of reading, those with dyslexia or other learning disabilities, and children learning to read.

To use Read Aloud, navigate to the web page you want to read, then click the Read Aloud icon on the Chrome menu.  In addition, the shortcut keys ALT-P, ALT-O, ALT-Comma, and ALT-Period can be used to Play/Pause, Stop, Rewind, and Forward.  You may also select the text you want to read before activating the extension.  Right clicking on the selected text will provide you with yet another option to activate Read Aloud via the context menu.

To change the voice, reading speed, pitch, or enable text highlighting, go to the Options page either by right clicking on the Read Aloud icon and choose Options, or by clicking the Gear button on the extension popup (you'll need to stop playback to see the Gear button).

Read Aloud is an open-source project.  If you wish to contribute bug fixes or translations, please visit the GitHub page at https://github.com/ken107/read-aloud.

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Read Aloud: A Text to Speech Voice Reader

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Read aloud the current web-page article with one click, using text to speech (TTS). Supports 40+ languages.

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Development Language Disorder -  ISALT (The Irish Association of Speech & Language Therapists) 

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Development Language Disorder -  ISALT (The Irish Association of Speech & Language Therapists) 

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How many times over the last few months have you struggled to follow a conversation? Have you found yourself desperately focusing on someone's eyes for clues as to how they are feeling or the intention behind their words? Do you miss the loose connections that are made on a daily basis by chatting with others, so integral to the way we go about our daily business here in Ireland? A simple conversation, something that that most of us took for granted, has now become effortful and frustrating.

Findings from studies of the impact of Covid suggest that people are feeling lonely and isolated, even depressed due to the decrease in human interaction and the disruptions to communication. Not surprising really, given that we are inherently social creatures and the need to feel human connection is fundamental to our mental and physical health.

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From Boys Town National Research Hospital, living with Developmental Language Disorder
For most of us (hopefully) the loss of connection with others will be temporary, but what if communication has been effortful and frustrating all of your life? Approximately 70,000 children and young people have a relatively unknown condition called Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) where they struggle to connect with others. Difficulties with comprehension, expressing thoughts and ideas and reading others intentions are the norm. Poor language means that the school years can be very challenging, with increased risk of literacy difficulties and struggles with exams. Adolescents with DLD are three times more likely to suffer from depression.

Ahead of DLD International Awareness day, I believe that Covid has created a unique opportunity for us to harness positive societal change for children and young people with DLD. It has drawn our attention to the importance of communication as a means of feeling connected with others in a way that no research paper can. An awareness of what it is like not to be able to communicate is now a shared lived experience for all. This is a watershed moment for us to make changes in order to create a more inclusive society, a society where we are all invested in making communication work.

By making simple adaptations to our communication, we can reduce many of the barriers faced by children and young people with DLD.

Simple strategies that have been found to be helpful to support communication include:

· Making sure you have a person's attention before you talk

· Facing the person directly, making sure nothing is blocking their view of you

· Giving extra time for others to respond

· Using extra gestures alongside your words

· Using your body language in a more exaggerated way than normal to get your message across

· Stopping to check the other person is understanding

· Letting the person know you will give them the time needed to get their message across

· Getting creative by carrying a pen and paper, drawing a picture or writing ideas down to support the conversation

These simple strategies such as these can make all the difference. By the way, if you are out and about on October 16th, you may spot some key landmarks (universities, government buildings, bridges, castles) across Ireland lighting up in purple and yellow for DLD International Awareness day. Take the time to enjoy the beautiful lights and to make a pledge to support communication for all.
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ

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What you need to know about Developmental Language Disorder

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How many times over the last few months have you struggled to follow a conversation? Have you found yourself desperately focusing on someone's eyes for clues as to how they are feeling or the intention behind their words?

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A young person who attended Jigsaw

As a teenager I received the mental health support I needed. The work we did together has helped make me who I am today and I strongly believe that every young person should be able to access that kind of help.

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Visit Jigsaw.ie | The National Centre for Youth Mental Health

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We offer a listening ear, and give expert advice and support, online and in person, to young people across Ireland, aged 12 - 25 years-old.

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Dept of Ed - Circular about Post Grad in Special Ed  

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Dept of Ed - Circular about Post Grad in Special Ed  

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If you've never used Adobe Connect, get a quick overview: http://www.adobe.com/products/adobeconnect.html
Adobe, the Adobe logo, Acrobat and Adobe Connect are either registered trademarks or trademarks
of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.

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If you've never used Adobe Connect, get a quick overview: http://www.adobe.com/products/adobeconnect.html Adobe, the Adobe logo, Acrobat and Adobe Connect are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.

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Brain Training Activities for Auditory Attention - Our Journey Westward

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Does your child struggle with auditory attention? Find tons of fun and easy activity ideas to help improve the attention, processing speed and memory.

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PLAY NOW

Why MentalUP Memory Games?

MentalUP used trustfully by schools and thousands of families, helps memory matching improvement and learning ability of children and contributes to their success at school.

There are over 150+ online exercises for free! Let's test, train and improve your mind:

MentalUP is a participant of the University College London Institute of Education EDUCATE Program.

Trusted by World Leading Communities

We recommend the MentalUP which is developed by academicians and pedagogues and is filled with educational brain teasers.

MentalUP Educational Games will enable your child to use technology in a beneficial way.

MentalUP is an online innovative games resources for teachers and parents.

MentalUP does brain training well. Its games are easy to understand while challenging the skills which they are designed to stretch.

MentalUP is a UK-based award-winning scientific-educational application containing cognitive learning games for K-8 learners.

MentalUP developed by game designers and academics incorporating innovative teaching methods to offer dozens of mind games.

CONTENTS OF THE MEMORY IMPROVEMENT GAMES

ONLINE VISUAL MEMORY AND AUDITORY MEMORY GAMES.

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Memory Games for Kids Online & Free | MentalUP

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You can boost your skills with MentalUP's memory games for kids online, memory card games, memory match games, memory board games, working memory games.

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DCD and transitioning to Secondary school 

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DCD and transitioning to Secondary school 

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Resources available from the Dyspraxia Foundation 

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Resources available from the Dyspraxia Foundation 

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Children may be referred for physiotherapy for example:

When they experience a delay in milestones, e.g. standing, walking, hopping etc.

Have difficulties with physical activities such as P.E. and also with eye-hand and eye-foot coordination, e.g ball skills and running.

Poor posture, body awareness and awkwardness when moving.

Poor short-term visual and verbal memory is shown as difficulties in taking down dictation, following instructions and copying from the board.

Physiotherapists will carry out an assessment to determine a child's skills and whether they are at an age-appropriate level and with the quality expected. Information is gathered from home and school using a confidential questionnaire to identify difficulties the child is experiencing. The child is consulted about his own concerns and expectations. The Physiotherapist will use specific tests to assess underlying motor, sensory and perceptual abilities.

From the assessment, the Physiotherapist will devise a therapy plan with goals and objectives set by the therapist, child and parents. Therapy will be aimed at improving the child's motor development, which in turn will facilitate self-confidence and esteem.

Liaison with teaching staff, to give advice and support for the child in the classroom, such as correct seating to facilitate better postural control and allowing the child opportunities to practice and consolidate newly acquired skills such as ball skills.

Therapy will also encourage the child to choose to participate in new activities which are both enjoyable and will improve skills.

For more information on helping children with their activities at school and home, the following may be helpful:

Developmental Dyspraxia - A Practical Manual for Parents and Professionals
- Madeleine Portwood (ISBN 1 897585 21 7)

Physiotherapy and Dyspraxia - in Praxis Makes Perfect II - available from the Dyspraxia Foundation.

Sensorimotor Groups - Activities for School and Home - Carol R. Scheerer, M.Ed., OTR/L - Therapy Skill Builders (The Psychological Corporation)

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Children may be referred for physiotherapy for example: When they experience a delay in milestones, e.g. standing, walking, hopping etc. Have difficulties with physical activities such as P.E. and also with eye-hand and eye-foot coordination, e.g ball skills and running. Poor posture, body awareness and awkwardness when moving.

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DCD Toolkit- strategies to help main difficulties 

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DCD Toolkit- strategies to help main difficulties 

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NEPS- Supporting students with coordination difficulties/ Dyspraxia 

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NEPS- Supporting students with coordination difficulties/ Dyspraxia 

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Strengths of Students with DCD/ Dyspraxia 

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Strengths of Students with DCD/ Dyspraxia 

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Strategies for supporting concentration

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Strategy Bank Supportive Seating

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Take a Break- 10 minute strategies for movement breaks

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Advice for teachers from ADHD Ireland about helping children with ADHD in the classroom

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12 Amazing Superpowers of students with ADHD 

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12 Amazing Superpowers of students with ADHD 

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The positives of ADHD are numerous and mighty - creativity, empathy, and tenacity, just to name a few. Here, readers share their amazing superpowers.

Thinking positive to find the plus sides of adhd.

1 of 13

Problem solving skills are a positive about ADHD.

2 of 13

Children use their creativity to build a fort.

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A teenager consoles a friend, using her gift of compassion.

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Girl with snorkel by family unpacking van shows her sense of humor.

5 of 13

The word impossible is written on a chalkboard, with the "im" crossed out, because those with ADHD have perseverance.

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A woman is very observant and employs her keen sense of observation.

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A mom holds her child while also ironing - multitasking is a strength for those with ADHD.

8 of 13

A man is very focused on writing in his notebook. Hyperfocus is a positive trait of ADHD.

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A group of young children are running with endless energy, another positive trait of ADHD.

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A father and son play airplane together. Their seal for life is an ADHD superpower.

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A green apple in a group of oranges illustrates differences. Kids and adults with ADHD are very accepting.

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A road sign has an arrow pointing to Right and another toward wrong. Those with ADHD have a strong moral compass.

13 of 13

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Faster than a speeding bike! Able to leap stereotypes in a single bound! We asked readers what made them a notch above the rest. These are their answers.

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Strategies for supporting concentration

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Take a Break- 10 minute strategies for movement breaks

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ADHD Ireland | Our Mission is to make life better for people affected by ADHD

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We are dedicated to providing up-to-date information, resources and networking opportunities to individuals with ADHD, parents of children with ADHD and the professionals who serve them.

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Introduction

Secondary school students with special needs may have special arrangements made for them while sitting State examinations such as the Leaving Certificate and Junior Certificate. Candidates with disabilities (for example, visual impairments, learning difficulties, motor and mobility impairments and so on) can apply through their school for the Scheme of Reasonable Accommodations at Certificate Examinations (RACE).

Reasonable accommodations are designed to remove, as far as possible, the impact of a disability on a candidate's performance and enable the candidate to access the state examinations on an equal basis with other students. It does not give the candidate an unfair advantage over other candidates in the same examination.

What 'reasonable accommodations' are available?

Examples of reasonable accommodations include the following:

You may get enlarged and/or Braille versions of questions, if you have a visual impairment

You may use voice-activated computers, tape recorders or scribes (other people to do the writing)

You may use assistive technology to access the examination paper, for example reading pens, magnifiers or screen readers

You may do your examination in a hospital or in any other stand-alone centre

If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may be exempted from the aural part of the examination

Accommodations that can be approved by your school

Your school has the authority to make special provisions for students with special needs during State exams on the basis of what is best for you. Some of the special provisions your school can make include:

Taking medicine, food or drinks into the examination centre where this is required for medical reasons.

Use of a special desk or chair that is used in your classroom

Use of low-vision aids that you normally use in the classroom

Ensuring that deaf and hard-of-hearing students are seated close to the examination superintendent

Granting breaks or rest periods in each examination session warranted by your physical or medical condition. (Under this special provision, the time taken for rest or as a break can be compensated for at the end of each examination period to a maximum of 20 minutes.)

If you are not satisfied with the arrangements made, you may appeal to an independent appeals forum. The members of the forum are from outside the Commission and all appeals are considered in light of the Framework of Principles set out by the Expert Advisory Group on State Examinations.

Rules

The State Examinations Commission has responsibility for ensuring the proper conduct of State examinations in Ireland. The Commission has a stated policy regarding the issue of reasonable accommodations of students with special needs during examination time.

However, schools also have the authority to make a number of specified arrangements to facilitate examination candidates with special needs without requesting advance permission from the Commission.

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Scheme of Reasonable Accommodations at Certificate Examinations (RACE)

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Special arrangements are in place for children with disabilities who are taking State examinations

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Differentiating Instruction: It’s Not as Hard as You Think

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Differentiation for Exceptionally Able Students 

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Differentiation for Exceptionally Able Students 

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Keeping students on task- differentiating behaviour 

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Keeping students on task- differentiating behaviour 

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Application Guides, Resources and Forms - Access College

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Application Guides, Resources and Forms Here you will find a set of Application Guides, Resources and Forms in a downloadable and printable format which can help you to make a DARE application. Supporting Documentation and Forms 2024 DARE Handbook 2024 DARE Information Flyer 2024 Section B: Educational Impact Statement Section C: Evidence of Disability Form [...]

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Trinity - access for students with intellectual difficulties 

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Trinity - access for students with intellectual difficulties 

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CareersPortal is Ireland’s leading Careers Guidance website. It is a one-stop-shop for people of all ages who need information and guidance regarding their next career decision.

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a set of principles for curriculum development that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn, including Students with Disabilities. This growing movement aims to improve the educational experience of all students by introducing more flexible methods of teaching, assessment and service provision to cater for different styles of learners. This approach is underpinned by research in the field of neuroscience and is designed to improve the learning experience and outcomes for all students.

The UDL guidelines provided by US organisation CAST are based on the idea that there is no such thing as a 'typical' or 'average' student, that all students learn differently and that to successfully teach for all students, we have to introduce greater flexibility in to teaching and learning practice. They say that educators should follow 3 core principles when designing learning experiences, building in:
From Theory to Practice: the UDL guidelines>>

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National Learning Network Archive - Rehab Group

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A young person who attended Jigsaw

As a teenager I received the mental health support I needed. The work we did together has helped make me who I am today and I strongly believe that every young person should be able to access that kind of help.

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Visit Jigsaw.ie | The National Centre for Youth Mental Health

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We offer a listening ear, and give expert advice and support, online and in person, to young people across Ireland, aged 12 - 25 years-old.

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My body, my thoughts

This resource supports the table above

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Mental Health Thermometer

A tool to support pupils with strategies at each Level of stress or anxiety. This personalise  and individual.

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Tricky Moments- Tips for Managing Behaviour 

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Tricky Moments- Tips for Managing Behaviour 

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Guidelines for Teachers of Exceptionally Able Students 

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Guidelines for Teachers of Exceptionally Able Students 

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Differentiation for Exceptionally Able Students 

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Differentiation for Exceptionally Able Students 