IPPN

Special needs care workshops delivered by US experts [limerickpost.ie]

Published: 02 March 2010

Mid West hosts international experts in special needs care for children

A voluntary run children's charity in the Mid West has been selected to host a week of workshops by the renowned California based Speech and Language Development Centre (SLDC). Clare Crusaders Children’s Clinic in Ennis will welcome 11 therapists who will present practical and innovative programmes to parents and teachers of children with special needs in the Auburn Lodge Hotel Ennis between April 6-9

and will feature topics such as vocabulary development and communication, teaching social communication skills and managing behaviour at home and in the classroom.

Full Story: www.limerickpost.ie

O’Keeffe hints at ease on promotion ban [IrishExaminer]

Published: 02 March 2010

SCHOOLS may be given some relief from a ban on promotions which has created major management difficulties for schools with higher proportions of teacher retirements, Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe has indicated.

The bodies representing boards of management at the country’s 730 second- level schools last week urged the minister to consider a partial easing of the moratorium, which they say has affected some schools far worse than others.

Full Story: www.irishexaminer.com

Teachers' pet [IrishTimes]

Published: 02 March 2010

An insider's guide to education

** UNLIKE MOST of his Cabinet colleagues, Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe can afford to relax about the forthcoming Cabinet reshuffle.

There are probably only two real possibilities and both represent good news for the minister.

There is continuing speculation that the Department of Education could be given an expanded role in training programmes.

And there is also some word that Batt could be in line for a new ministerial post which would oversee public service reform.

Full Story: www.irishtimes.com

Principals seek 'agreed approach' [newsletter.co.uk]

Published: 02 March 2010

GRAMMAR school principals from across Ulster have met to discuss the possibility of introducing a single transfer test.

Around 60 grammar schools decided to set their own entrance exams for pupils after Education Minister Caitriona Ruane scrapped the 11 plus transfer test.

Tests from the Association for Quality Education (AQE) and the Post Primary Transfer Consortium (PPTC) were sat by around 14,000 pupils last year.

Full Story: www.newsletter.co.uk

‘Knowing What Counts’ [educationmatters.ie]

Published: 02 March 2010

The new report was launched on February 2 by Brigid McManus, Secretary General of the Department of Education and Science, and Professor Michael Grenfell, Head of School of Education, Trinity College Dublin.

Authored by Dr. Seán Delaney, Senior Lecturer, Coláiste Mhuire, Marino Institute of Education, the report is published jointly by the Marino Institute of Education and the Department of Education and Science.

The report explores Irish primary teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching. For the purposes of the study, measures of teacher knowledge from the United States were adapted and used to survey Irish teachers.

Full Story: www.educationmatters.ie