Irish exemption
The criteria for Irish exemptions has recently changed. A child can be granted an exemption if they currently are at/below the 10th percentile in Word Reading, Reading Comprehension or Spelling.
Please see more details- Irish Exemption – Department of Education and Skills
Some tips if you are unsure about getting an educational psychologist assessment
Lots of parents of children might have concerns over whether their child should be assessed or an adult may have concerns about going for an assessment.
Children:
Generally, if a parent has concerns about their child’s educational progression, it is best to then to seek an assessment as early intervention is the best method.
In the child’s case, a child in the Irish educational system can be assessed privately or through the public system. Private assessments allow you to pick the person that you think is suitable to carry out your assessment however, it must be privately funded.
The educational system also offers assessment however, there is a lengthy waiting list, often taking up to two years for your child to be assessed. Furthermore, the reports tend to be not as detailed as private reports.
Adults:
Adult assessments are mainly carried out on a private basics however, if the person is in third level education, they may be offered an assessment through their college.
If you are unsure about under taking an assessment, I would recommend doing some research in order to determine if there is merit is seeking an assessment. I would suggest looking at this article to learn more- Psychological Assessment of Adults.
You have received the educational psychologist assessment and unsure about next steps
Generally, once people received their or their child’s assessment they are unsure about what to do next. Each persons recommendations are different therefore there isn’t a step by step plan. However, I would suggest having a follow up discussion with the psychologist in order for them to explain some details in the report to you.
If it’s a child’s report, I would then recommend linking in with the school and seeing what supports they can put in place. Following on from that, I would suggest either working with us for some additional tuition or linking in with the Dyslexia Assoications Worldwide for further help.
Tips for teachers
Having so many children to teach in the same class makes it very challenging for teachers to tailor to each student needs. However, teachers play such a valuable role in a child’s education, that an understanding of learning differences is essential.
There are various short teacher training courses undertaken, now online, through Blossom4life. Where possible, ongoing conversations with parents is the best approach as by creating open communication, then a plan can be best put in place to support the child’s requirements.
Tips for assistive technology
There is a wide range of assistive technology ranging from reading to maths software. It is important to obtain just a few resources that the student will use on a day to day basics.
UrAblility provides a platform of online courses on assistive technology for students with Dyslexia and Dyspraxia. It is tailored towards the parent or a teacher to be informed of such technology.
Occupational therapy
Fine motor skills are essential for development and often lacking in students with learning difficulties.
My OT & Me provide online courses for parents and teachers wanting to learn more about this area. What is great about Jess’s courses, is that she offered packages that get delivered to your door for your child to work on, alongside of the online courses.
