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This project will:
Compare the transition policies and practices employed by mainstream schools for young children with special needs in the North and South of Ireland. Specifically, the project aims to document the policies (at government, local authority and school level) that direct and influence the transition process; to explore the differing practices and strategies employed by schools to support the transition process in both jurisdictions; to establish how teachers interpret these policies at classroom level, to identify the factors that support or impede successful transitions; and to identify the importance of parental involvement in transition process and the role of other agencies.
Dr Colette Gray, Stranmillis University College Belfast
Dr Anita Prunty, St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra
Dr Anna Logan, St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra
Dr Geraldine Hayes, St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra
[2012-2013 SCoTENS grant £4,994.25]
This research project will develop case studies exemplifying good practice in the teaching of pupils from ethnic minorities by focusing mainly on identifying teaching/learning strategies which are successful in integrating ethnic minority children into the classroom and engaging them actively in their learning. Schools will be chosen from the North and South and will be representative of both the primary and post-primary sector.
Development of North/South case studies identifying key features of good practice in the teaching of pupils from ethnic minorities – Final Report 2010 
Contacts
Ken Wylie, Stranmillis University College
Mark Morgan, St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra
[2009-2010 SCoTENS Seed Funding £6,000]
 Conference organisers and presenters at the Joint North South Conference - Dyslexia, Literacy and Inclusion on Friday 12th March 2010 in Saint Mary’s University College, Belfast To help fund a conference which seeks to:
- Develop a dynamic interface on the island of Ireland that will harness educational theory, research and practice on the special educational needs, dyslexia for the purposes of enhancing learning and teaching in schools.
- Promote collaboration between Northern Irish and Southern Irish educational practitioners into what constitutes best practice in the identification and management of dyslexia.
- Contribute to an overall knowledge-based society and inform the educational inclusion debate in the North and South of Ireland.
- Bring together a nucleus of academics, educational psychologists, NGOs ( for example, representatives from the Northern Ireland Dyslexia Association) and curriculum developers from the North and South of Ireland who are interested in the area of dyslexia, and to sustain this initiative through the creation of a discussion group via e mail to disseminate research and examples of best practice.
Download the Conference Report  [487kb].
Contacts
Louise Long, St Mary’s University College
Therese McPhillips, St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra
26 – 27 June 2009
Europa Hotel, Belfast
This conference will update evidence based practice in the treatment of ASD to ensure that parents and professionals have the best possible information. This conference will follow on from three previous conferences.
See the report  .
Karola Dillenburger, Queen’s University Belfast
Geraldine Leader, NUI Galway
[SCoTENS grant £3000]
 Download the report (570kb) Objectives:
- To ascertain how competent BEd primary students in their respective institutions perceive themselves to be in identifying the characteristics of ASD through the teaching element of the BEd course
- To establish how well prepared BEd primary students feel they are in addressing the needs of pupils with ASD through the teaching element of the BEd course.
- To ascertain how much BEd primary student competence in the field of ASD is enhanced as a result of their time spent on school experience.
- To investigate how BEd primary students could be helped to develop their teaching in the area of ASD whils on school experience
- To examine data gathered from the BEd primary students so as to establish whether there are observable differences between students in the two jurisdictions in order to make comparison.
Contacts
Mrs Mary Greenwood, St Mary’s University College, Belfast
Dr Patricia Daly, Mary Immaculate College
Ms Anne O’ Byrne, Mary Immaculate College
Amount Granted
[£1,679 2008-2009]
Objectives:
- To consult with primary and post-primary pupils on their level of participation in the assessment and remediation of their specific reading difficulties
- To share ideas and findings between the two partners of the project via e-mail and face-to-face meetings
- To work with Northern Irish and Southern Irish research partners to understand what constitutes good practice in collecting and analysing research data
- To provide opportunities for young people in Dublin and Belfast to exchange information about their learning experiences
To empower the young people involved in this project in becoming more fully involved in designing, implementing and evaluating their education plans.
See the report.
Contacts
Ms Louise Long, St Mary’s University College, Belfast
Dr Michael Shevlin, Trinity College Dublin
[SCoTENS Seed Funding 2008-2009 £2,400]
 SEN Report The purpose of this project is to investigate the professional development needs of those second level (post primary) teachers who have a specific remit to work with students who have special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream school settings.
Ms Elizabeth O’Gorman, Professor Sheelagh Drudy & Ms Mairin Barry, University College Dublin.
Dr Eileen Winter, Institute of Child Education and Psychology Europe (ICEPE) and Dr Ron Smith, Queen’s University Belfast.
Download a copy of the report.  [3.1 MB ]
Objectives:
- Focused research into post primary needs North and South
- Identification of common needs North and South
- Identification and response to common challenges North and South
- Addressing whole school and classroom challenges at post primary level North and South
- Promotion of the inclusive post primary schoolo/classroom
- Enhanced provision for post primary sector
- Sharing best practice
A conference for 120 delegates was held in the Grand Hotel Malahide on Friday 3rd April 2009 to disseminate best practice in this area.
See the report.
Contacts
Ms Mary Yarr, North East Education and Library Board
Ms Barbara Simpson, Trinity College Dublin
SCoTENS Seed Funding 2008-2009 £3,000
To organise a conference entitled “Student Teachers in Special Settings: policy and practice in Ireland. The Conference will be held at The National Institute for the Study of Learning Difficulties, Trinity College. Floor 4, 3 College Green. Dublin, on Thursday & Friday March 22nd and 23rd, 2007. The attendance will be initial teacher educators with responsibility for special educational needs in the Universities and Colleges of Ireland, members of General Teaching Councils and the Education and training Inspectorates in each jurisdiction. The Conference will aim to provide an assessment of pre-service teacher experience of pupils with disabilities and to provide answers to a range of research question. Download
Mr Hugh Kearns, Stranmillis University College
Dr Michael Shevlin, Trinity College Dublin
Download the final report Final Report
- Support for teachers, linguistic and intercultural
- Provision of opportunities for a cluster of teachers to work collaboratively North and South, to inform the outcome
- Focused research at institutional level (IILT TCD & SELB)
- Promotion of respect for diversity and challenging prejudice
- Promotion of an inclusive school/classroom
- Enhance provision of English as a second language
- Share best practice
- Disseminate best practice through the use of the Internet
Contacts
Ms Mary Yarr Southern Education and Library Board
Ms Barbara Simpson, IILT, Trinity College Dublin
Professor David Little, IILT Trinity College Dublin
Download the Toolkit [pdf 577 kb].
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