Changes to include qualification for special needs students

CHANGES to the Junior Certificate are to include a new qualification for students with special educational needs.

The National Certificate of Junior Cycle Education (level 2 on the National Framework of Qualifications) will be available to the small number of students with mild to moderate categories of learning disability, who are currently taught in mainstream and special schools.

While they may be in classes with students preparing for the new level 3 qualification, they will be assessed in a core curriculum designed around five priority learning units (PLUs): Communicating and Literacy, Numeracy, Looking after Myself, Living in a Community and Preparing for Work.

They may also complete and be assessed in the same short courses available as an option to all students.

The shape of these short courses will be set out for schools and will require about half the teaching time of main subjects, but schools will be free to design their own.

They may develop many skills in students that are being sought by employers and colleges, such as innovation and creativity, critical thinking and technological ability

These are just some of the 24 key areas of learning — along with literacy, numeracy, and effective communication — that underpin the redesigned junior cycle programme.

Other attributes students are expected to have on completion of the three-year programme include an ability to think and act sustainably, good consumer skills, ethical responsibility, respect for diversity and appreciation for artistic works.

The kind of short courses set out by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) reflect many of these, with options such as cultural studies, development education, book clubs, personal finance and web design likely to be developed.

The students’ award for short courses will be based on assessment in school, rather than externally, and teachers will deliver the courses.

They will give students a chance to focus on learning around a theme of particular interest to them and will be flexible enough to encompass activities and events organised by the schools.

School musicals, book clubs or similar initiatives can be included, but the courses will have to meet the same rigid requirements as full subjects of having detailed learning objectives that can be properly assessed.