Learners with Special Needs

Learners with Special NeedsPurpose

To provide support and assistance to learners having difficulties accessing the curriculum due to disabilities, disorders and/or syndromes.

Definition

Learners with special needs, for the purposes of this policy, include: learners with mental health problems (e.g. depression); learners with medical health issues (e.g. autism, dyslexia) information processing difficulties, language disorders, sensory impairments and learners living in difficult circumstances.

Rationale

1. Some learners have special needs as a result of disabilities, disorders, syndromes, circumstances at GCLC.
2. These learners will require support and assistance to realise their potential.
3. Staff, learners and family need to be aware of strategies to identify and respond on an individual needs basis.
4. Meet requirements of their course.

Aims

1. To improve the learning environment and learning outcomes for learners with special needs.
2. To implement and maintain an inclusive approach to address the specific needs of learners with disabilities, disorders, and syndromes.
3. To implement and maintain an active and confidential register of Learners with Special Needs.
4. To advise at the beginning of every intake, of learners with special needs that they will be teaching.
5. To empower learners to be proactive in problem solving associated with problems they may encounter such as bullying.
6. To heighten awareness across the learning centre.
7. To provide skills and strategies and a support network to enhance learning social and emotional outcomes for learners with special needs.
8. To establish a mentoring program with the aim of establishing a long-term support person for a learner with special needs.

Outcomes

1. Identify the needs of our learners through different methods such as classroom observations or through students’ information provided at the enrolment form and to develop strategies to meet these specific needs including reasonable adjustment for the assessment.
2. All learners with special needs to have strategies to deal with issues related to their specific requirements which will be monitored by a Counsellor Learner Services and assisted by external agencies (parents’ medical professionals etc) where necessary.
3. Trainers/Trainers to recognize that all learners require ongoing, individual assistance.

Staff Programme

1. Relevant training to be made available to all trainers of learners with special needs to improve learning outcomes.
2. Staff to be active in reporting potential learning difficulties in learners.
3. Trainers to be active in implementing individual learning programmes for learners with special needs.
4. Trainers to be active in implementing individual learning programmes for learners with special needs.
5. Trainers to report/advise positive and negative outcomes to Manager for early intervention, monitoring and/or change of direction.
6. Trainers help formulate and support the individual learner with special needs learning programme.
7. Counsellors will maintain regular contact with parents and guardians and feedback to trainers as required.
8. Trainers will attend crucial planning meetings.