Your questions answered by Brian Mooney

My child is in second class in primary school. I have been aware for some years now than he has been slower that his two older sisters when it comes to reading. I have put this down to gender differences and the unique development pattern of each child. I have recently discussed this with his teacher and she has hinted that she thinks he may have a problem with reading, although she did not indicate undue concern at this stage. What is the best thing to do?

You and the teacher share the same concern for your son's reading development. It is important to discover relatively quickly if there is any substance to this concern. Fortunately, the Department of Education and Science (DES) has provided a systematic plan on how to proceed. (DES Circular 24/03, which is available on their website, www.education.ie). It refers to what is called the "Staged Approach to Special Education", whereby any child a parent or teacher thinks may have a learning difficulty in the areas of physical, intellectual, academic, social, emotional or behavioural development must be helped. There are three stages to this approach.

STAGE ONE: Following a discussion between parents and the class teacher, which you have just had, the teacher observes or screens the child to determine if the concern is valid. The observations may be formal or informal. This process of observation and screening will only be applied to children in senior infant class and above (children in junior infant classes need to be given time to adjust to school and develop).

If this initial screening or observation validates the concern, the class teacher must write an intervention plan, indicating what he or she will do in the classroom to assist your child in overcoming the difficulty. This plan must be shared with the parents and reviewed regularly with them. It must be implemented for about two school terms. Following the period of implementation, the results of the plan will be reviewed with the parents.

STAGE TWO: If the plan has succeeded then the case will be closed and the class teacher will proceed along the usual lines of instructions, but continue to keep an eye on your child. If the plan has not helped with the problem, the child can be referred, with your permission, for more intensive help. At this stage, you will be asked to give permission for the learning support teacher (a special education teacher) to complete a "diagnostic assessment" of your child. This assessment is more precise than what a class teacher can perform and will help determine if your child has a form of dyslexia or other reading difficulty. If this is the case, you will be asked to allow your child to be assisted by the learning support teacher. The learning support teacher will work with your child and write an educational programme that specifies what special help he will get and also outlines what the class teacher will do to provide help.

STAGE THREE: At the end of about one term, the learning support teacher will consult with you about the impact of this intervention. If it has been successful, your child will continue as a member of the mainstream class without learning support services. If the education plan has not been successful, the school special education support team will ask your permission for a more formal evaluation to be completed by an educational psychologist from the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS). That is a little way off yet, however.

For more information see The Essential Guide to Special Education in Ireland by Dr David Carey published by PrimaryABC (www.primaryabc.ie).

Brian Mooney is president of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors. E-mail questions to bmooney@irish- times.ie