Special Education Needs Provision in the Czech Republic

1. Special Education Needs Provision in the Czech Republic

2. Special Education Needs Provision within Mainstream Education • Inclusive policies Since 1989 there has been a progressive process of change in the Czech education system. All these changes have increased the individualisation of educational possibilities. The most important changes deal with the group of children with special educational needs, who had a narrow or even restrictive access to education before. New educational philosophy, which responded to the tendency and trends of the society's democratic development and orientation, was formulated in the National Programme of Education Development in the Czech Republic (White Book) by The Ministry of Education in 2001. • FROM DROP OUT TO INCLUSION

3. Educational settings The decision about the form of education of a pupil with special needs is the responsibility of the head teacher, taking into consideration the wishes of parents and counselling centres recommendations. A pupil with special needs has the right to be educated at a mainstream school at a mainstream class (preferably with regards to the special needs of the pupil), and/or at a special class /unit within the mainstream school and/or at a school for children with special needs (‘special school').

4. Inclusive Education • Individual Inclusion in class at mainstream school – Individual Education Curriculum • Group Inclusion at mainstream schools ( special/specialized class) – Special School Curriculum and Individual Education Curriculum (Special class for disabled students / Specialized class for students with learning disabilities – dyslexia, dysortografia, dysgrafia, etc.)

5. Inclusive Education • Pre-primary • Primary • Secondary • University • Vocational training and lifelong learning

6. Inclusive Education • Inclusive education set up for students with special needs • Discussion – “…….is inclusive education at mainstream schools useful for students with mental handicap? Yes or No ? And for who is useful – for mild/severe/ profound disable students?“

7. Special Schools for students with Special Education Needs • Special education Primary and Secondary schools for children with special needs provide education for pupils whose special educational needs cannot be fully met within the mainstream provisions and facilities, and also for those whose parents prefer such schools. The number of pupils in a class is much lower in comparison to a mainstream class. It ranges from 4 to 14 pupils relating to the type of school. A mainstream class consists on average, of 22, 5 pupils, and no more than 30 pupils. In addition to the regular teaching subjects each special educational programme provides so called subjects of special provision, such as speech and communication therapy, mobility and orientation training, sensory stimulation, using special IT, music and musical instrument playing, etc.,. Recently, the role of special schools has been changing. In addition to their educational role, they have become resource centres developing new pedagogical methods and approaches and providing a wide range of advice and support services both to pupils, their parents and mainstream teachers. They usually include different levels of education.

8. Special Education Curriculums for mental disabled students • Praktickáškola ( Primary Practical School) for students with mild mental disability • Speciálníškola ( Primary Special School) for students with severe and profound mental disability • Praktickáškoladvouletá ( Secondary two-year School) for students with mild and severe mental disability • Praktickáškolajednoletá ( Secondary one-year School) for students with severe and profound mental disability • Tříletéučebníoborynastředníchškolách ( Special three-year courses at Vocational Schools) for students with mild mental disability

9. Special Education Curriculums for other disability • Special Schools for students with hearing impairment ( kindergarten, primary, secondary) • Special Schools for students with vision impairment ( kindergarten, primary, secondary) • Special schools for students with physical handicap ( kindergarten, primary, secondary) • Special Schools for children with speech impediment ( kindergarten)

10. Early Intervention • The Early Intervention Centres provides services to parents in the form of: regular home visits from counsellors, centre-based services like physical, visual, mental , social and educational stimulation or rehabilitation, recommending and lending suitable toys and special aids, organising day-long lectures on various subjects, week-long courses for whole families, lending specialised literature, organize parents groups and meetings, support of mainstreaming, finding kindergarten or day care centres, of the psychological assistance, accompanying parents when asking for allowances or visiting institutions.

11. Identification of special educational needs The system of educational and psychological counselling consists of: • School counselling team (teacher counsellor, class teacher, coordinator of prevention, school psychologist, special educationalist) • Educational and Psychological Counselling Centres (psychologists, special educationalists, social workers) • Special Education Centres (special educationalists, psychologists, social workers)Educational and Psychological Counselling Institute

12. Thank you for your attention RSDr. Jan Vavřička Střední škola, Základní škola a Mateřská škola, Frýdek-Místek, příspěvková organizace