Special Needs - Level 5 & Level 6

€995.00

Entry to this course is by direct application to the college.

These qualifications gives you the opportunity to qualify and work as a special needs assistant. By booking both courses together you can progress straight to the level 6 course upon completion of the level 5 and avail of a discount, making your study more affordable.

Are you interested in Special Needs Assistant? This course is suited to anyone who has an interest in Special Needs Education, whether to pursue it as a career or use the knowledge for personal or family reasons. Portobello Institute’s QQI Level 5 Minor Award and QQI Level 6 Minor Award in Special Needs Assisting are qualifications that will allow you to work as a special needs assistant in schools, hospitals and care homes. During this 20 week course you will acquire not only knowledge but empathy and understanding crucial to your future role as support to persons needing assistance in their learning. You will attend class at a scheduled time each week and complete course work in your own time allowing you to fit learning around your busy working and family life. You will be required to complete 20 hours of work experience enabling you to get practical experience to compliment your studies after Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted. These factors, together with the one to one tutorial support, offer you a course that is accessible, affordable and achievable.

Work Placement
During this course you will spend 20 hours in total on a work placement in a special needs assisting setting. During the placement you will have the opportunity to put into practice the exercises and skills you will have learned during the programme. You will have the opportunity by using these skills to stimulate, develop and guide the children under your direction to develop to their full potential. We aim to ensure you that have the opportunity to gain experience in a setting that is aligned with your career ambitions.

The practical work experience element of this programme may be completed once Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted

Upon completing this course, you will hold the following qualifications;

QQI Level 5 Minor Award in Special Needs Assisting
QQI Level 6 Minor Award in Special Needs Assisting

During the Level 5 course, you will learn about development and learning in children with special needs and about the role of an SNA. You will learn about child development and behaviour theories and how a range of activities can promote physical, social, emotional and intellectual development in children with learning, physical and behavioural disabilities. You will develop the capacity to work and communicate effectively with parents, families, colleagues and other professionals to safeguard, support and promote children’s learning, development and well-being.

During this programme you will cover the following topics:

The Role of the Special Needs Assistant

Equal Opportunities Child Development (Overview)

Theories of Learning and Behaviour

Physical and Intellectual Disabilities

Communications and Language Disabilities

Work Experience

The level 6 course provides you with a greater depth of knowledge on the role of an SNA. You will learn about development and learning in children with special needs and about the role of an SNA. You will learn about child development and behaviour theories and how a range of activities can promote physical, social, emotional and intellectual development in children with learning, physical and behavioural disabilities. You will learn how to implement Individual Education Plans (IEP’s) and individual behaviour Plans (IBP’s) and introduce exercises that teach the child to look after themselves and their property which ultimately encourages independence, respect, self-esteem and responsibility. You will develop the capacity to work and communicate effectively with parents, families, colleagues and other professionals to safeguard, support and promote children’s learning, development and well-being.

During this programme you will cover the following topics:

Understanding Education, Health and Safety, Teach methodologies, Educational Philosophy and Practice.

Literacy: Identifying the conditions for learning language and how to implement these according to learning programmes.

Mathematics: Learning skills to support the teaching of mathematics and to devise strategies to assess mathematical ability.

Observations: Methods and techniques for assessing, planning and evaluating.

A variety of assessment methods are used to support students with different learning styles. These vary from written reports to practical case studies to examinations. We encourage you to reflect on your knowledge gain with a number of assignments designed to explore your learning journey. All of these assessment methods are seeking to support you to combine theory with scenario-based learning and how to practically implement these methods into your everyday practice.

Tel: +(353) 1 892 0000
Email: info@portobelloinstitute.ie