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How to become a Learning Support/Resource Teacher?

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  • 07-08-2009 10:58am
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 38


    Hey everyone, looking for some advice.
    I didnt get the HDip this year, and all the PGDE places in UK for Secondary are now filled. Ive already done my B.A. English and History, and Im just finished my Masters, so Im at a complete loss as what to do for a year to enhance my C.V.
    I was reading the Indo yesterday and I was struck by the amount of Learning Support /Resource Teaching jobs.

    Does anyone know what course you would have to do to be qualiifed for Learning Support / Resource Teaching?
    do you think it would help my employment situ if I was a quailifed English and History teacher with Learning Support?
    or Anyone recommend some other year long course I could do?

    Any help would be hugely appreciated, Im very confustered!


Comments

  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 12,479 Mod ✭✭✭✭byhookorbycrook


    1Elainey1 wrote: »
    Hey everyone, looking for some advice.
    I didnt get the HDip this year, and all the PGDE places in UK for Secondary are now filled. Ive already done my B.A. English and History, and Im just finished my Masters, so Im at a complete loss as what to do for a year to enhance my C.V.
    I was reading the Indo yesterday and I was struck by the amount of Learning Support /Resource Teaching jobs.

    Does anyone know what course you would have to do to be qualiifed for Learning Support / Resource Teaching?
    do you think it would help my employment situ if I was a quailifed English and History teacher with Learning Support?
    or Anyone recommend some other year long course I could do?

    Any help would be hugely appreciated, Im very confustered!

    Learning support, you must have a B. Ed, for Resource some courses allow you restricted recognition.

    People might have a better idea on educationposts.com/forum


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,398 ✭✭✭✭TheDriver


    all learning support teachers in my place bar one is just a qualified teacher, the one has a resource teaching dip onto her main teaching qual


  • Registered Users Posts: 25,005 ✭✭✭✭Toto Wolfcastle


    I don't know about qualifications but according to my teaching assignments for this year I am now a learning support teacher on top of my normal classes so I'm not sure qualifications are needed. Most of the learning support teachers in my school are just normal teachers.


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 12,479 Mod ✭✭✭✭byhookorbycrook


    Janeybabe are you in secondary? In primary you have to have a B.ed and your Irish.


  • Registered Users Posts: 25,005 ✭✭✭✭Toto Wolfcastle


    :confused:

    You mean the normal qualifications to be a primary teacher? Yeah, you're expected to have the normal qualifications to be a secondary teacher to teach learning support in secondary. Did I say otherwise? I meant extra qualifications. It goes without saying the a teaching qualification is needed.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 147 ✭✭ulysses32


    At post-primary, although some mainstream teachers may have some LS/RES classes on their timetables, a LS/RES teacher would normally have completed a post grad diploma in learning support/ SEN. This is generally undertaken during service. I am unaware of any pre-service qualification in the area.

    However, if one is genuinely interested in SEN/ LS as a career path then I would suggest that some of the ICEP online short courses could provide some useful initial training.

    Most post-primary schools will spread LS/RES across the timetable with a couple of qualified people in advisory and co-ordinator roles.


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 12,479 Mod ✭✭✭✭byhookorbycrook


    janeybabe wrote: »
    :confused:

    You mean the normal qualifications to be a primary teacher? Yeah, you're expected to have the normal qualifications to be a secondary teacher to teach learning support in secondary. Did I say otherwise? I meant extra qualifications. It goes without saying the a teaching qualification is needed.
    Janey, didn't meanto be insulting,excuse me if you felt so.


  • Registered Users Posts: 25,005 ✭✭✭✭Toto Wolfcastle


    Janey, didn't meanto be insulting,excuse me if you felt so.

    No no, I didn't feel like that at all! Was just a little confused! :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 909 ✭✭✭gaeilgebeo


    Hi JaneyBabe, It goes without saying that the best way to enhance your c.v is experience. Its the best thing to have on your cv! You won't get the dip here without it. I think it would be much more valuable for you to get experience in your two mainstream subjects by doing something like a maternity leave as opposed to pursuing the resource teaching. In my experience of interviews , teaching experience is what the interview panels are interested in as opposed to qualifications. Have you considered this? :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 25,005 ✭✭✭✭Toto Wolfcastle


    Um, I'm not the person who started the thread. :)


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 117 ✭✭hot chick


    All primary trained teachers are automatically qualified to be LS/RT.
    Although they can do a postgraduate dip in LS if they wish, they don't have to.

    All graduates of the 3 year degree in Montessori teaching are qualified LS/RT also.
    Not sure how it works in secondary, think you can be given LS hours by your school and then do your LS dip.

    Incidentally you can't do the LS dip (the only qualification in LS recognised by the DES) unless you already have LS hours. So it's a catch 22. You can't get the course without first having the hours, and you can't get the job without the course.

    Unfortunately if is not possible in this country to just qualify as a LS/RT. You need to be a fully fledged teacher at some level first (montessori/primary/secondary).


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8 sare


    learning support/RTT you have to have a B.Ed degree abd have to have done your diploma year.
    Resource you dont need your dip :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,502 ✭✭✭maynooth_rules


    I was given a resource teaching post last year for the last 3 months with only a PGDE. Loved every minute of it


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,502 ✭✭✭maynooth_rules


    Just a point on this, I have experience, all be it only 3 months, of resource teaching in a secondary school. What are my chances then if i apply for a resource position in a primary school?? Is it even worth applying


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,578 ✭✭✭memorystick


    Sorry for resurrecting old thread but as the title says. I'm subbing with English and History but need to make myself employable. Are there any courses starting after Christmas? Thanks in advance.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,433 ✭✭✭solerina


    Try ICEP, they run an online Cert in Special & Inclusive education which leads onto a diploma and even a masters if you want, mostly delivered online even to masters level, usually starts Sept and again in Jan. It's linked to StPats but is for primary and secondary teachers.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,312 ✭✭✭darlett


    Sorry to hijack a resurrected old thread. ;) But I'm considering applying for short term role as a resource teacher from January to June and wondering if I'm in anyway qualified.
    They are looking for a subject qualified teacher in the subjects I'm qualified in which is a start, but I have not completed any SEN courses bar what was in my Dip and a few other sessions such as NIPT. I have one years teaching completed, which has included a small fraction of resource teaching along the way, and 3 years experience in a pastoral care role in a secondary school before that.
    Is there such a thing as a typical resource teachers schedule or requirements? If its based around my subjects, which I'd feel quite confident of, or if its more to do with supporting students social development, which sounds exciting to me, but nothing that I'd have enough knowledge to tackle. Or is it an undefinable job lot depending on the school offering it?

    My other questions are more capitalist. Just want to check if resource teachers are reimbursed at the same rate and if the hours count towards the payscale hour requirements for a teaching career?


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