§ 16. Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will intensify the training and experience in child development within the teacher training course in order to overcome learning disabilities in children.
§ Mr. DunnThe coverage within initial teacher training of the different ways in which children develop and learn and of methods of identifying children with special educational needs will be taken into account by my right hon. Friend in his current consideration of the content of initial training courses and the criteria against which they should in future be assessed.
§ Mrs. ShortI am grateful for that reply, but the Minister has made my point. He has said that training in child development is not available within the teacher training system. Is he aware that the work of Professor Schonell and Mia Kellmer-Pringle, who were pioneers in that area, is largely ignored within the teacher training colleges and that children with learning difficulties and disabilities, such as dyslexia, are not recognised early enough and given the help that they need?
§ Mr. DunnI am grateful to the hon. Lady for her comments. I recognise the importance of identifying learning disabilities early so that children may be helped to overcome them. Initial and in-service training, as well as teaching experience, all have their part to play in helping teachers to respond to that particular and important need.
§ Mr. Robert AtkinsDoes my hon. Friend agree that there are some physical disabilities in children, such as rheumatoid arthritis and related illnesses, which may restrict the physical abilities of the child but in no way curtail or inflict themselves upon the child's mental ability, and that all too often teachers and schools do not take that fact into account?
§ Mr. DunnMy hon. Friend is absolutely right in his interpretation. Much more needs to be done, and much more will be done.