Teachers of the Deaf

HC Deb 13 June 1986 vol 99 c317W

Mr. Hancock

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received with regard to the future of training for teachers of the deaf; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Chris Patten

The Government consulted widely on the 1984 report from the Advisory Committee on the Supply and Education of Teachers (ACSET) about training to teach children with special educational needs, including the deaf. The decision to accept ACSET's recommendations that specialist qualifications should be acquired after a period of mainstream teaching experience, and to pursue the substitution of in-service courses for the existing specialist initial training courses, was announced in the White Paper "Better Schools". Since then my right hon. Friend has received a number of representations on the subject of training to teach the deaf, including several letters from hon. Members. Officials recently met representatives of the British Association for Teachers of the Deaf (BATOD) to discuss this and other issues.