SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION WITHIN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
Mainstream Schools
The law of June 28th, 1994 about school inclusion allows the participation of children with special needs in preschool, primary and post primary schools.
This law adds two new possibilities in schooling:
-Total inclusion of a child with special needs education in mainstream schools.
-Partial inclusion in a centre of special needs education and supplementary, for some activities, in a class of the ordinary school.
-The law of June 28th, 1994 stipulates that pupils with special needs education included in ordinary schools can benefit from support services. (SREA)
Early Years Education
The early childhood’s education begins at the age of three years and favours the development of language such as emotional, motor intellectual and social development.
There will be two qualified persons for each class, one teacher for preschool education and one educational professional.
This teamwork allows working in groups, differentiation of learning and facilitates as well the inclusion of children with special needs.
Compulsory Schooling
Pre-School Education:
Pre-school education lasts two years and is compulsory for four years old children. Pre-school education is expected to foster physical, intellectual and social development of children and to prepare them for entry into primary schools. Another goal is to compensate deficiencies from social background and to prevent school problems. Children with special needs integrated in pre-school classes can benefit from support of SREA.
Primary Education:
Primary education covers a period of six years. The program of primary education includes:
mathematics, languages (German, French, Luxemburgish), national history, geography, arts and music, physical education, introduction into informatics, religion. Teaching in primary schools starts of in Luxemburgish that children speak at home, as well as in German, a foreign language that becomes the teaching language for almost all subjects in primary school. French that is also taught as a foreign language starts towards the middle of the second school year. Luxemburgish continues to be used in parallel to German and French.
Post-Primary Education:
Pupils must attend secondary education for at least three years to complete compulsory schooling. There are different kinds of educational streams after basic primary education: (A) Technical secondary education and (B) General secondary education.
A) Technical secondary education is divided in three stages:
- Inferior stage
- Intermediate and
- Upper stage, which consist in three separate sections:
a.) the vocational section
b.) technician training courses
c.) the technical section
The Inferior stage completes compulsory education and lasts 3 years (7th, 8th and 9th class)
It should allow pupils to deepen their general training and to prepare them for further schooling or for working in accordance with their abilities. The completion of the 9th class will allow pupils to start an apprenticeship. The decision to continue their studies in the intermediate stage is taken by a class council and depends on the performances in the 9th class.
The Preparatory Stream:
The preparatory stream gives the pupil the opportunity to be admitted:
- either to the classes of the inferior stage or to the vocational section of the intermediate stage;
- either to enter a vocational training.
The form of teaching is based on a modular scheme in groups of different levels.
For many pupils this stream offers an opportunity to enter a vocational training.
Classes of Fundamental Teaching:
Within the preparatory stream, classes of fundamental teaching were founded in order to support the educational needs of children with learning difficulties. Children with special needs education are mostly included in these classes or in other classes of the preparatory stream.
B.) The structure of general secondary education will be the following:
- lower stage: the first 3 years (7e, 6e, 5e), which complete the compulsory schooling;
- upper stage: the following four years (4e, 3e, 2e, 1e).
After the “orientation class” (class of 7e), pupils have to choose between classical education (including Latin as a third language) and modern education (with English as a third language). The basic program is however the same for both orientations. Pupils having chosen Latin as a third language will start studying English only one year later (class of 5e).
Transition Period
Pupils who attended the preparatory stream of the technical secondary school mostly continue their studies in a vocational section, which offers the possibility of professional accreditation.
There are three levels of accreditation:
CCM (Certificate of manual abilities);
CITP (Certificate of technical and professional initiation);
CATP (Certificate of technical and professional abilities).
The training program includes:
1. practical work in a company;
2. vocational training in school;
3. theoretical training of the profession.
ALJ – Local assistance for young people
The “Local assistance for young people” is a part of the department of vocational training of the Ministry of Education.
Its tasks are:
- to organise special measures in order to facilitate transition from school to work
- to find those youngsters who might deserve help of the “Local assistance”
- to organise social and pedagogical help for young people in difficulties, when they
are already working or when they follow vocational training.
Web site: http://www.alj.lu
CNFPC – National Centre of continuing education
The CNFPC offers classes of vocational training in many different fields. It is intended for young people (15 – 16 years) and for adults of any age.
One of the main missions is to offer a continuing education in vocational training for unemployed people. During this training, youngsters and adults do apprenticeships in different firms.
Web site: http://www.cnfpc.lu
Special Education Services
Compulsory Schooling
The law of March 14th, 1973, creating services and institutions of Special Education, foresees that the Government ensures that every child because of his or her intellectual, sensory and emotional particular needs receives within the structures of Special Education the instruction required to meet his/her needs or situation. The Minister of National Education is responsible for the educational aspect; the Minister of Public Health for the medical aspect and the Minister of Family for social aspect of Special Education.
According to educational needs, the following support structures have been created:
a.) an ambulatory resource centre
b.) special regional schools and specific institution
c.) multidisciplinary medico-psycho-pedagogical services
The Minister of National Education assumes the responsibility for these structures.
Direction of Special Education
Director: Marianne Vouel
Address: 34, Avenue de la Porte Neuve
L-2227 Luxembourg
Phone : + 352/478-5175
Fax : + 352/460105
Web: http://www.ediff.lu
For every child receiving support within the structures of Special Education, the ministerial order of May 2nd 1991 foresees the establishment of an individual educational plan including the following psycho-pedagogical aspects:
1. personal independence;
2. communication;
3. basic school learning;
4. cultural apprenticeship;
5. psychomotor education;
6. social health and hygiene;
7. affective and social development;
8. personal responsibility;
9. initiation to professional life;
10. spare time activities.
The individual education plan aims to:
- advise the educational and pedagogical work in general;
- inform the parents about the principle educational options;
- permit an approximate evaluation of the child’s progression.
The Specialised Institutions:
Institut pouf Infirmes Moteurs Cerebraux (IMC):
This institution receives children with all sorts of loss, diminution or perturbation of one or more motor functions as a result of encephalic injury. The institution includes a school and a home section together with a section of re-education, a section of home intervention and a medical service.
Address: Val St. André
L-1128 Luxembourg
Phone : ++352/ 446565-1
E-mail : imc@ediff.lu
Institut pour Deficients Visuels (IDV):
This institution was created in 1975. Within the framework of Special Education, the IDV has been transformed progressively into:
- a centre of production and management of didactic and technological materials adapted to the needs of low vision persons
- a training centre for locomotion and daily independence
- a centre of education, training and assistance, offering structures necessary for family, school, profession and society integration for blind persons in Luxembourg
Address: 17A, route de Longwy
L-8080 Bertrange
Phone : ++352/ 454306-1
E-mail : idv@ediff.lu
Web site : http://www.socialnet.lu/org/idv/idvhome.html
Institut pour Enfants Autistiques et Psychotiques:
This institution provides education, training, speech and psychomotor re-education for children and adolescents suffering from autism and psychosis.
Address: 15, rue de Cessange
L-3347 Leudelange
Phone : ++352/ 378524
E-mail : ieap@ediff.lu
Centre de Logopedie:
This institution is a school for children who are deaf or hard of hearing, or children with speech difficulties.
The institution includes:
a.) a main establishment with pre-primary, primary and post-primary classes or groups, professional training classes or courses, a boarding school;
b.) pre-primary, primary and post-primary classes or groups in different regions of the country;
c.) regional courses are organised ambulatory.
This institution admits children in different sections i.e. those who:
- are deaf;
- are hard of hearing;
- have speech difficulties.
Address: Val St André
L-1128 Luxembourg
Phone : ++352/ 445565-1
E-mail : admin@logopedie.lu
Web site: http://www.restena.lu/logo/
Centre d'Integration Scolaire:
This centre receives children of school age, presenting behavioural problems, for example aggressiveness, self-withdrawal, refusal to learn, difficulties in adapting to a group. The educational action is individualised and usually actively involves the parents.
Address: 70, rue Verte
L-2667 Luxembourg
Phone : ++352/ 480896
Web site: http://www.ediff.lu
Centre d'Observation de Olm:
This centre focuses upon observation and provision for children from 4 to 15 years with behavioural troubles. The aim of the centre is the reintegration of the chid back into the same structure they had to leave because of their problems.
Address: 5, rue Eisenhower
L-8321 Olm
Phone: ++352/ 305495
Web site: http://www.ediff.lu
Les Centres d'Education Differenciee Regionaux:
These centres receive children of compulsory age and with various difficulties – essentially children affected by intellectual handicaps. There are 11 regional centres in Luxembourg. The addresses can be found at the web site: http://www.ediff.lu
Transition Period
Les Centres de Propedeutique Professionnelle:
The centres of special education in Clervaux, Walferdange and Warken also have structures for professional training.
These centres promote the professional training of young disabled people after compulsory schooling. These centres can include:
a.) sections of initiation, orientation and professional training, offering a theoretical and practical training in different specialities such as wood-work, metal-work, boarding, painting, cooking, house-keeping, gardening;
b.) a service that assures integration (if possible) and guidance for the young persons leaving the centre;
c.) a service of re-education.
Structures de Travail (Working Structrues)
Centre de Readaptation de Capellen (Fondation Ligue HMC):
This centre created in 1969, aims to help intellectually and cerebrally disabled children, adolescents and adults. It is one of the oldest in Luxembourg. Students coming from regional centres of special education are prepared here for professional life.
This centre includes:
- a service for observation;
- groups for professional development and training;
- protected workshops;
- therapeutic and occupational groups;
- a fruit-cooperation.
Address: 82, route d’Arlon
L-8311 Capellen
Phone: ++352/ 309232-1
E-mail: direction-secretariat@ligue-hmc.lu
Web site: http://www.ligue-hmc.lu
Centre de Readaptation Professionnelle pour Handicapes Physiques - Centre Emile Mayrisch Fondation IMC Kraizbierg:
The centre receives young physically disabled people as regular students to give them a professional training in the fields of:
- accountancy and administration;
- special techniques of printing;
- horticulture.
Address: Route de Zoufftgen
L-3598 Dudelange
Phone : ++352/ 524352-1
E-mail : direction@kraizbierg.lu
Web site: http://www.kraizbierg.lu
Centre A.P.E.M.H. Domaine due Chateau
The association of parents of intellectually disabled children (APEMH) offers within its institutions the possibility for training, working and living.
Address: 10, rue du Château
L-4976 Bettange-sur-Mess
Phone : ++352/ 379191-1
E-mail : formation.travail@apemh.lu
Web site: http://www.apemh.lu
Co-operation with other Services
Service de Guidance de l'Enfance (Guidance Service for Children):
On June 19th 1990 a guidance service for children in the frame of Special Education was created. This service offers its help to children who, because of educational, psychological, psychosomatic, mental or neurological troubles have development and self-fulfilment problems. The service offers consultations and takes responsibility for the child and its environment.
Address: 17A, route de Longwy
L-8080 Bertrange
Phone : ++352/ 264444-2
E-mail : sge@ediff.lu
Web site: http://www.ediff.lu
Service Re-educatif Ambulatoire:
According to the law of June 1994 on school integration for children with special needs this service was created by Grand-ducal order on January 9th 1998.
This service is responsible for:
-Children integrated into mainstream schools of pre-primary, primary and post-primary education with special education needs (learning disabilities, mental particularities, behavioural particularities, sensory particularities, motor particularities);
-Parents who ask for advice and support;
-Teachers who ask for special help such as support teaching and special didactic materials.
The working methods are multiple and can be organised as assistance in the classroom or as an individual intervention outside the classroom:
- psycho pedagogical re-education for children with learning difficulties;
- responsibility for ill children to avoid learning difficulties because of a long stay in
hospital;
- other specific interventions are assured by the different professionals.
For every child, an individual educational plan is established in collaboration with:
- the teacher of the class;
- the person responsible for the child;
- other concerned persons
The Team
The interventions of the SREA are organised in collaboration with the professionals of the team under the co-ordination of the person responsible for that sector of education.
The team of each sector includes:
- person responsible for the sector;
- educationalists;
- specialised teacher;
- physiotherapist;
- remedial teacher;
- speech therapist;
- pedagogues;
- teacher of logopaedics (hearing impairment);
- motor therapist.
Address: 17A, route de Longwy
L-8080 Bertrange
Phone : ++352/ 264444-1
E-mail : srea@ediff.lu
Web site : http://www.srea.lu |
