Theme: How to support your child with autism in an Irish-medium or Gaeltacht school

Audience: Parents and caregivers. This session will be mainly in English.  

Date and Time: 19th April 2021, 19.00, Zoom 

This seminar is aimed at parents and caregivers. Teachers, principals, researchers and anybody else with an interest in this area are also very welcome to attend. A panel of guest speakers (teachers, principals and a parent) will share their expertise, practical advice and experience on how best to support students with autism in an Irish-medium or Gaeltacht school. The speakers will focus on strategies to support the progress of your child in an Irish-medium school and some of the potential benefits of Irish-medium education. Do you have questions about autism in general or the suitability of an Irish-medium or Gaeltacht school for children with autism? Would you like to learn more about other parents’ experiences or understand strategies to help your child at home? If so, join us on the 19th of April! 

Guest speakers: Brenda Ní Mhaoilchiaráin, Scoil Mhuire & Coláiste Mhuire gan Smál, Luimneach, Carmel Nic Airt, Celine Uí Rónáin (parent), and Máire Ní Chróinín, Gaelscoil Mhíchíl Uí Choileáin (more information to follow)

Brenda Ní Mhaoilchiaráin, Scoil Mhuire & Mary Immaculate College, Limerick 

Brenda Ní Mhaoilchiaráin is a primary school teacher in Scoil Mhuire, Carna, Co. Galway. Before returning to Carna, Brenda spent five years teaching in a Gaelscoil in Co. Offaly. The school opened a special class for children with autism in 2017 and Brenda spent two years teaching in that class. She returned home to Conamara last year where she has experience of working with children with autism in a Gaeltacht school setting also. She is currently carrying out research as part of the M.Ed programme in Irish-medium and Gaeltacht Education in Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. She is writing her thesis on autism in immersion settings focusing on PECS as a system of communication.  

Celine Uí Rónáin, Parent 

Celine Uí Rónáin is a mother of three children, two of whom have ASD. She has fifteen years of experience dealing with autism at home and five years experience working as a special needs assistant working with children with autism. She works in Gaelscoil Bhaile Brigín in Dublin in their ASD Unit. All her children attended the Gaelscoil and Fionn, the eldest child, was the first person with autism at the school. 

Celine will talk about her experience as a parent of children with autism who are going through their education system through the medium of Irish.  

Máire Ní Chróinín, Gaelscoil Mhichíl Uí Choileáin  

Máire is a primary school teacher in Gaelscoil Mhichíl Uí Choileáin, Cork. Máire is the special educational needs coordinator in the school. She spent several years teaching various classes before moving to learning support and resource in 2003. She has been directing and organising the support programme since. She has vast experience in the area of special educational needs over the years and has completed many courses. 

Registration for this event is now closed. Check our website for a recording of this seminar.