CBS High School Clonmel

CBS High School Clonmel ASD Unit

Definition

Students attend mainstream classes and timetabled classes within the ASD Unit. The unit is also available to them should they need to withdraw for an unscheduled class period. Scheduled classes within the unit are on an individual and group basis. Classes target the triad of impairments and a variety of teaching approaches are employed as described below. Students are supervised across breaks and lunch. Lunchtime contains structured activities including a board games club, drama classes, library etc to promote peer interaction.

The purpose of the ASD Class is to assist children with ASD’s to leave school with the skills necessary to participate to the level of their capacity in an inclusive way in the school and economic activities of society and to live independent and fulfilled lives and to provide for the greater involvement of parents of children with special educational needs in the education of their children.

3 classrooms

Kitchen/recreation room

Sensory/relaxation room/Bathrooms and shower facilities

Lockers

Gym

Ratio of teachers for Special Classes
Ratio of SNAs for Special Classes
Teaching Approaches Employed
Role of The SNA - Enabling Model
Value the pupil: encouraging them and providing positive reinforcement.
Promote independence and avoid situation of ‘learned helplessness’.
Provide support for the student enabling them to access the curriculum.
Work in collaboration with the teacher.
Support the wider needs of the school.　
Interactive Approaches - Emphasis is placed on assisting the child in developing relationships and engaging in reciprocal communication through structuring naturalistic and incidental learning and teaching contexts.
Communicative Approaches - Children’s communication skills will be specifically targeted, promoted and developed through the use of approaches such as PECS, LAMH and the use of objects, symbols, pictures, photographs, drawings and written words.
Discrete Approaches - The treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication-handicapped Children (TEACCH) approach is based on the rationale that children with ASDs progress better in structured rather than unstructured environments and incorporate a physical organisation of the environment, visual schedules, work-systems and task organisation.
Social Stories - Social Stories are designed to enable the child to cope with social situations which he finds difficult. They are visual, identify relevant cues, provide easily accessible accurate information for the child and describe expected behaviours. Role-play and video may be used to enhance this process.
Integration Approaches - Integration is used as the learning medium and children are taught to directly participate in activities with their non-ASD peers. Clubs and drama classes are used to promote this process. Mainstream peers are provided with accurate age-appropriate ASD-awareness information in inclusive settings.
Behavioural Approaches - The behavioural techniques, associated with ABA, of reinforcement, shaping, prompting and prompt-fading underpin the programme.Autism Classes - 6 children per class - 2 SNAs.
Flexible depending on individual needs.Autism Classes - 6 children per class - 1.5 teachers

Student's viewpoint

WELCOME TO CBS HIGH SCHOOL!

Hello I’m a first year in 1A1. I know lots and lots of things about this school and about the world itself. Did you know that Clonmel High School is one of only twenty schools that teach Classical Studies? Here’s another fact, Clonmel has a lot of sporting and academic achievements. I get lots of high scores in my tests and some guys get 100% as well.

This school is very different to national school. You’ve got a canteen which is not common in national school and you have to go to different rooms for different subjects. It’s a lot bigger than my national school. Now I’m able to go to the canteen and pay my money for a burger and wine gums, there’s also other stuff there. I’m also able to go to board games club which is on Thursdays. They have lots of different games such as monopoly, connect four and chess. It’s a good place to enjoy yourselves and meet new lads.

One thing I am able to do is write by myself. I needed to be supervised to do that in national school because I have AS now I work independently. There is also a nice P.E teacher, it might be a bit tough but that’s the subject. It’s also a good way to meet more friends. It makes me part of a team.

On Fridays I go out for a treat outside the school but only because I’m really good at getting points. The points is a system that is on a poster in room 32, that’s the same place as the board games club. I get points if I do the good things and I don’t get points if I don’t and obviously no bad language is one of the rules.

In room 32 I have my own desk, it’s nice and quiet and I do my special maths, sensory and chat about social skills. We do special activities to remind me about my skills such as not being a space invader.

I go to room 32 at certain times that are on my timetable. Because I have AS I can come to room 32 when I get upset too. AS is Asperger’s Syndrome you might have heard of it cause a lot of people have it. When I’m upset I can chill out, listen to music, use my sensory blanket and read. Anyway to wrap this up, I know I might be rambling, don’t be afraid to tell the teachers you’re scared and frightened. I was before I came in here because I didn’t know what secondary school would be like. In many ways it’s the same as primary school but in some ways it’s different. Now I feel great so take this advice from a fellow first year and get your parents to enrol you here.

Time

Details

03-Jun	School closes for Summer Holidays
3:20pm

08-Jun	State Exams Junior and Leaving Certificates 2011 begin
9:30am