Edmund Rice Centre

The Edmund Rice Centre
The Edmund Rice Autism Centre consists of a sensory room, occupational therapy room, life skills room, horticulture room, quiet room, kitchen and classrooms which have all been specifically designed to meet the needs of pupils who find themselves in the Autistic Spectrum.
ASD Centre Aims:

• Each student that attends our school is valued for their individual worth here at CBS Roscommon.
• We ensure that a student with special needs is given every single opportunity to guarantee a successful and happy school life and we believe our autistic centre will be an added gateway through which students can achieve their very best.
• To prepare students for community life.

ASD Centre Objectives:

• Classes in the ASD Centre are on an individual or small group basis and will target the specific needs of the pupils
• Individualised plans are drawn up by professional and experienced members of staff.

Teaching and Learning:
The students will access a curriculum that is matched to their needs and capacities through carefully planned individual learning activities and through the use of differentiation strategies in group activities. Subject areas include: English, maths, social, environmental and scientific education (SESE,) social, personal and health education (SPHE,) horticulture, domestic science, music, drama and physical education.
Active Teaching and Learning strategies: Direct instruction, interactive learning, experimental learning, creative learning, differentiation, co-operative and interactive learning incorporated into scheme of work.
The additional approaches to teaching and learning are as follows: Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS,) Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication-handicapped Children (TEACCH,) Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA,) Intensive Interaction & Relationship Development. Social Stories will also be used.  Each applied, as appropriate.
The implementation of the Curriculum will be enhanced through a programme of trips to local places, designed to help further prepare the students for successful living in our community (playground visits, coffee shop, shopping tasks, library, post office, park walk, cinema trips, fire station, Garda station etc.)