Students of all abilities are to be better assisted in schools as the Department of Education and Training (DET) offers free diversity and inclusion training to Victorian teachers.
Announcing the initiative, Minister for Education, James Merlino said the first round of the new fee-free Graduate Certificate in Education (Learning Difficulties) Program would be made available to teachers wanting to undertake further study to encourage increased inclusivity in their school communities.
“The Certificate will help teachers from mainstream schools increase their knowledge and skills in relation to learning difficulties including dyslexia and dyscalculia,” Mr Merlino said.
“The Program will offer 75 places for Victorian teachers in Semester Two in July, with recipients able to complete the course online part-time over 12 to 24 months,” he said.
“Applications have also opened for the eighth round of the fee-free Master of Inclusive Education Program, supporting mainstream and specialist schools to boost inclusive education practices by upskilling teachers to foster inclusion for students with disabilities.”
Mr Merlino said the Graduate Certificate had been designed by experts at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education at the University of Melbourne.
The Minister said the DET Program offered 75 fee-free places and recipients would be able to complete the Graduate Certificate course part-time across seven universities.
“We’re helping teachers get the skills they need to champion diversity and inclusion to ensure all Victorian students, especially those with a disability or learning difficulty, have all the support they need to thrive at school and beyond,” he said.
Further information on the new Graduate Certificate can be accessed at this PS News link.
