Worrying current situation and consequences of Hearing and Language Teachers
Hearing and language teachers (PDI) and speech therapists are specialist teachers who work in both the public and the concerted school. Among its functions is the direct attention to students with language and communication difficulties, but also the establishment of incremental or alternative communication systems with students unable to communicate, the assessment of new cases through the identification and evaluation of problems in the different dimensions of the language, coordination with mentors, guidance to mentors and families, support for the creation of linguistic reinforcement programs, participation in the center project, etc. a long one, and all this through the displacement of two, three or four centers.
Until recently we have been able to carry out these functions, but the situation has changed radically in the last decade; there are more and more pupils on the hearing and language lists, and if twelve years ago we had between 12 and 14 students, today that figure has doubled in the best case and in some cases even more than tripling, becoming 40. In my case, it has gone from twelve to 25 in a decade. On the contrary, the number of EHI specialists has changed very little with what that means.
There are increasing difficulties in the area of language and communication. Students with autism, in my case, when I started one, have become seven. There are cases of intellectual disability that have been increasing, language disorders, hearing impairment, maturation retardation… The studies will say why, I am not going to enter into that, but what is clear is that before our students could receive quality care and that those who had the most difficulties could receive three sessions, and today they have two part-hour sessions in the best cases, and also, in many cases, they should be shared with others.
A few years ago we already had an advisor to the Berritzegune, an old one, who did not know Euskera, but who was very good and who told us quite often these words, “the quality of the service depends on the demand” (the quality of the service depends on the demand), and the ideal attention he established in fourteen students.
Hearing and language teachers feel forgotten, abandoned. The Administration does not specify the number of students we can attend to, whether 20, 30 or 40, there are no limits. As long as they are cared for, they do not care, where are the rights of quality care that should be guaranteed?
Hearing and language teachers feel forgotten, abandoned. The Administration does not specify the number of students we can attend, whether 20, 30 or 40, there is no limit
Tutors of Early Childhood and Primary Education have a ratio of 23 students, in the case of PTs (therapeutic pedagogy teachers) have between six and seven middle students, according to the intensity that mark the difficulties of the students, but in our country there is no ratio. Why? Why doesn't the language take the weight it needs? Isn't it talking and communicating a universal right? Is it not an indispensable tool for the acquisition of knowledge?
The first stages of schooling are decisive in the evolution of all boys and girls, but especially for students with Special Educational Needs. It is something that society owes to children who have these great difficulties, we cannot put them aside and we should put all the personal and physical resources to their needs.
On the other hand, I would like to point out that this scourge that is taking place with language is not only a problem for pupils with special educational needs, but also that more and more children have difficulties in understanding and expressing themselves. The majority of students enrolled in the Community study in Model D, but the Basque country reaches primary school with an increasingly low level. In addition, in our country, we have a great handicap in non-Basque settings: the contents, the knowledge, that is, our students learn Basque, but very few master the language, being Basque the second or the third language.
Our education system continues to decline, according to external evaluations (PISA) we are getting worse and worse results. In view of the results that have been obtained in written understanding, I am led by the “Velcro theory” of the pedagogue and philosopher Gregorio Luri and the words that he often cites: boys and girls go from learning to reading at 9 years of age to learning by reading, and therefore, those who have rich linguistic competence, will have a greater chance of understanding written texts, and conversely, those who have a delay in reading.
EHI specialists, without pretending to be ambitious, could do a lot in that regard, but our workload leaves no time for anything else. We only arrived at a lot of students who need direct attention and we cannot participate seriously in other tasks.
The Education delegation does not heed our demands, they answer not to ask for more EHI and speech therapists. Isn't there money? I do not believe that, on the other hand, we could not read in the newspapers that innovation projects such as Ikaslab, Hezilab or Bizilab have a total subsidy. I am sure they are very good projects, I am not saying no, but unfortunately they do not respond to the urgent challenges we have today.
The trade unions, for their part, have called for a strike at the end of this month for the teachers of public education, and although the demands seem legitimate to me, once again they have forgotten the working conditions of the IHI specialists, even if they are aware of our situation, there are very few of us who work in this specialty and, therefore, we have no strength.
We want dignified ratios and the right to develop our work with quality. We are not asking for more.
Aitor Bárcena Larreategui, Professor of Hearing and Language
Bidali zure iritzi artikuluak iritzia@argia.eus helbide elektronikora
ARGIAk ez du zertan bat etorri artikuluen edukiarekin. Idatzien gehienezko luzera 4.500 karakterekoa da (espazioak barne). Idazkera aldetik gutxieneko zuzentasun bat beharrezkoa da: batetik, ARGIAk ezin du hartu zuzenketa sakona egiteko lanik; bestetik, egitekotan edukia nahi gabe aldatzeko arriskua dago. ARGIAk azaleko zuzenketak edo moldaketak egingo dizkie artikuluei, behar izanez gero.
A few weeks ago, the President of the European Union, Ursula von der Leyen, reported on the need for military spending of eight hundred billion euros. This expenditure is said to be in response to a military threat to which Europe is exposed, and it has been confirmed that there... [+]
“Even with all the shortcomings, the unions have done more for humanity than any other human organization that has ever existed. They have contributed more to dignity, honesty, education, collective well-being and human development than any other association of people.” ... [+]
You may not know who Donald Berwick is, or why I mention him in the title of the article. The same is true, it is evident, for most of those who are participating in the current Health Pact. They don’t know what Berwick’s Triple Objective is, much less the Quadruple... [+]
The article La motosierra puede ser tentadora, written in recent days by the lawyer Larraitz Ugarte, has played an important role in a wide sector. It puts on the table some common situations within the public administration, including inefficiency, lack of responsibility and... [+]
Is it important to use a language correctly? To what extent is it so necessary to master grammar or to have a broad vocabulary? I’ve always heard the importance of language, but after thinking about it, I came to a conclusion. Thinking often involves this; reaching some... [+]
The other day I went to a place I hadn’t visited in a long time and I liked it so much. While I was there, I felt at ease and thought: this is my favorite place. Amulet, amulet, amulet; the word turns and turns on the way home. Curiosity led me to look for it in Elhuyar and it... [+]
Adolescents and young people, throughout their academic career, will receive guidance on everything and the profession for studies that will help them more than once. They should be offered guidance, as they are often full of doubts whenever they need to make important... [+]
We have had to endure another attack on our language by the Department of Education of the Government of Navarre; we have been forced to make an anti-Basque change in the PAI program. In recent years, by law, new Model D schools have had to introduce the PAI program and have had... [+]
Public education teachers have the need and the right to update and improve the work agreement that has not been renewed in fifteen years. For this, we should be immersed in a real negotiation, but the reality is deplorable. In a negotiation, the agreement of all parties must be... [+]