Written Answers. - Literacy Levels.
Austin Deasy
Question:
78
Mr. Deasy
asked the
Minister for Education and Science
the estimated level of the rates of illiteracy from the ages of ten to 20 years and age 21 years up; the systematic effort, if any, being made by his Department to dramatically improve the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
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Traditional definitions of illiteracy, as an absolute, are generally not found useful by researchers. Most recently, researchers have adopted various measures of functional literacy to determine the number of people with serious literacy problems.
There is an estimate from the National Survey of English Reading (1993) that about 6.5 per cent-9.5 per cent of pupils at 11 years of age have serious literacy difficulties. International surveys conducted by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) in 1991 indicate literacy levels for Irish nine and 14-years olds of just above the international average. Further analysis of the data on the Irish 14-year olds indicated that between 6.5 per cent-8.5 per cent had serious literacy difficulties.
The revised primary curriculum has been sent to all schools during this term. There is an increased emphasis in the English curriculum on raising literacy standards through the development of reading skills as part of a whole-language process. A significant programme of in-career development of teachers in regard to the introduction of this revised curriculum is well under way.
The new leaving certificate English syllabus has a particular emphasis on literacy and follows on from the revised junior certificate syllabus. Greater attention is given to comprehension and composition thereby enhancing the development of literacy skills directly related to the three areas covered in the IALS study (1997).
School development planning guidelines have been issued to schools at first and second levels.
This initiative should ensure that there is a whole-school approach to literacy development and extension and a whole-school responsibility for raising standards in this area. An important focus of this whole-school planning will be to prevent reading difficulties and to identify and address the needs of pupils with literacy and other learning difficulties at the earliest possible time.
The remedial teaching service has been increased and now comprises of 1,463 remedial teachers to cover all primary schools. There are over 500 remedial teachers in second level schools who support pupils with diagnosed literacy and other learning difficulties. The allocation of these teachers should have an impact in reducing the numbers of those with serious literacy difficulties. Revised guidelines on remedial education which are in the final stage of preparation will sharpen the focus of work in this area and tackle deficiencies identified in the survey of remedial education. The general improvements in the staffing of primary schools, coupled with the £6.5 million allocated to schools for the purchase of library books will be of major benefit in raising reading standards and in reducing literacy difficulties.
A range of schemes is already in place in disadvantaged areas and these consist of the early start pre-school project, the Breaking the Cycle pilot project, the home-school community liaison scheme, the eight – 15 year old early school leavers initiative and the stay in school retention initiative at second level. All of these should have a positive effect on raising standards of literacy in these schools. It is planned to extend the provision of the psychological service to all schools and resource teaching services to schools where a need for such has been diagnosed.
The results of the international adult literacy survey (1997) indicated that 24 per cent of Irish adults (aged 16-65) as a whole had very low liter acy skills, and that 16 per cent of those adults between the ages of 16 to 25 years functioned at the lowest level, indicating serious literacy difficulties. Low literacy levels were strongly associated with low education levels, early school leaving, and were more prevalent among older adults and the unemployed.
Provision for adult literacy has increased from a base of £0.850 million in 1997 when this Government took office, to £5.665 million in 1999. There will be a further increase to £7.825 million next year. The Government's Green Paper "Adult Education in an Era of Lifelong Learning" which was published late last year recommended that investment in this area should increase to at least £10 million per annum on a phased basis, and this will be further progressed in the context of the national development plan.
A range of initiatives have been progressed as part of the expansion of the adult literacy service to date in co-operation with the VECS, the National Adult Literacy Agency, and training and employment interests. These include: establishment of an adult literacy development fund to support awareness, outreach, referral networks and flexible provision; a doubling of the numbers availing of the service to l0,000 and the development of innovatory approaches such as family learning programmes, distance learning, and services for specific groups such as travellers, those with special needs, refugees and immigrants etc; staff development initiatives, including the commissioning of programmes leading to national certification; piloting of literacy over the radio and an evaluation of this; development of a quality framework for the service; initial commissioning of a programme of TV literacy; development of an adult guidance service on a pilot basis.
An interdepartmental committee on literacy for the unemployed has also been convened by my Department, which is working with the National Adult Literacy Agency, FÁS, the local employment service, the vocational education committees and the Departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Social, Community and Family Affairs on the development of an integrated strategy in this area. In that context, a number of joint literacy projects with the FÁS-funded community employment scheme are under way and are now being expanded to all FÁS regions.
