Billy Timmins
Question:106 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Science his plans to ensure students leave school with adequate and competent literacy levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14798/02]
Written Answers. - Literacy Levels.
Promotion of high literacy standards is among the highest priorities of the education system. During my term of office I am determined to significantly improve the literacy levels of all school leavers.
The teacher guidelines that accompany the English curriculum for primary schools recommend a range of teaching methods designed to improve children's reading and writing abilities. The Primary Curriculum Support Service has been engaged in disseminating the content and methodologies recommended in these guidelines. I will support the implementation of the curriculum by continuing the regional training support service so that each school can gain ready access to the training required to meet the needs of its teaching staff.
I draw the Deputy's attention to the commitment in An Agreed Programme for Government to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio in our primary schools. This will facilitate teachers in catering for the needs of pupils and in giving greater attention to children who have literacy difficulties. Every school will receive support for the purchase of appropriate age related literacy tests to assist teachers in monitoring children's literacy development.
To complement that work of mainstream teachers, all primary schools now have access to the services of a learning-support teacher to help children who have low achievement in literacy and numeracy. More than 1,500 resource teachers have been assigned to children with special needs. These learning-support and resource teaching services have a key role in supporting children's literacy development.
It is important to develop these teachers' capacity to set appropriate learning targets for children who have learning difficulties, to plan individual programmes to address their needs and to continually monitor children's progress. A dedicated support team has been recruited to provide a national programme of in-service training for learning-support teachers and resource teachers. A series of professional development seminars for learning support teachers, resource teachers and resource teachers for Travellers will be provided by this team early in the new school year. There will be special emphasis in these seminars on putting systems in place in all schools to ensure early detection of literacy difficulties and early intervention in the case of children who have problems.