Written Answers - National Anti-Poverty Strategy.
Charlie O'Connor
Question:
222
Mr. O'Connor
asked the
Minister for Education and Science
the status of the commitment in the Government's National Anti-Poverty Strategy to eliminate illiteracy; the actions proposed in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6094/03]
I remain fully committed to achieving the two headline NAPS targets relating to literacy, namely halving the proportion of pupils with serious literacy difficulties by 2006, and reducing the proportion of the population aged 16-64 with restricted literacy to below 10 to 20% by 2007.
In order to ensure progress is made towards these targets my Department has undertaken the following steps: the first fully representative survey of reading literacy in disadvantaged schools will be conducted this year in order to establish much needed baseline data on current reading standards in such schools. This survey will be followed in 2004 by a national assessment of reading in first and fifth classes.
Also, the teacher guidelines that accompany the new 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.
In addition, to complement the 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. Also, more than 2,000 resource teachers have been assigned to children with special needs. A dedicated support team has been recruited and has begun to provide a national programme of in-service training for learning-support teachers and resource teachers which will help them to set appropriate learning targets for children who have learning difficulties, plan individual programmes to address their needs and continually monitor children's progress. To date, three seminar days have been organised for learning-support teachers and resource teachers in all schools and one seminar day has been provided for principal teachers. I have also made resources available to organise seminar days on implementation of the guidelines for learning support teachers, published in 2000, for whole staffs in schools in areas designated as disadvantaged. The purpose of the seminars will be to ensure a whole school approach to tackling literacy difficulties. These seminars will include a presentation of the NAPS targets and schools will design a literacy framework for their school so that swift progress will be made towards the achievement of the targets.
In consequence of the success of the reading recovery programme, which had been piloted in the Louth, Monaghan and Cavan area, I have now extended the programme to 13 schools in the central Dublin area. Reading recovery provides intensive individual support to children who are experiencing literacy difficulties. The further extension of the programme will be considered in light of its success in the 13 Dublin schools.
In relation to adult literacy, my Department has taken the following steps which will ensure progress towards achieving the relevant NAPS target: investment in adult literacy has expanded eighteen fold from €1 million in 1997 to €17.9 million in 2003, and participation in VEC literacy schemes had increased from 5,000 in 1997 to 23,973 by mid-2002. My Department is implementing a quality framework and nationally certified staff development programmes. Research on assessment, and international co-operation are also being pursued, the use of TV and radio has also been piloted and mainstreamed, with the third series of "Read Write Now" attracting an average weekly audience of 146,000 in 2002. In all cases, the TV programme has been backed up by free learner support packs and a freephone helpline provided by the National Adult Literacy Agency. Videos of the first and second series have been sent to literacy schemes, training centres, public libraries and video outlets. Family learning programmes, literacy and language for non-nationals, programmes for special needs and for Travellers have also been expanded; and a workplace literacy programme has been piloted successfully and is being extended to all local authority areas, in co-operation with LANPAG, the Local Authority National Partnership Board. The promotion of workplace literacy is a commitment in the new Programme for Sustaining Progress.
