Richard Bruton
Question:107 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of schools on Dublin's northside in which more than 10% of pupils in fifth and sixth class are experiencing serious reading difficulties. [15571/03]
Written Answers. - Literacy Levels.
My Department does not compile literacy statistics for specific geographical areas and so the information requested by the Deputy is not available.
I remain fully committed to meeting my Department's commitments under the national anti-poverty strategy, NAPS, in relation to child literacy. Along with key targets relating to adult literacy and early school leaving, the NAPS commits my Department to halving the proportion of pupils with serious literacy difficulties by 2006. Child literacy is also a key focus of the new partnership agreement, Sustaining Progress, which includes a special initiative to tackle educational disadvantage.
In order to ensure progress is made towards the NAPS target, 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. 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.
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. In addition, more than 2,300 resource teachers have been assigned to children with special needs. A dedicated support team has been recruited and has completed 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, to plan individual programmes to address their needs and to continually monitor children's progress. 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. This training will be completed by the end of June 2003. Planning is in train in relation to the continuation of this support in the coming school year.
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 15 schools, mainly 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 15 schools in the Dublin area.