I thank the Joint Committee on Education and Science for its invitation to discuss the quality of post-primary teaching. The inspectorate is a division of the Department of Education and Science. In carrying out its quality assurance functions at second level, it operates a programme of evaluation, including subject inspection. This focuses on the quality of teaching, which most directly and powerfully affects the quality of outcomes demonstrated by students. Many school factors, most notably the quality of school leadership and planning, can help to promote the quality of teaching.
Broadly speaking, post-primary inspectors are finding that subject departments are well established in schools, individual teacher quality of planning tends to be high, students are engaging in a good range of learning activities and teachers are using assessment for learning approaches. The areas where inspectors see scope for development include the quality of subject plans, widening the range of teaching methodologies used and ensuring that teachers' questioning promotes higher order thinking in students. Frequently, inspectors recommend a greater differentiation in teaching to meet the needs of all students in class groups.
In Irish teaching, inspectors identify a number of positive aspects. Often, they commend the progress teachers are making in planning for Irish and their commitment to using the target language in lessons. Inspectors comment favourably on the use of pair work and group work to enable students practise their oral language and on teachers' linking of lesson content to students' everyday experiences. Inspectors have expressed some concerns about the teaching of Irish, including an over-emphasis on "teacher talk" in lessons and insufficient attention to planning the development of students' oral language skills. Inspectors' reports refer to the limited use of information and communication technology and the tendency of preparation for the written certificate examinations to dominate the classroom practice of teachers.
In mathematics, inspectors report some high quality teaching characterised by in-depth subject knowledge, the use of a variety of teaching approaches and good rapport with students. They are finding that mathematics teachers are planning collaboratively within well established subject departments and that flexible arrangements enabling students to learn in class groups suited to their abilities are working well. However, teaching in mathematics is predominantly teacher-led, taking the form of demonstrations by teachers followed by the practising of examples by students. Frequently, inspectors warn against over-reliance on class textbooks. They note that over-emphasis on preparation for the certificate examinations can detract from a focus on developing students' understanding. They encourage greater use of the available ICT resources in the teaching and learning of mathematics.
In the science subjects, inspectors refer to well resourced and well maintained science laboratories with good access to ICT equipment as positive learning supports. Regularly, inspectors note good planning and high levels of attention to safety procedures. Overall, they find that science lessons are engaging for students and that teachers make particular efforts to link science to students' everyday experiences. However, inspectors find that not all students are learning science in an investigative way and that the potential of ICT is not being fully realised.
Some significant ongoing developments will affect the quality of teaching in the three subjects. These include support for Irish teachers in preparing for the increase of the oral component to 40% of the certificate examinations and the Project Maths initiative, which will result in revised junior and senior cycle mathematics syllabuses and a greater emphasis on applying mathematics to real-life problem solving. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment is undertaking a revision of senior cycle science syllabuses with the intention of making science subjects more attractive to students.
This is a brief summary of the recurring themes in the inspection reports on the quality of teaching in second level schools. We will be happy to clarify any aspects of our written submission or to respond to any questions.