Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 October 2004
120 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Education and Science her proposals in the immediate term to address educational disadvantage, particularly on foot of a recent report from her Department which finds that 30% of children in disadvantaged schools have severe literacy problems; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26104/04]
View answerThe latest partnership agreement, Sustaining Progress, contains a special initiative on tackling educational disadvantage — literacy, numeracy and early school leavers. This special initiative recognises the importance of literacy and numeracy skills as prerequisites for learning and for social well-being and economic participation. As part of the initiative, the Government is committed to paying critical attention to literacy and numeracy both in school and for adults of all ages.
My Department has a range of measures in place to prevent and ameliorate literacy difficulties at primary and second level. More than 1,500 teachers provide learning support to all primary schools by giving intensive support to children with literacy difficulties. At second level, more than 530 learning support teachers are employed. In addition, the junior certificate school programme literacy strategy promotes a whole school approach to literacy development at junior cycle in second level. Continuing assistance is being given to disadvantaged primary schools in implementing my Department's learning support guidelines, including adoption of a whole school approach to supporting children with literacy difficulties, and development and implementation of a literacy plan by each school.
My Department provides additional supports for schools serving disadvantaged communities. These supports include the reading recovery programme in primary schools, reduced class sizes, home school liaison schemes and additional grants, all of which assist in improving literacy levels. The reading recovery programme first piloted in the Louth, Monaghan and Cavan area has been extended to a number of schools in the Dublin area. There are currently 66 primary schools participating in the programme. My Department has recently recruited three teachers to train as reading recovery tutors, increasing the total number of tutors to five. Following completion of training, these new tutors will train teachers and facilitate the extension of the reading recovery programme for the first time to disadvantaged schools in Cork and Limerick. The first steps programme offers primary teachers an accurate means of assessing and monitoring children's competencies and progress in reading, writing, spelling and oral language. Training of teachers in selected disadvantaged schools in first steps is ongoing.
In addition, baseline data on literacy attainment levels is being strengthened through work by the Educational Research Centre and the OECD programme for international student assessment. Early interventions, such as those I outlined, are crucial in addressing literacy problems among children and have a lasting impact on tackling educational disadvantage and social exclusion.
The Minister referred to a number of schemes and we spoke earlier about the number of schemes in place. What qualitative information is available in the Department as to what does or does not work and what works well?
The fact that 30% of children in disadvantaged schools have literacy problems is startling. It relates directly to the children with learning needs Bill and the Minister's announcement last week that she would review the weighted system.
Which the Deputy welcomes.
Which I welcome. A study in Leitrim and Dundalk indicated that one cannot just have a quota system because there are widespread differences in terms of the numbers of children with special needs in particular schools, therefore, one needs a school-based focus. How will the review of the weighted system be carried out? Will it take into account the differences involved and the fact that one cannot take a broad brush approach and decide that, just because a school is a particular size, it needs a particular number of teachers, particularly in view of the problems in disadvantaged areas where there can be a high level of needs? Is this contributing to the high levels of illiteracy?
In May 2003, the Education Research Centre carried out a survey of reading and literacy levels in first, third and sixth classes in 94 primary schools. These results are currently being evaluated. The benefit of the survey is that we will have baseline data of reading and literacy levels among that age group. The initial reports appear to be quite stark, particularly in regard to disadvantaged areas, which brings us back to the previous discussions on targeted responses and targeted programmes which work. The baseline data is something on which we can work.
The PISA report dealt with maths, literacy and science levels among 15 year old second level students. As the Deputy acknowledged correctly, each of the various schemes are valuable. Anything that targets young people on a one to one basis by getting them to read and write is very valuable. Identifying the programmes that work is part of the overall strategy. It is valuable that resource teachers should be in a school in advance of a child's admission as it ensures an immediate response and that the needs of children with mild learning difficulties conducive to speedy intervention can be addressed quickly. I have spoken with the INTO and will be working with the various partners to come up with a scheme which ensures a targeted response and that schools in disadvantaged areas, particularly small, rural schools, will not lose out on a service which they already enjoy. More particularly, it will ensure that those children whose identifiable needs are being addressed will not lose out by virtue of the weighted system.
Perhaps the Minister of State, Miss de Valera, who has expertise in this area, can clarify a point. Is there any intention to expand the adult literacy service? This service has improved significantly in recent years but illiteracy cannot be tackled at primary level and in disadvantaged areas unless we also tackle the issue of family literacy.
My colleague, the Minister of State, Miss de Valera, who has done Trojan work in this area, advises me that there has been a 19-fold increase in funding for adult literacy since 1997. This is a target of value in itself but also in the context of the Sustaining Programme agreement, one of the targets of which was to encourage adults to take the plunge. The most difficult decision to make with regard to adult literacy is the initial decision to do something about it. The services and the system are in place to assist people and we should all encourage their use.
