Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 February 2021
166. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education her Department's policy on distributing homework to primary school students; if studies have been conducted on the matter; the appropriate levels; and if she will look at re-evaluating homework in view of the onset of remote learning. [10737/21]
View answerThe position is that the Department does not issue any guidelines relating to homework being given in schools. It is a matter for each school, at local level to arrive at its own homework policy. In keeping with good practice, the process of drafting a homework policy, should involve consultation with teachers, parents and students
Although schools are not obliged to have a published policy on homework the Department does acknowledge that homework can play an important part in helping pupils prepare for forthcoming class work and in reinforcing work already covered during class time.
During this period of teaching and learning remotely, teachers should ensure that pupils are given opportunities to make real progress in developing their knowledge, skills and understanding across the curriculum. Guidance from the Department states that it is important that all teachers provide specific teaching input to their pupils to support them as they continue their learning engagement from home, this will vary between the work that the teacher will ask pupils to do independently and direct teaching by the teacher.
Where there is less frequent engagement throughout the week, perhaps due to broadband issues, a clear daily and manageable allocation of work should be provided for pupils. In all cases, engagement with pupils should ensure that direct instruction is provided using a variety of approaches including video, audio, presentation software and written instructions. There should be a balance of guided and independent learning tasks assigned across the curriculum and teachers should ensure that the learning tasks chosen give pupils an opportunity to demonstrate their learning in a clear and concise manner.
In relation to research on homework, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), in consultation with the National Parents Council, commissioned some research in 2018 on Parental Involvement, Engagement and Partnership in their Children’s Education during the Primary School Years and Homework was a significant theme in this work. This research was published in 2019 and is available on the NCCA website www.mie.ie/en/research/parental_involvement_engagement_and_partnership_in_their_children%E2%80%99s_education_during_the_primary_school_years/.
In relation to homework the research asked how is homework designed to promote a partnership between school, child and parents? In this regard, it found that parental and teacher views on the role of homework in a child’s education differ greatly; homework is found to be a source of stress for parents, regardless of their child’s academic ability; many parents are concerned about the amount of homework that is received ; while a key purpose of homework is understood as supporting parental involvement in learning, the fact that it is described as a stressful experience does not support positive involvement in children’s learning; and that choice’ emerged as particularly important for children, in choosing what homework, when and how to undertake it.
In terms of recommendations related to homework, the following are detailed:
- Additional opportunities could be provided for parents and teachers to discuss how to support children’s language development in the home. This could begin with a conversation about homework
- Although there is evidence of good homework practice in schools, there is a need for national guidance on homework in relation to time, content and method that suits children best, according to research in the field
- Schools need to review homework policies and to ensure a whole-school approach is applied in relation to homework
- Entertaining and interactive oral language games and activities should be incorporated into children’s homework
- In planning homework, schools might take into consideration the demands on children's time to do planned activities outside of school and the importance of outdoor free play opportunities for young children
- Schools might consider removing homework from junior infant classes with the exception of story-time/reading to/with children.
