asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fact that research carried out in Austria (details supplied) indicates that 10 per cent of primary school children do not master reading and writing by the end of primary education and are sometimes incorrectly labelled as dyslexic and that three factors were responsible for this, namely lack of ability, problems at home and poor teaching; if similar research has been carried out in Ireland; if so, the results therefrom; and, if not, the reason such research has not been carried out here.
Written Answers. - Reading and Writing Skills.
386.
The results of the Austrian research quoted by the Deputy which indicate that up to 10 per cent of primary school children fail adequately to master reading and writing skills before the end of first level are in line with indicators here and elsewhere. The causes of reading failure are complex and include the factors mentioned in the study quoted. However, it has not been possible in any known studies here to quantify precisely the contribution of any one factor or group of factors. Dyslexia or perceptual difficulties alone appear to be significant causes only in a very small minority of cases.
Research has shown, here and elsewhere, that good well-structured developmental programmes in all aspects of language learning are the best means of reducing the prevalence of reading failure. In that connection the publishers are at present revising reading schemes with advice from my Department. Undoubtedly the Review Body on the Primary School Curriculum will make recommendations in the area which I will study carefully.