Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 24 Nov 1998

Vol. 497 No. 2

Written Answers - Literacy Skills.

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

413 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the reading recovery programme implemented in Northern Ireland and which is now planned to be extended to every school; whether there have been any pilot schemes carried out in an effort to assess the relevance of this programme for our schools; if not, if he will make arrangements with a number of schools which are interested to release staff for the necessary in-service training to undertake the application of this programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24795/98]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

I am aware of the reading recovery early intervention programme and of its adoption on a trial basis in many different countries.

The training of teachers in the recommended methods of reading recovery is intensive, timeconsuming and expensive. The implementation of the programme requires intensive, one-to-one teaching of pupils who are identified with poor reading achievements at about six years of age.

I am not aware of any organised pilot scheme in the use of the reading recovery programme in this country, although individual remedial teachers may be using aspects of it in their work.

Research evidence, while indicating the effectiveness of reading recovery with children at six years of age, is less definitive about its long-term effectiveness. Bearing that in mind and the overall cost of the programme, it is not felt that it is appropriate at this time to introduce it here. However, I can assure the Deputy that I am very concerned with the issue of reading levels and intend to announce details of an initiative in this area in the near future.