Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 12 Nov 2003

Vol. 574 No. 2

Written Answers. - Literacy Levels.

Mary Upton

Ceist:

106 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the report prepared by the Educational Research Centre in Dublin which found that almost one in every ten post-primary schools have serious reading difficulties; the steps he intends to take to deal with this problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26518/03]

John Gormley

Ceist:

118 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Education and Science his plans for the 11% of Irish teenagers who scored at or below the lowest level of reading proficiency in a recent survey by St. Patrick's College, Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26618/03]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 118 together.

My attention has been drawn to this report, A Teacher's Guide to the Reading Literacy Achievements of Irish 15-Year Olds, which was published last week by the Educational Research Centre. It concerns data on reading literacy collected in 2000 as part of the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment, PISA 2000. It reviews the outcomes of earlier national and international reports on PISA 2000 and presents some new analyses of these data from an Irish perspective.

Only 3% of students performed below the lowest proficiency level, that is level 1. The OECD country average was 6% so we are well below that. Ireland performed well, with just four other OECD countries having fewer participating students who performed below level 1. I remind the Deputies of the overall high level of performance of Irish 15 year olds in the PISA 2000 assessment of reading literacy. Ireland ranked fifth out of 27 countries with just one country achieving a significantly higher score. This strong performance must be recognised and acknowledged in any consideration of the outcomes of PISA 2000 regarding reading literacy.

I believe that literacy skills are the fundamental building blocks of a good education. Young people with poor levels of reading literacy are a source of concern to my Department and form the target group for a range of actions. My concern and that of my Department is reflected in commitments given under the National Action Plan Against Poverty and Social Exclusion 2003-05 and under the Sustaining Progress national agreement to improve literacy levels in schools and in the adult population.

My Department has a range of measures in place to prevent and ameliorate reading difficulties. Learning support teaching is provided in all primary schools by more than 1,500 teachers who give intensive support to children with literacy difficulties. At second level, in excess of 540 learning support teachers are employed and, in addition, resource teachers are provided for students with more severe learning difficulties and disabilities.

My Department provides additional supports for schools serving areas that are designated as disadvantaged. 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.

At post-primary level the junior certificate school programme focuses specifically on developing literacy skills while schools participating in the school completion programme are given considerable financial resources to provide targeted students with opportunities to improve their literacy skills in accordance with their identified needs. In May of this year, the Educational Research Centre carried out, on behalf of my Department, a survey of reading literacy in primary schools designated as disadvantaged. The aim of this study is to benchmark the progress of children in first, third and sixth classes in acquiring literacy skills against national norms and to identify factors associated with literacy achievement. I look forward to receiving the results of this research which will be available next April.