INTO demands action to boost literacy levels

SMALLER classes and more access to early education are urgently needed to increase literacy levels among children in poorer areas, the Irish National Teachers Organisation said yesterday.

INTO president Austin Corcoran said a report commissioned by the Department of Education, showing that pupils from disadvantaged areas are three times more likely than others to have difficulty reading and writing, is no surprise.

He blamed lack of Government measures to address social issues such as poverty and poor attendance.

He said pupils in disadvantaged schools need quality early childhood education, linked with a three-year infant cycle. Mr Corcoran also said children need to be in smaller class groups.

He demanded extra staff for the National Educational Welfare Board which works to improve school attendance levels, measures to attract more qualified teachers to schools in disadvantaged areas and increased family supports to tackle unemployment, poverty, addiction and adult literacy.

The study, carried out by the Education Research Centre at St Patrick’s College, Dublin, found 30% of third-class pupils in disadvantaged schools score at the lowest literacy level.

A Department of Education spokesperson said literacy and maths tests for third and sixth-class pupils, as recently proposed by Education Minister Noel Dempsey, will provide more details about the extent of the problem.

She said the number of learning support teachers helping pupils with literacy difficulties had increased by 200 to more than 1,500 since 1998.

A number of other programmes provide support to schools, mainly with extra staff to reduce class sizes.

A detailed review of these initiatives is being finalised by the department, based on recommendations of the Government’s Educational Disadvantage Committee.