Scheme boosts confidence of eager pupils

MOST of the country’s primary schools will lie silent for another day or so before nearly half a million children return to classes next week.

But while many made the most of their last week of holidays, dozens of schools held summer literacy camps to boost pupils’ confidence at reading and writing.

Although the focus is on developing skills in literacy, comprehension and reading, the use of art, drama, music and dance means it is all built around fun and hardly looks or feels like school at all.

More than 30 of this year’s 42 English literacy camps took place this week, as they have most benefit just ahead of the new school year.

“Their class teachers really notice a difference when they come back after summer. It means they’ve had a week to get used to being back at school but their motivation and confidence also improves enormously,” said Julie O’Connell, team leader for the camp just finished at North Presentation Primary School.

It is the fourth year the school has held a literacy camp, and teachers are given training and outline lesson plans. “Even though they’re playing games, or doing art or drama, there is an educational benefit in everything that we’re doing with the children,” said Ms O’Connell.

Bernadette McHugh, national co-ordinator of the camps, said they will not bring about improvements in children’s reading and writing overnight but still make a huge difference to how they learn.

“The feedback we get from their teachers tells us it makes a huge difference to them during the following school year. It’s been so successful that we had about 120 schools apply this year,” she said.

While the funding is never guaranteed from one year to the next, this year’s €380,000 has been shared among 42 camps for English literacy and 30 campaí samhraidh helping children boost their Irish literacy. Each school has three classes of 12 children staff believe might need most help with their reading and writing. The small numbers are crucial to give each pupil more individual attention than they might get during term time.

The schools involved are among 200 in the Department of Education’s support programme for the most heavily-disadvantaged in towns and cities. They include 19 in Dublin, six in Cork, three each in Galway, Limerick, Longford and Louth and one school each in Cavan, Mayo, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford.