Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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359. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of professional development courses to train English teachers in the new junior certificate cycle assessments and curriculum that have already taken place; the number of English teachers that have attended these courses in total, and as a percentage of the total number of teachers of junior certificate cycle English; the approximate costs of running these courses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16336/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I am committed to providing the supports and the back up to enable the reform of the Junior Cycle to become a reality.

There have been 235 seminars for teachers of English since November 2013. 5,371 teachers of English are registered with Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT) and 4,814 of these have attended at least one seminar, which represents almost 90% of teachers registered. The estimated cost per seminar, which includes venue hire, participant travel and subsistence, and lecture fee, is in the region of €750. The information on the substitution costs for teachers attending these seminars in not readily available. However, the estimated cost for a full day's substitution at post primary level is €180.

In addition to the traditional face-to-face CPD, a new 'Junior Cycle for Teachers' website, jct.ie, has gone live and contains comprehensive online CPD materials and resources for English teachers to access directly. An online planning seminar for English teachers has also taken place. As well as on-line contact with English teachers, the JCT is in direct "mail" contact with schools highlighting the resources available.