Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

108. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the details of training provided to serving primary teachers specifically to support the implementation of the national literacy and numeracy strategy in each of the years 2011 to 2015; the number of substitute days paid by his Department in each of the years to facilitate such training; the cost to his Department of such training in each of the years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53418/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The National Strategy: Literacy and Numeracy for Learning and Life 2011-2020  set a clear vision, with targets, for raising standards in literacy and numeracy in early years, primary and post-primary settings by 2020.

In March 2017, I published the Report from the Interim Review of the Literacy and Numeracy Strategy. The Interim Review involved consideration of research findings, both national and international, and a consultation process with a wide range of stakeholders. The findings of the Interim Review showed that all of the targets set for reading and maths at primary level  in the 2011 Strategy have been reached, in little over half of the Strategy’s lifetime, and significant progress has been made towards achievement of targets at post-primary. In light of these findings, the Report of the Interim Review contained new and updated targets, to match my ambition to make the Irish education system the best in Europe by 2026.

These targets, along with additional actions in priority areas, will help maintain focus on progressing literacy and numeracy achievement to 2020.

Professional development support for The National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy among Children and Young People 2011-2020 has been provided in the years 2011 to 2015 by a number of Department funded support services. These include the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST), National Induction Programme for Teachers (NIPT) and the Special Education Support Service (SESS).

PDST and SESS have supported teacher training with dedicated literacy, numeracy and leadership teams for both the primary and the post-primary sectors.  A comprehensive range of summer courses for primary teachers have also been provided with a focus on Literacy and Numeracy.  Full details of the PDST programme of support 2011 to 2015 is contained in the attached document.

The acquisition and development of language and the development of modes of communication are the foundations of the development of literacy and numeracy skills of all students and most especially those students with special educational needs.  This has been reflected across the programme of support provided by SESS to teachers of children with special educational needs. In addition, SESS facilitated an average of 250 specific Literacy and Numeracy seminars for the years 2011 to 2015.

The National Induction Programme for Teachers (NIPT) delivers a workshop programme for newly-qualified teachers (NQTs).  Their primary literacy programme concentrates on teaching and managing a reading lesson and the primary numeracy workshops places emphasis on developing good practice in mathematics teaching.  The key reference for these workshops is Literacy and Numeracy for Learning and Life: The National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy among Children and Young People 2011-2020.

The Department does not record the number of teacher substitute days which are specific to Literacy and Numeracy events.

The PDST personnel and programme costs together with SESS personnel costs for the training referenced above are set out in the table. The total annual programme cost for SESS is in the region of €2 million. It is not possible to extricate programme costs which are specific to literacy and numeracy support from this total. 

PDST programme of support

School Support

PDST have provided tailored in-school Support every year for Primary Literacy including Gaeilge and Primary Numeracy.

Workshops and Seminars