Reading Instruction in the Primary Grades
Instructional Materials
The English curriculum and the accompanying guidelines identify types of instructional materials to support reading development in primary schools. These include reading schemes, class novels, and a variety of reading materials and text types (e.g., expository, narrative, diagrammatic, representational). However, no specific materials are mandated, recommended, or approved; rather, each school chooses which materials and resources it will use to support the implementation of the English curriculum. Schools in which the main language of instruction is Irish use a similar approach to the selection of instructional materials.
Use of Technology
Data from PIRLS 2011 show that Irish teachers of fourth grade students used Information Communications Technology (ICT) tools in developing and delivering reading lessons with a frequency that was average to above average. Reading instruction often is carried out in the traditional manner, with technology being reserved for procedural activities rather than to foster higher order skills including reading skills and strategies. For example, PIRLS 2011 data showed that while Irish students in fourth grade used computers on a somewhat regular basis to write stories and texts, use of instructional software to develop reading skills and strategies is less common. Use of digital learning tools has been hampered by a shortage of resources and infrastructure, both of which are targeted for improvement in the Digital Strategy for Schools (2015–2020).18
Role of Reading Specialists
Normally, reading instruction is provided by the class teacher as part of the English curriculum. Within a school, a teacher may be assigned the responsibility of coordinating literacy instruction and resources and sharing tips for good practice. While specialist teachers also may have a role in coordinating literacy instruction within schools, they mainly deal with small groups of students with identified difficulties. Regional networks of professional development organizations provide additional specialized support with a strong emphasis on the core areas of literacy and numeracy.
Second Language Instruction
In English medium schools, students for whom English is an additional language (AL) and who are in need of extra English language support are identified with the collaboration of their parents and teachers. This support may be provided within the classroom by the class teacher—typically with the assistance of resources available from the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment’s website—or by specialist teachers who work with students individually or in small groups. Support for AL students falls under a general allocation of additional support that schools can deploy depending on their needs. Schools in which at least 20 percent of enrolled students require AL support can seek an additional teaching post with the specific responsibility of assisting these students.
In Irish medium schools, a significant minority of students begin school with limited proficiency in Irish, and very few of these students are not proficient in English.19,20 Therefore, the focus often is on developing students’ capacity to learn through Irish. In schools located in Gaeltacht areas, such capacity building can sometimes be at the expense of native Irish speakers, who are not achieving native speaker norms or full acquisition of and enrichment in the Irish language. To counteract this, local native Irish language speakers are employed to support students with minimal Irish proficiency as well as the more complex language needs of native speakers of Irish. Gaeltacht schools also have access to AL support teachers who can assist students with specific Irish language learning needs.
Accommodation Policies for Instruction and Testing
Under the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act (2004), children with special education needs (SEN) should be educated in an inclusive environment unless it is inconsistent with their best interests or obstructs the provision of education to other students. More generally, differentiation of teaching and learning to accommodate the range of learning needs in classrooms is promoted as good practice. Individualized support for students with SEN within mainstream schools is provided by learning support and resource teachers. When necessary, a special needs assistant may support one or more students with special needs within a school.
Students do not take high stakes tests at primary level, but standardized tests typically are administered toward the end of each school year to inform teaching practice and provide parents with information on students’ progress. Teachers can decide what, if any, accommodations are necessary for students with SEN or refer them to a specialist teacher. At post-primary level, students with SEN can apply for accommodations during state examinations to limit possible effects of a disability on their performance, allowing them to demonstrate their level of achievement.