Literacy
Literacy is probably the most fundamental and crucial part of education and life – long learning. Without it all other learning is impossible.
It is defined as the ‘capacity to read, understand and critically appreciate various forms of communication including spoken language ,prints text, broad text media, and digital media.’ (DES,2011)
Literacy is the key to success in life and Firies school are passionate about giving children a flying start to becoming independent, confident, life-long readers who can engage with the written word for functional and personal purposes. Below are some suggestions on how you can help your child become a happy and confident reader.
- Be a role model and let your child see you reading – a newspaper, a book, a magazine.
- Talk to your child about the joy of reading.
- Read together every day. Make it an enjoyable activity.
- Read to your child with humour and expression. Use different voices.
- Be interactive. Discuss what is happening in the book, ask questions about the story, point out objects and words on the page.
- Know when to stop. Put the book away when your child loses interest. Choose a different book or come back to it later.
- Read it again and again. Young children especially love repetition so go ahead and read your child’s favourite book for the 100th time!!
- Join the local library and visit it regularly.
- Give everything a name. Build your child’s vocabulary by talking about interesting words and objects and discussing words in the reading and in the environment around you.
- Point out print everywhere. Talk about written words you see in the world around you. Find new words on each outing.
- In the evening time, turn off the TV and all interactive devices and let your child ‘get lost’ in a book.
There are many useful websites that provide resources to help promote Literacy.
www.Scoilnet.ie/primary/theme-pages/english provide hundreds of engaging English Literacy Resources at all levels in primary school. Use the search function to find one that suits your needs or select one of the resources featured in the spotlight section.
www.ncca.ie/en/primary/resources-for-parents has resources for parents on the Language Curriculum at all levels in the primary school.
Here are additional links that you might find useful depending on your child’s age or stage in school.
Junior classes
Middle Classes
Senior
World Book Day in Firies School
World book day in Firies School is a huge opportunity to develop the children’s confidence in reading for enjoyment, oral language and writing skills.
It gives the children an opportunity to dress as their favourite characters in their costumes. They share their favourite books, authors, characters and illustrators with their peers and other classes. It encourages children to work in groups and create their own stories and books. There is no doubt that Firies have a school of book lovers.
Buddy Reading
Buddy reading in Firies School has proven to be a hugely popular and worthwhile activity. It helps children improve academically as literacy development is a core value of Buddy reading. It provides an opportunity for children to read books of their choice for enjoyment during school.
The younger children gain confidence and improve on their reading as they are supported by their older peer/ buddy and teachers. It encourages the child to be active in learning and it encourages academic and personal development for both children.
Team Teaching Station Teaching
Teaching Literacy through Station Teaching / Team Teaching has proven to be a flexible teaching and learning strategy that allows the teacher to differentiate and personalize Literacy to meet the needs of all children in both Junior and Senior classes. It helps pupils develop at their own pace in smaller groups aided by the guidance of teachers. There are different teachers at different stations / teams and children enjoy the variety and flexibility of these strategies where their Literacy skills of reading, comprehension, oral language, and writing are fully developed.
Pyjama Party in Firies School
As part of our literacy program in Firies school ‘Pyjama night’ is a big celebration of literacy for our junior classes. The children look forward to dressing up in their Pyjamas at night, arriving with their favourite toy and enjoying an evening of stories being read to them by the teachers.
Hot chocolate is also part of the celebration.
Writing
Setting the Seeds
Developing the desire to write
Introduction to different genres
Handwriting
Studying Authors and Novels
A Love of Poetry
Developing Confidence
Tips for Parents
- Good readers make good writers. Expose your child to a wide variety of books and discuss them together.
- Provide the opportunity for your child to write. (Birthday cards/invitations; postcards; Christmas cards; a letter of thanks to a relative; a Get Well card)
- Make sure your child is using the correct pencil grip from the start.
- If your child is writing his/her name ensure that only the first letter is a capital.
- Proofread your child’s writing together and use positive criticism.
- Read, acknowledge and praise your child’s written work.