The reading ability of children in Ballymun in Dublin has improved significantly thanks to a major focus on literacy in recent years.
Preliminary data from a local literacy initiative called Write-Minded, which started in 2008, shows a marked improvement in the reading scores of children from the area, in nationally assessed standardised tests.
First Class boys and girls from Ballymun's six primary schools scored an average of 103.2 in the reading attainment tests, known as the MICRA-T, which is 3.2% above the national average score.
It compares to an average score of 98.3 for children who attended First Class prior to the introduction of the initiative.
Young Ballymun, which is running the programme, says the findings have ripped up reading expectations for children from disadvantaged areas.
It says they show that with three years of exposure to the programme, there has been a steady and significant improvement in reading scores.
Write-Minded provides supports to schools, community and families to increase the focus, time and quality of literacy across all aspects of children's lives.
The service was designed by a local team including school principals, speech and language therapists and adult literacy and community education projects.
- Keywords:
- dublin,
- ballymun,
- literacy,
- write-minded
