Illiteracy research and prevalence
The Minister knew of no recent report specifically on illiteracy and had no study or action planned, while noting research on school reading and difficulties defining illiteracy. He said Aontas was expected to announce a project, had seen the Dublin VEC report, and agreed that traditionally understood illiteracy was alarmingly prevalent and a cause for concern.
asked the Minister for Education when the last report on illiteracy in Ireland was published; if any up-to-date data is available; and if he will consider having a study conducted into the extent of this problem in Ireland.
Comment on this
I am not aware of any recent reports published specifically on illiteracy in Ireland. There have, however, been a number of research reports on various aspects of reading attainment in schools and some of these were discussed in a "Review of Reading Research in Ireland" published in An Múinteoir Náisiúnta for December, 1976. My Department do not have proposals for illiteracy studies under consideration at present.
Comment on this
Has the Minister any action in mind in accordance with the Murphy Report in this regard? Is Aontas working on this question of illiteracy?
Comment on this
I understand that Aontas will announce a project very soon. No action is contemplated at the moment in relation to the Murphy Report. If the Deputy referred to the article I mentioned which was published in An Múinteoir Náisiúnta he would see the great difficulties involved in defining the term illiteracy.
Comment on this
Has the Minister a copy of the report prepared by the psychology department of the City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee?
Comment on this
I am sure the Minister will accept that the revelations there in respect of illiteracy at post-primary level are alarming.
Comment on this
We are getting into a deep field here. The snag here and in many other countries has been an actual definition of the term "illiteracy". It means different things to different people. The psychology department of the City of Dublin VEC went on the basis of a definition which might not be acceptable to Aontas, the Department of Education or to educationalists in other parts of the world.
Comment on this
The Minister will accept that, irrespective of the fine line one might draw in respect of the actual definition, in respect of what is traditionally known as illiteracy the rate is alarmingly high?