Literacy Initiatives
Since 1997 the JCSP Support Service have run initiatives where teachers are facilitated in introducing new and creative ways of working with the students. The purpose is to provide opportunities for teachers to develop and explore new strategies, methodologies and interventions to support student learning. Many of the initiatives are an extension of the sharing of best practice at in-service. Strategies and interventions that have proven to be successful are further developed and explored by teachers involved in the JCSP.
The initiatives provide teachers with a small subvention to facilitate them in investigating and evaluating a specific strategy or intervention. Other initiatives are developments of successful interventions which are supported by the provision of guidelines and materials at in-service. As part of the Student Profile System many statements have been designed that describe the skills and knowledge attained by student involved in specific initiatives.
Who Wants to be a Word Millionaire?
This is a short-term reading intervention which challenges a class group of JCSP students to engage in recreational reading, at home with the support of their parents, and to collectively read a total of one million words over a six-week period.
Who Wants to be a Word Millionaire? Top Up
Schools that previously participated in ‘Who Wants to be a Word Millionaire?’ Initiative can apply for this supplementary top-up funding.
Author in Residence
This programme focuses particularly on the development of creative writing skills as an author works for a period of time with a group of JCSP students. The aim is to produce a piece of work that could then be exhibited as part of Make a Book.
Reading Challenge
The Reading Challenge is a short-term reading intervention, developed by a JCSP school co-ordinator. Students are challenged to read a book a week for six weeks. Parental involvement is an element of this intervention.
Reading Challenge Top Up
The Reading Challenge Top Up offers schools funding to purchase more books for a new reading challenge project which is already up and running but needs to be restocked.
Literacy in Your Classroom
This initiative is in place to support subject teachers who want to incorporate some literacy strategies into their classroom.
Drop Everything and Read
This is a great way to promote reading across the whole school or a year group.
Drop Everything and Read Top Up
Schools that previously participated in and completed the Drop Everything and Read initiative can apply for this supplementary top-up.
Reading Corners
Reading is an essential component of all subject areas so why not make it a visible component as well?
Penpal
Written communication between pen pals can provide a rationale for letter writing.
E-books
In this initiative schools are invited to use a class set of e-books with their JCSP students and evaluate their usefulness in improving literacy levels and motivation.
Readalong Top Up
Readalong Top Up offers schools an opportunity to add to and update their collection of audio texts.
Primary Picture Books
This initiative is based on a very successful project in O'Fiach College, Louth. JCSP students link with a primary school class and choose an appropriate picture book to read with the students.
Book Review
In this initiative schools are supplied with a book review booklet for each student in the class.
Reading Programme in the English Classroom
For this initiative schools are asked to consider the most appropriate reading laboratory e.g. SRA and use it outside of the learning support context with a JCSP class group.
Keyword Initiative
This intervention was developed by a JCSP co-ordinator. Students are challenged to learn keywords and keyspellings across subject areas over a six week period.
Readalong/Playaway
Readalong is a short- term reading intervention in which students read while listening to the book being read on tape, CD, MP3 download or Playaway.
JCSP Newsletter or Yearbook
The JCSP year is always an exciting and eventful one and what better way to capture all the activities and achievements than in a newsletter or yearbook?
School Based Literacy
This initiative will allow schools to develop their own imaginative response to the literacy difficulties that they are encountering among their students.
Spelling Challenge
This initiative is aimed at subject teachers interested in improving the spelling of key vocabulary offering the students a challenge in order to motivate the learning process.
Camera
This initiative will provide schools with an opportunity to purchase a digital camera.
Paired Reading
Paired Reading is a short-team reading intervention. Student reading is supported by a tutor. Paired Reading runs three to four times a week for six weeks.
Paired Reading Top Up
This initiative offers schools an opportunity to update and add to their supply of books for their reading project which is already up and running but needs additional stock.
Reading Aloud Challenge
This is a reading challenge to encourage fluency in reading.
Dictionary
This initiative provides schools with the opportunity to investigate the level of impact that planned, strategic and focused dictionary-work can have on enhancing the teaching and learning environment and on improving the literacy of JCSP students.
Oral Language
Oral language development.
Storytelling
Sharing and creating a common experience in storytelling aids in the development of oral language patterns and listening skills.
Digital Story-telling & Oral Language
Everyone has a story to tell. Digital storytelling revolves around the idea of combining storytelling with any of a variety of available multimedia tools.
Calligraphy Penmanship
This initiative focuses on developing the art of penmanship and enhancing students’ written work.
General Enquiries:
Junior Certificate School ProgrammeJCSP Support Service
Blackrock Education Centre
Kill Avenue
Dun Laoghaire
Co Dublin
Email: jcsp@pdst.ie
