Classroom Initiatives
Literacy Lift-Off
Literacy Lift Off is an early intervention programme aimed at raising literacy levels in reading and writing. At home, parents are encouraged to listen to their child reading each evening. Children bring home a book each night – this book will have been read during Literacy Lift Off that day.
Literacy Lift Off has proven to be a very successful programme where the children learn and progress quickly in an enjoyable and hands-on environment. As each child works at a level that is appropriate to their ability, confidence and positivity towards reading and writing grows daily.
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Words Their Way
Words Their Way is a teacher-guided, student-focused approach to vocabulary development and spelling improvement. In this method, students engage in various activities involving sounds, patterns, and meanings by sorting words and pictures.
Words Their Way allows teachers to assess, accurately identify, and document each student's spelling stage. It helps group students with similar needs and customize activities to enhance their spelling knowledge.
Maths Talk
Maths Talk is a collaborative approach where children discuss, share, and exchange their thoughts, strategies, and ideas. Incorporating Maths Talk in the classroom helps uncover both children’s understanding and misconceptions. It enhances their learning by improving memory, building mathematical language, fostering deeper reasoning, and strengthening social skills across various subjects.
Food Dudes
Food Dudes is a programme developed by the Food Activity & Research Unit at Bangor University, Wales, to encourage children to eat more fruit and vegetables both in school and at home. The programme is managed in Ireland by Bord Bia and receives financial support from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the European Union through the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme.
It is based on positive role models, repeated tasting of fresh fruit and vegetables, and rewards. The Department of Health recommends that children (and adults) eat 5-7 portions of fruit and vegetables each day. However, many children currently eat less than this.
Creative Clusters - Unity in Diversity
Creative Clusters is a pilot initiative of the Department of Education and Skills, led by and in partnership with the Association of Teacher Education Centres Ireland. A total of 73 schools will take part in this new pilot initiative aimed at fostering creativity among children and young people.
In our first Creative Cluster we will be working with two other local schools, the focus being the arts and ‘Unity in Diversity’. We are looking forward to using our musical composition to awaken and inspire our artistic abilities, development and wellbeing!
