Literacy Provision in Dublin
Prisons
Stephen O’Connor
Organiser
CDVEC Educational Service to Prisons
CDVEC Educational Service to Prisons
Literacy Provision in Dublin Prisons
Strategy
1
Whole – school, student-centred
approach
• ‘every teacher is a literacy teacher’
• can sometimes lead to misunderstanding
• Implications for methodology
CDVEC Educational Service to Prisons
Literacy Provision in Dublin Prisons
Strategy
2 Planning
• Each education unit produces an annual
Literacy plan.
• Teachers from the various centres meet to
share materials, ideas and identify CPD
needs.
CDVEC Educational Service to Prisons
Literacy Provision in Dublin Prisons
Strategy
3 Assessment
• Development of assessment tool
• An aid to teachers in developing an appropriate
learning strategy with the learner.
CDVEC Educational Service to Prisons
Literacy Provision in Dublin Prisons
Strategy
4 Integration of digital literacy
• ‘It Could be You’ (1990’s)
• ‘Interactive Literacy’ (2011)
CDVEC Educational Service to Prisons
Literacy Provision in Dublin Prisons
Strategy
5 CPD
• Each teacher undertakes CPD in relation to
integrating literacy work into their subject area.
CDVEC Educational Service to Prisons
Literacy Provision in Dublin Prisons
Strategy
6
Formal Certification & Progression
• Students encouraged to progress towards formal
recognition when appropriate.
• Links with literacy schemes in the community
CDVEC Educational Service to Prisons
Literacy Assessment
Robbie Robinson
Wheatfield Education Unit
CDVEC Educational Service to Prisons
Literacy Assessment
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Literacy Network (CDVEC Prison Education)
Development
Assessment Tool
Distributed through Prisons nationally
Rationale
Process
Benefits/outcomes
CDVEC Educational Service to Prisons
Literacy Assessment
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Literacy Network CDVEC Prison
Representative from each Dublin centre
Meet each term
Share ideas/resources
CDVEC Educational Service to Prisons
STARTING POINTS
Education Unit Wheatfield
Name: _______________________________________ DoB:
Date: ________________________
Reading
Can do
easily
Can do
with help
Would
like help
Comments
Can do
easily
Can do
with help
Would
like help
Comments
Can do
easily
Can do
with help
Would
like help
Comments
Letters
Birthday cards
Safety signs
Bills
Phone book
Road signs
Calendar
TV Guide
Teletext
Magazines
Books
Writing
Name
Address
Address (verbal)
Half-sheet
Letter to family
Letter to solicitor
Telephone message
Spelling
Handwriting
Capital letters,
Full stops
Numbers
Count money
Check change
Understand weights
Measure, wood cloth
Use a timetable
Add
Subtract
Multiply
Divide
Fractions
Decimals %
Use a calculator
Time 24hr clock
Hobbies
and interests
CDVEC Educational Service to Prisons
/
/
/
ABE Assessment
Pre-Level Reading
Task 1
Reading Pre-Level
Please read these letters
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
Task 2
(a)
Do you recognise these 4 words
hot
(b)
was
all
What do these signs stand for?
CDVEC Educational Service to Prisons
little
n
Literacy Assessment
ABE Assessment
Reading Level 1
Task 1
Level 1 Reading
(a)
Do you know what this is?
What is it used for?
(b)
What numbers would you press to see the Sport page?
(c)
What page is Travel on?
CDVEC Educational Service to Prisons
Level 2 Reading
ABE Assessment
Reading Level
2
Task 1
Please read this letter.
10 High St
Cork
28 January 2008
Hi Michelle
I hope that you're keeping well.
Thursday.
I got your letter last
It was great to hear you got the job.
well for you.
I hope it goes
Tell your brother that I was asking for him.
hope you can get up to see me next weekend.
See you soon,
Lots of love,
John.
CDVEC Educational Service to Prisons
I
Level 3 Reading
ABE Assessment
Reading Level 3
Task 1
Please read this story
Dublin Zoo was opened in 1830; up to this the Irish people
had never seen such fascinating animals. During the early
years London Zoo donated the animals to Dublin Zoo.
People rushed to catch a glimpse of wild and wonderful
creatures they had only heard about before.
The Zoo became a popular family destination in Ireland; in
fact one day in 1838 the Zoo welcomed 20,000 visitors –
an attendance record that still stands to this day.
The Zoo opens all year round (except for Christmas Day
and St. Stephen’s Day) but most people visit during the
months of May, June, July, August and September.
CDVEC Educational Service to Prisons
Assessment Report
Assessment Report
Name: _________________________________
DOB: _________________
Landing: _______________________________
Date: __________________
Please tick if completed
Task
Reading
Writing
Pre L1 L2 L3
Pre L1 L2 L3
Numeracy
Pre L1 L2 L3
1
1
2
2
3
3
Comments
Reading
Writing
Numeracy
Spelling
Handwriting
Any other
comments
Recommendations: (please circle)
1:1
Pair
Group
Spelling Group
Handwriting Group
FETAC 3
CDVEC Educational Service to Prisons
Progress Points
Progress Points
Name: _____________________________________ landing: ___________ DoB: _________________ Pris No_____________ Date: __________
Reading
1 2 3 4 5 Writing
Letters
Birthday cards
Safety signs
Bills
Phone Book
Calendar
TV Guide
Teletext
Newspaper
Magazines
Books
Name
Address
Alphabet (verbal)
Half-sheet
Letter to family
Letter to solicitor
Telephone message
Spelling
Handwriting
Capital letters
Full stops
1 2 3 4 5 Numbers
1 2 3 4 5
Count money
Check change
Understand weights
Measure; wood, cloth
Use timetable
Add
Subtract
Multiply
Divide
Fractions
Decimals %
Use calculator
Time/ 24hr clock
1.Does easily/knows fully without
hesitation/ assistance
2.Can complete/understand with minimal
hesitation/assistance
3.Can complete /understand with more
than minimal assistance
4.Cannot complete without substantial
assistance
5.Cannot do or understand at present
Pace of Reading
Slow( ) Moderate ( ) Fast ( )
Pace of Writing
Slow( ) Moderate ( ) Fast ( )
Comments/Clarifications
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CDVEC Educational Service to Prisons
Rationale
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Data
Allocation
Standardised
Progression
Inter- prison movement
CDVEC Educational Service to Prisons
Process (Wheatfield)
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Interview
Assessment
Allocation (appropriate tuition)
Follow up
CDVEC Educational Service to Prisons
Benefits/outcomes
•
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Better planning
Data
Organised
Continuity
CDVEC Educational Service to Prisons
Toe by Toe
Brian Kenealy
Mountjoy Education Unit
Robbie Robinson
Wheatfield Education Unit
CDVEC Educational Service to Prisons
Toe by Toe
Overview
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Peer tutoring
One reading manual
No specialist skills required
Lessons short
Learner is in control
Toe by Toe
Mountjoy Pilot project
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Jan.-June
1 morning each in main prison & medical unit.
Trained 10 mentors
8 student participants
Toe by Toe
Mountjoy Pilot project
What we learned:
• Good response from mentors and students
• Turnover an issue
• Dedicate more time
• Need to establish study areas on landings:
resource implications.
Interactive Literacy
Jimmy O’Rourke
Helen Cawley
Arbour Hill Education Unit
CDVEC Educational Service to Prisons