Colaiste Choilm School Improvement Plan for Literacy, September 2013 to May 2016
Improvement
Target
1. To foster an
enjoyment of
reading among
our students,
improve oral
language skills
and increase the
level of
engagement in
reading and
comprehension
in the
classroom.
Based on
statistical
analysis, we
aim to increase
the number of
teachers who
include students
in reading in the
class and to
increase the
number of
students who
are happy to
read out loud.
Required Actions



Teaching of Key
Terminology: All
subject teachers
will pre- teach key
vocabulary prior to
the commencement
of a new topic.
A ‘keyword
journal/ vocabulary
notebook’ which
students use to
record subject
specific
terminology has
been introduced.
There has been an
award and
commendations for
‘Excellence in
Literacy’
introduced for the
current first years
in 2013-2014. In
the coming year we
aim to incorporate
this award into the
annual Presentation
night. In order to
Person/s Responsible
Success
Timeframe
Criteria/Measurable for Actions
Outcomes

All subject teachers.


Introduced by management and
literacy team. Used by all subject
teachers.


First year Year Head and all
teachers.
1
Evidence of an
increase in reading
age, enjoyment of
reading and the
ability of students to
develop oral and
written responses to
texts.
Oral responses to
texts to be assessed
through formative
feedback of class
teachers and peers.
Implemented
for first years
in September
2013 and is
ongoing.
Awards given
in May 2013
and are
ongoing.
Colaiste Choilm School Improvement Plan for Literacy, September 2013 to May 2016
incentivise
students, we plan to
introduce a short
story writing
competition among
the Junior students
in the school.
Collaboration with
the Art department
will allow students
to design a front
cover for their
finished piece.
2. To improve
writing skills by
prioritising
spelling,
grammar and
punctuation
through our
subject planning
teaching.

The introduction of
a ‘Literacy Week’
focusing on three
key areas for
development, such
as use of capital
letters, full stops,
apostrophes and
paragraphs.
Teachers of all
subjects will
incorporate these
focused objectives
in their lessons and
will be displayed
on the whiteboard
or in the classroom.

Management and Literacy team
are responsible for the coordination of the week and it will
be implemented by all teachers.
2

Literacy tests to be
assessed, recorded
and monitored for
progression.
Implemented at
the start of the
2nd term of the
2014-15 year
for first years.
Colaiste Choilm School Improvement Plan for Literacy, September 2013 to May 2016


3. To create and
promote a
literacy rich
environment in
our classrooms
which enrich
students’
attitudes
towards reading

First Year Literacy
Test:
A baseline test will
be administered to
first year students
in September 2014
and May 2015.
This test will be
based on spelling,
punctuation and
grammar.
AFL strategies such
as pair work,
success criteria and
peer marking will
continue to be
incorporated into
subject planning
and day to day
teaching and
learning.

First year English teachers.

All subject teachers.
Due to the absence
of a space for a
permanent library,
we have proposed
that each English
classroom be
furnished with a
library press
containing a wide

Management and literacy team
Implemented
for first years
in the first
term.



3
Review and
monitoring of the
effectiveness of
these strategies
during subject
planning meetings.
The records of the
books read will be
kept in students’
copies and will be
checked by their
teachers.
Evidence of an
increase of the time
spent by students
Ongoing
Implemented in
September
2014
Colaiste Choilm School Improvement Plan for Literacy, September 2013 to May 2016
and writing.


selection of age
appropriate
literature suitable
for young adults.
The creation of
Literacy rich
classrooms with
displays of key
words, through the
use of ‘Word
Walls’ which
should be changed
and updated on a
termly basis.
reading in school as
recorded by
questionnaires.
Implemented in
September
2014

Individual classroom teachers.

Teachers will selfmonitor their rooms
and adapt according
to class groups and
course content.
Students, teachers and parents will be surveyed once more in September 2015 to evaluate progress made through the implementation of
the above strategies.
4