JCSP

The Programme is based on the concept that all young people are capable of real success in school and that they can have a positiveexperience of school if the conditions are favourable.

The JCSP Programme provides a curriculum framework which will assist schools and individual teachers in adopting a student-centred approach to the Junior Certificate specifically aimed at those young people who show signs of school failure or early leaving..

It is not an alternative to the Junior Certificate but a support framework to it. It aims to ensure that all participating students sit the same Junior Certificate examination as their peers, in as many subjects as they can succeed in.

JCSP Literacy & Numeracy Strategy

The Junior Certificate School Programme Numeracy & Literacy supports schools in implementing a school wide approach to literacy and numeracy

A school wide approach to literacy is one element of the framework offered to schools as part of the Junior Certificate School Programme: a programme, which endeavours to make the Junior Certificate accessible and enjoyable for potential early school leavers.

The JCSP literacy strategy takes a whole-school approach to literacy development:

This approach involves subject teachers adopting specific techniques in teaching the literacy demands of their subject area. It allows for subject-specific learning to take place more effectively while at the same time improving literacy levels. When several teachers use these strategies the students not only master subject content, but also develop the skills necessary to become independent learners.

The development of a consistent approach in such areas as spelling and marking is another element of the strategy that further supports students.

Short term initiatives and targeted interventions are a component of the strategy.These aim at raising the profile of reading throughout the whole school. Finally the development of support materials and in-service training for teachers is an on-going part of the JCSP literacy strategy.

An integral part of the strategy are local, action research based initiatives undertaken by schools, along with the JCSP Demonstration Library Project, both of which are used to inform the wider network of schools on imaginative, effective responses to literacy and numeracy development.

National and specifically tailored school based in-service has been developed by JCSP support service and schools are offered follow up support, in developing and evaluating their literacy and numeracy programmes, as well as creating a school literacy and numeracy policy. The strategy strives to be sensitive to the social and cultural context of schools.