Literacy Programmes
Literacy academic staff contribute to and deliver Institute of Education programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in the context of primary teaching. For further information about the Literacy modules at Level 8 degree or Level 9 master programmes, click on the tabs below.
Literacy in Bachelor of Education (BEd)
Core Modules
All students take four core modules in Literacy education as part of the B.Ed. degree. This course is delivered through plenary and workshop sessions. Students will explore issues in relation to language and literacy teaching and learning in all class levels with reference to national and international research and best practice. Students will critically evaluate the key components of a balanced literacy framework and have many opportunities to put it into practice on School Placement. Students will explore how to nurture the development of active, strategic and confident readers, writers, thinkers and communicators through providing a range of texts , both print and digital, and through meaningful and authentic contexts for skill development. Throughout the course, students will continue to develop their ability to explicitly differentiate pedagogies to best promote literacy and language development in response to the differing language learning needs of pupils – L1 and L2 learners, including children with Special Educational Needs and children learning in different school contexts e.g. DEIS schools and multi-grade settings. Students will develop their knowledge of a range of pedagogies to support the development of internet, visual, disciplinary, and critical literacy skills in print, multimodal, and digital texts. Students will engage in self-directed and independent learning to support their development as critical, reflective and creative language and literacy practitioners.
Major Specialism
In the second year of the B.Ed. programme, students can specialise in Literacy in year 2, 3 and 4, in addition to their core B.Ed. modules in Literacy. The Major Specialism in Literacy seeks to prepare pre-service teachers to be inspirational and effective leaders of literacy teaching within schools. Each module builds systematically on the core modules and provides opportunities for pre-service teachers to engage with course material through lectures, workshops and independent study and through a number of carefully selected school placements which allow for experimentation with new methodologies with a range of learners and school contexts.
Minor Specialism
Students in the third and fourth year of the B Ed programme may choose a Minor Literacy Specialism with a particular focus on teaching literacy to a diversity of learners. Students learn how a range of pedagogies can be modified to suit the needs of English Language Learners (ELLs) and they also plan and implement appropriate language and literacy support to ELL pupils in local schools. The Minor Specialism also seeks to provide students with a basic understanding of Dyslexia and teaching approaches to support learners who have dyslexic type literacy difficulties.
Final Year Research Project
In the final year of the B.Ed. degree, students complete an action research project. Students may wish to select a research project which focuses on a particular area in Language and Literacy education, with the aim of broadening their expertise to lead literacy education in primary schools.
Master of Education in Literacy Professional Practice
The Master of Education in Literacy Professional Practice is designed for classroom teachers who are seeking to develop deep expertise in literacy theory, research and evidence-based practices. The programme of study draws on a wide variety of theoretical models and processes, perspectives, instructional models, curricular frameworks (including the New Primary Language Curriculum), and policies in relation to literacy. The course provides opportunities for participants to develop the capacity to critically analyse, synthesise, evaluate and reflect on this body of knowledge and to use it to design and implement developmentally appropriate and engaging reading and writing workshops that develop children as readers, writers and thinkers within the inclusive primary school and classroom. In addition to international research, examples of practices and professional development processes developed nationally in the Write to Read Literacy Project and the Séideán Sí Programme will also be shared. Opportunities will be presented to participants throughout the course to focus on Literacy Professional Practice in the Irish language if they wish to do so.
There is a particular emphasis on preparing participants to take on leadership roles in literacy, on developing participants’ capacity to evaluate school plans for literacy and to lead literacy planning and professional development within schools.
Modules address:
- Theoretical perspectives underpinning literacy development and instructional models to develop the cognitive, creative, aesthetic and affective dimensions of literacy in L1 and L2 (opportunities to focus on literacy trí Ghaeilge for participants who wish to)
- Modules on disciplinary knowledge, practice and perspectives on developing literacy across the curriculum
- Prevention and early intervention of literacy difficulties
- Development of literacy leadership skills to support schools in developing effective and culturally responsive whole school approaches to literacy
- A focus on an inquiry stance to literacy planning, teaching, learning and assessment and research skills required to engage in inquiry
- Research-to -practice Professional Portfolio (PPP) in Year 2.
Flexible Delivery
- Face-to-face: Friday evening/Saturdays (approximately one weekend per month)
- Blended/online: one module (research methods)
Queries Contact:
- Dr. Eithne Kennedy: Eithne.kennedy@dcu.ie (Programme director)
Course Information » DC921 (Part-time) | Frequently Asked Questions
Literacy in Professional Master of Education Primary (PMEP)
Core Module
All students take two literacy education modules over the duration of the two year Level 9 PMEP programme. Year two of the course is offered through onsite and online plenary and workshop sessions. In year one, students will explore the theoretical constructs underpinning language and literacy development, with reference to national and international research and best practice. Through participation in plenary sessions and workshops, students will develop their understanding of a balanced literacy framework, with a particular focus on the Junior classes in Primary school. In year two, students will be encouraged to revisit, reflect on and consolidate teacher knowledge, practice, assessment, planning and organisation of effective language and literacy instruction across the primary continuum, with a particular focus on the middle and senior classes. Students will continue to develop their ability to explicitly differentiate pedagogies to best promote literacy and language development in response to a diversity of learners in differing school contexts. Students will develop their knowledge of a range of pedagogies to support the development of internet, visual, disciplinary, and critical literacy skills in print, multimodal, and digital texts. Students will engage in self-directed and independent learning to support their development as critical, reflective and creative language and literacy practitioners.
Final Year Research Project
In year two of the PMEP programme, students complete an action research project. Students may wish to select a research project which focuses on a particular area in Language and Literacy education, with the aim of broadening their expertise to lead literacy education in primary schools.