IPPN

Strategies to Tackle Primary Curriculum Overload

Published: 27 January 2011

Press Release
Strategies to Tackle Primary Curriculum Overload
In order to overcome the challenge of finding additional time in the primary school curriculum for literacy and numeracy, a more creative, integrated approach is required for the teaching of certain subjects. Finding more time for literacy and numeracy doesn’t always mean spending less time on other subjects, but instead combining subject areas and teaching methods that complement each other.

Where there is a focus applied to literacy and numeracy, significant results can be achieved. Take the DEIS programme as an example. Extra supports were put in place for disadvantaged pupils to improve attendance and focus on literacy and numeracy. The preliminary reports on the improvements in literacy and numeracy levels among those students are very positive.

Examples of combining subjects to free up further time for literacy and numeracy are:

teach Physical Education (PE) through Irish. Not only will it allow more time for PE, which is only allocated one hour per week, it also raises the standard of oral Irish in children. In particular this will improved their attitude to the language because of the daily association with PE, which is universally popular.
teach aspects of numeracy through Geography and Science
some aspects of subjects such as History, English, Irish, Social Personal Health Education (SPHE) can be taught through the medium of Drama, which is a highly effective approach
certain elements of SPHE and the Religion programme overlap and could be taught in common time
teaching certain aspects of literacy and numeracy through ICT.

Additional Information
The Revised Curriculum is recognised for its excellence as it focuses on the holistic needs of the child and the child as an active learner. Unlike the previous curriculum, it is presented to teachers as 11 separate subjects. Each subject has its own prescribed time and teachers were trained by subject experts in each subject separately. In addition, the training teachers received for the Revised Curriculum did not have any ICT dimension which is now seen as a key weakness. The changes required to build in greater integration can be easily achieved, but because of the prescriptive nature of the Revised Curriculum, these changes will not happen unless the subject integration strategies are planned and officially directed by the NCCA and the DES.