Reading Recovery – All-Ireland Literacy conference
The first All-Ireland Literacy Conference, organised by the Reading Recovery Teacher Leader team was held in Marino Institute of Education, Dublin, on Saturday 22nd November 2008 with over 300 teachers attending. These included Principals, class teachers and other Literacy professionals from across 28 of the 32 counties of Ireland.
The group were welcomed by the Principal of the college, Dr Anne O’Gara and the keynote address was given by
Dr. Sue Bodman, Reading Recovery Trainer and National Co-ordinator from the Institute of Education, London. Sue spoke about the cost both in financial and in human terms of not providing an effective programme of support for children who struggle to read and write.
Mr Jimmy Mc Geough, Reading Recovery Administrator, Monaghan, addressed the gathering and urged all concerned to be pro-active in spreading good practice to all of our National Schools.
Workshops dealing with aspects of Reading Recovery and early literacy provision, were provided by the Teacher Leaders and Dr. Sue Bodman.
Elizabeth Connolly, Teacher Leader, Monaghan, summed up by drawing together threads from each of the workshops and thanked the schools for their on-going support and teamwork since Reading Recovery began in Monaghan in September 2000. Sr. Helen Diviney, Master of Ceremonies for the day, expressed the gratitude of the organisers, to Sr. Freda Kenny and the Marino team, staff of each of the Reading Recovery Teacher Centres, especially David Mc Cague and Claire Mc Meel from Monaghan Education Centre, who took care of most of the administration work, and all who helped plan the event.
The success of this venture suggests that another conference will be organised again in the near future.
Pictures taken at the conference
