The JCSP Demonstration Library Project was established in 2002 to improve literacy levels and develop a culture of reading in schools located in disadvantaged areas of Ireland. It established libraries staffed by professional librarians in 30 schools. Research found the libraries improved students' reading scores, book borrowing, attendance, and retention in school. The libraries became hubs that supported student learning through literacy programs and access to books.

1. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
JCSP Demonstration
Library Project
Engaging Reluctant Learners
Kathleen Moran
19th October 2016

2. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
What is the JCSP?
.
The JCSP is an intervention within the Junior
cycle aimed at those students who are
identified as being at risk of leaving
school early perhaps without completing
The Junior Certificate.
All JCSP Students sit the Junior Cert
examinations
A Social Inclusion Programme

3. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
JCSP - AIMS of the Programme
To retain students To bridge the gap
To build strong and
positive learning
foundations
To make school relevant
and accessible to
young people who find it
difficult to cope with the
school system.

4. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
JCSP Library Project
Set up in 2002
under the JCSP
Literacy and
Numeracy Strategy
30 high quality
school libraries
All in schools in
designated
disadvantaged
areas
Staffed by full-
time professional
librarians

5. JCSP Library Project
Established under the Department of
Education and Skills in 2002.The brief
of the JCSP Demonstration Library
Project was to:
• Improve literacy levels
• Develop a whole school reading
culture
• Enhance the learning experience of
our students
To date the project has expanded
• into 30 schools across Ireland,
• all in designated areas of
disadvantage
• Each library is staffed by a
full-time professional
Librarian

6. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
Why?
.
Access to books and reading
resources is one of the most
significant predictors of
reading success
High scoring countries – large school libraries
To Bridge the Literacy Gap

7. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
Studies show that middle class children
enter first grade having experienced an
average of 1,000-1,700 hours of
storybook reading in the home,
compared with 25 hours for children
from very low-income homes
(Let’s Talk About Literacy, Literacy Partners of Manitoba)

8. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
By Age 3, children from middle-class
homes:
...children from ‘disadvantaged’ homes
-Have heard 20 million more
words than, and
-Have 3 times the oral language
capacity of

9. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
Access to books is critical...
“Education and reading are circular:
the more a person has of one the better the
development of the other”
Chall 1996

10. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools

11. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools

12. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools

13. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
Research Project
3 year research project
• The average reading age of 1st Year JCSP
students was 4 years below their
chronological age.
• Little or no access to books at home.
• Very low levels of public library use.
• Very little interest in books and reading.

14. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools

15. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
Main Research Findings
• Improved reading scores
• Increased book borrowing
• Evidence of better attendance
• Improved retention to Senior Cycle
• Improved levels of concentration
• Increased interest and motivation
• The school library became the hub of
student-centred, positive, innovative and
successful learning in the Project schools
• Library-based literacy strategies were having
a direct impact on student learning

16. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
“…the findings demonstrate over and
over again, that well stocked, well
managed school libraries, with access
to books through structured library
programmes that are directed towards
the learning needs and interests of
even the most reluctant and hesitant
readers, can have impacts that are very
significant”
Room for Reading, 2005, p.131

17. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
Further Research
2006/2007
‘More Than a Room for
Reading’
Longitudinal study of JCSP
‘Graduates’

18. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
Main Findings
• Continued regular use of school library
• Very high level of public library use
• Positive association with their 2nd level
education
• Library impacting on students’ long-
term educational aspirations
• Library impacting on students’ holistic
as well as curricular-based
development

19. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
Outreach
Our Librarians support:
• Other JCSP/DEIS schools
• Feeder primary schools
• Family literacy
• Youth support organisations
• Collaboration with public and 3rd level libraries

20. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
Reading Spaces
• We advise on:
– Location
– Furniture
– Stock Selection
– Ambiance
– Access
– Display
– Suppliers
– Reading Promotion
– Developing a Reading Culture

21. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools

22. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
Reading Exercise

23. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
Read the passage below
The grifty snolls cloppered raucingly along
the unchoofed trake.
They were klary, so they higgled on
sperately.
“Ah, chiwar kervay,” they squopped rehoply
“Mi psar Quaj! Quaj!” snilled one, and filted
even jucklier.

24. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
Developing a Reading Culture

25. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
Highly visible displays

26. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
Re(a)d Wall

27. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
Reading Role Models

28. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
Book Nests

29. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
Displays

30. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
Performance Poetry

31. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
Worst part of my life
I really hated watching my ma die
It makes me angry
It’s not fair, I feel like killing
I saw my ma die in front of my eyes
The room went quiet, all you could hear were the machines
When all the machines turned off all you could hear was my ma
choking
Then all you could hear was people crying
When I think of her now I think of Christmas morning
Her lying asleep in the bed
Me walking in and waking her up
She was turned away in bed then she turned her head
Then us walking into the sitting room and unwrapping the presents
I will never forget her

32. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
WRaPParound Video
https://vimeo.com/143249066

33. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
Performance as learning
Verbal arts as learning
The curriculum and the arts
Resilience

34. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
National E-Book and Audio
Book Digital Library Service

35. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools

36. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
National Drop Everything and
Read

37. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
Focus on reading activities that foster
active student engagement, discussion
and creative outputs:
• Students as authors
• Make-a-Book exhibition
• Web blogs
• Author visits
• Excursions – theatre, book launches, etc.
• Accelerated Reader
• Interactive book reviews
• Twitter book reviews
• Paired reading
• E-books/Audio books
• Book clubs

38. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools

39. JCSP Libraries find
ways to increase learning beyond
the school day and school year.
• Extracurricular Activities
• Access to the library after school
hours
• Summer Programmes

40. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
School Library Association
School Librarian of the Year Award
3 JCSP Librarians on Honours List
2 JCSP Librarian Winners
Hilary Cantwell Annie Brady
2013 2015

41. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
SLA School Librarian of the Year
Award 2013
Hilary Cantwell Presentation
https://youtu.be/h2sUYNQB2mQ

42. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
Finally......

43. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
“One looks back with appreciation to the
brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to
those who touched our human feeling. The
curriculum is so much necessary raw
material but warmth is the vital element for
the growing plant and for the soul of the
child”
Carl Jung

44. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
Always remember
that the child that
challenges
you the most....
Might be the child that
needs you the most

45. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools

46. JCSP Demonstration Library Project
Supporting Literacy and Learning in Irish Schools
Thank You
kathleenmoran@jcsplibraries.ie
@jcsplibraries