Research published yesterday into the work of the Early Learning Initiative at the National College of Ireland found that students are now scoring above the norms in other similarly disadvantaged communities.

The initiative, started in 2008, involves a parent-child home visitor programme to help parents to teach their children skills to get them ready for learning.

Assessments showed that as of November 2011, 30 per cent of children in the first year of the programme could describe, with ease, a storybook picture using words or sentences.

A year later, more than three-quarters of the same children were able to perform this task.

The research into the programme by the Children’s Research Centre at Trinity College found it was helping to create a “high-achieving, supportive and cohesive Docklands community”.

Source: The Irish Times Date: 12/02/2013

View this article on The Irish Times website.