Over 80,000 primary school children receive virtually no assistance with spelling, grammar and punctuation, according to a report to be launched by Minister for Education and Science Mary Hanafin tomorrow.
The report, a review of the new primary school curriculum, says teachers need much more guidance on how to teach basic English language classes.
In a disturbing finding, it says about 20 per cent of teachers "hardly ever, or never, or only once or twice a month", incorporate the teaching and learning of spelling, grammar and punctuation into their classes. The report, based on evidence from 700 teachers, found 13 per cent of these had no formal qualifications.
The review supports the use of computers in building literacy skills. However, it reports how many teachers have only one computer to share between 30 pupils.
The finding on spelling and grammar comes amid increasing evidence that primary schools in disadvantaged areas are struggling with a literacy and numeracy crisis. A confidential Department of Education report, also due for publication tomorrow, says 25 per cent of pupils in poorer areas suffered severe literacy difficulties. In the schools most seriously hit, up to 50 per cent of pupils had severe literacy problems.
It also provides details of some primary schools where over 55 per cent of children aged between five and 12 years were at the lowest level in maths and would need extra help.
The review of the primary curriculum is the first detailed assessment of the new programme in English, maths and the visual arts, since it was introduced in 1999. The new curriculum has 11 subjects but many teachers complain in the new report that they do not have the time to teach all its various strands.
Although teachers were broadly positive about the impact of the new English curriculum on building reading skills, they were less impressed with the effect on writing ability.
"Teachers also expressed concerns regarding the quality of children's writing and their difficulties with basic sentence structure and expression."
Almost 40 per cent said they did not have sufficient time to teach it.
Many teachers also pointed to the huge challenge involved in teaching children of mixed abilities in very large classes. "Class size and classroom space", were seen as the greatest challenges facing teachers in implementing the new visual arts courses in primary schools.
On maths, the report signals that schools need to do more to involve parents in their child's learning. The report recommends that detailed direction and guidance should be given to teachers on the teaching, learning and assessment of spelling, phonics and grammar.
The review was conducted by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.