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Publications & Resources

The following publications and resources have been developed to support NBSS work with schools in addressing students’ social, emotional, wellbeing and academic and behavioural needs at Level 1: school-wide support for all students, Level 2: targeted intervention support for some students and Level 3: intensive individualised support for a few students. The NBSS Literacy and Learning to Learn materials are particularly aimed at developing students' academic literacy and learning skills as part of planned interventions at Levels 1, 2 and 3, across Senior and Junior Cycle.

(o9) Self Questioning - Comprehension Strategy Poster

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The NBSS supports schools in developing students’ comprehension, learning, and study skills to improve academic progress at Senior and Junior Cycle. Comprehension is the essence of reading. The development of an effective school-wide approach to the teaching of key comprehension strategies - making connections, questioning, visualising, inferring, determining importance, summarising, synthesising and self-monitoring comprehension - can help students become more purposeful, active readers and learners. The Questioning to Understand classroom posters are designed to supplement the teaching of this strategy as outlined in the NBSS teacher resource 'Comprehension & Learning Strategies for All Subjects' and the downloadable 'Reading and Learning Strategy' handouts.

(p) Visualising - Comprehension Strategy poster

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The NBSS supports schools in developing students’ comprehension, learning, and study skills to improve academic progress at Senior and Junior Cycle. Comprehension is the essence of reading. The development of an effective school-wide approach to the teaching of key comprehension strategies - making connections, self-questioning, visualising, inferring, determining importance, summarising/synthesising and self-monitoring comprehension - can help students become more purposeful, active readers and learners. The Visualising classroom posters are designed to supplement the teaching of this strategy as outlined in the NBSS teacher resource 'Comprehension & Learning Strategies for All Subjects' and the downloadable 'Reading and Learning Strategy' handouts.

(p1) Self-monitoring/Fix It Up - Comprehension Strategy Poster

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The NBSS supports schools in developing students’ comprehension, learning, and study skills to improve academic progress at Senior and Junior Cycle. Comprehension is the essence of reading. The development of an effective school-wide approach to the teaching of key comprehension strategies - making connections, questioning, visualising, inferring, determining importance, summarising, synthesising and self-monitoring comprehension - can help students become more purposeful, active readers and learners. The 'Fixing Up' Your Understanding classroom posters are designed to supplement the teaching of this strategy as outlined in the NBSS teacher resource 'Comprehension & Learning Strategies for All Subjects' and the downloadable 'Reading and Learning Strategy' handouts.

(q) Literacy and Learning Programmes and Resources

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This resource gives an overview of commercially available programmes and resources that teachers in NBSS partner schools have used successfully to support the development of reading, learning and literacy skills at  Level 1: school-wide support for all students; Level 2: targeted intervention for some students; and Level 3: intensive individualised intervention for a few students.

 In the Academic Literacy and Learning  - Teacher as Researche projectsr section  find out how teachers use the resources outlined, with a targeted group of students.  More information is also available on the Literacy, Learning and Behaviour section of the website

(q) Read: Engage Students with High Interest and Low Readability Book

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High Interest and Low Readability books can support the development of reading, fluency and vocabulary skills as well as encourage reading for pleasure.  This resource provides information on high interest/low readability fiction and non-fiction texts, as well as titles related to subject specific topics.

(q1) Catch Up Literacy Intervention

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Research points to the importance of recognising the links between behaviour and academic problems and coordinating systems for prevention and intervention in both areas. From NBSS work in post primary schools it is also clear that the strong connections between academic achievement and behaviour can mean that addressing challenges in one area can reduce difficulties arising in another. Teachers in NBSS partner schools have been trained to deliver Catch Up Literacy which is a structured one-to-one intervention for students who experience difficulties with reading. This resource provides an overview of the intervention.

(r) Learning from Textbook Reading at Second Level: Strategies for Success

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The reading and learning strategies in this resource show students how text features help identify the most important ideas in a text, how information from both the text and the student's own knowledge and experience are important to consider when answering questions, how to summarise the information read and find the main idea. The reading and learning strategies outlined can be introduced to 1st year students as part of a transition and transfer induction programme where students find out about learning how to learn at second-level.

(s) Use Web Resources and Sites for Literacy and Learning

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This teacher resource gives an overview of sites suitable to use with students across a variety of subject areas, including sites that can support the teaching of subject specific vocabulary and literacy and numeracy skills. Also included are sites where teachers can access free resources, information, lesson ideas and plans for their particular subject areas.

(t) Study and Learning Skills: Strategies for Success

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To achieve at second level all students need a repertoire of learning and study strategies that they can apply across all subjects. This resource introduces students to different strategies that can help them when studying and is used in conjunction with a study skills NBSS questionnaire and powerpoint presentations on learning. These form part of a series of student workshops on study skills and learning. All study skills resources can be adapted for different groups.  Contact the NBSS for information on these resources.  In the Focus Area section of the website and in the Teacher as Researcher section find out how two schools used these resources with students.

(v) Writing with Wow Words and Building Vocabulary

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At second-level students are expected to read and write across various genres and disciplines. Skilled writers use different strategies to help them navigate the writing process - planning, drafting, revising and editing. This resource presents activities for developing students' writing skills as well as ways to expand students’ use of vibrant or ‘wow’ words. There is also a powerpoint (Microsoft) presentation available from the NBSS on proofreading and editing which can be used in conjunction with this resource.  Contact the NBSS for information on this resources. Read how one teacher used this resource with students in the Academic Literacy, Learning and Study Skills section of the website.