Literacy Lift-Off is a whole-class intervention aimed at increasing each child’s competency in oral language, reading and writing.

Literacy Lift-Off is used from Senior Infants to Third Class.

The main objectives of this programme are:

• To introduce children and their parents to Guided Reading. It is through Guided Reading that teachers can show children how to read and can support children in learning the many and varied skills and strategies needed to become fast, fluent readers.
• To empower children to read for enjoyment and meaning and develop oral language skills by talking about what they are reading, predicting, retelling story etc.
• To teach children fast visual recognition of letters, sounds and useful high-frequency words. Also, to articulate words slowly, thereby allowing them to hear and record sounds in sequence. We hope to thus enable them to write stories and messages relevant to them.

During each Literacy Lift-Off session, children experience four activities:

• Familiar Reading
• Magnetic-Letter / Word Work
• Writing
• New Book

The mainstream teacher takes responsibility for Writing so that this can be linked to the class work. The two support teachers take responsibility for the New Book and Magnetic Letter Work. The Familiar Reading is overseen by an S.N.A who is working under the direction of the teacher. Specific targets are set and these are reviewed and refined regularly.

In Third Class the mainstream teacher and support teacher modify these activities in accordance with the needs of the class. Increased emphasis is placed on Comprehension as reading texts become more challenging.