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Critical Literacy Project

 

Professor Peter Finn (Principal of St Mary’s), Angela McGowan (Director of CBI), Donna Hazzard (Principal Lecturer at St Mary’s) and Noel Doran (Editor of the Irish News).

 

Professor Peter Finn (Principal of St Mary’s), Angela McGowan (Director of CBI), Donna Hazzard (Principal Lecturer at St Mary’s) and Noel Doran (Editor of the Irish News).

 

St Mary’s University College launched its new media literacy project in association with the Irish News and the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) for Key Stage Two and Key Stage Three pupils on Thursday, 5 January. The launch took place as part of a United Kingdom Literacy Association (UKLA) conference attended by sixty teachers from participating schools

 

Delegates who attended the Critical Literacy Project (in front)  with St Mary's principal Peter Finn, Angela McGowan (CBI); Donna Hazzard, lecturer at St Mary's and Irish News Editor Noel Doran (behind)

 

Delegates listened to addresses from Professor Peter Finn (Principal of St Mary’s), Noel Doran (Editor of the Irish News), Angela McGowan (Director of CBI) and Donna Hazzard (Principal Lecturer at St Mary’s). They then attended a range of professional development workshops led by St Mary’s tutors.

 

Workshops A – D

Reading and Viewing: Deconstructing Images - Catherine Gilliland 
Understanding Newspaper Stories - Geraldine Magennis 
Newspapers and Reciprocal Reading - Gabrielle Nig Uidhir
Assessing the Credibility of News Reports - Sean Mac Corraidh 

 

Workshops E - H
Newspaper Blackout Poetry - Geraldine Parks 
Headline Text and Image Matching - Donna Hazzard
Putting the News into Literature Circles - Eibhlín Mhic Aoidh 
Advertising and the Newspaper - Matthew Martin 

 

The story is also available to read in the 6th January edition of The Irish News.

 

Delegates who attended the Critical Literacy Project

 

Pupils from St Colman’s High & Sixth Form College, Ballynahinch, who attended the launch of the Irish News Young Newsreaders Project.

 

Comments from delegates included the following:

Fascinating project that will enable children to consider the validity of all the texts they encounter.  —Henry Duffin, Principal, St Anne’s P.S., Ballymena
I’m delighted to be involved in this new and exciting project, promoting critical literacy. —Tracey McDowell, Vice Principal, St Aloysius P.S., Lisburn
Exciting venture by St Mary’s University College and the Irish News which will expose pupils to a reputable newspaper on a weekly basis enthusing them to appreciate current affairs. —Lawrence O’Kane, Principal, St Brigid’s P.S., Cloughmills
A most enjoyable afternoon. I really got an insight into critical literacy, and I look forward to starting the project. —Susan Topping, Literacy Coordinator, Lismore Comprehensive School
A very well run course full of new information in a friendly, professional and comfortable environment. A great initiative! —Sean McDermot, Bunscoil Naomh Proinsias, Lurgan
I hadn’t realized the relevance and necessity for teaching critical reading to our children explicitly to tackle the overload of consumerisation in today’s society. The project will be a perfect way to investigate doing this. —Coleen McCluskey, Literacy Coordinator, St Mary’s Star of the Sea

 

Critical Media Literacy Project

 

The project commences in February. Anyone wishing to participate may do so by registering online.

If you have any queries about the project please email Donna Hazzard