Ireland · NCCA Curriculum Specifications
1st Year Foundations of Literacy and Expression
This course develops foundational literacy skills through the exploration of oral language, phonological awareness, and creative response to texts. Students engage with diverse genres to build comprehension and expressive writing abilities in alignment with the Primary Language Curriculum.
The Power of Storytelling
Students explore the structure of narrative texts and develop oral storytelling skills through character analysis and sequencing.
Identifying how authors use words and illustrations to show how a character feels throughout a story.
Understanding the beginning, middle, and end of stories to build comprehension and retelling skills.
Exploring how the time and place of a story influence the events and the mood.
Exploring Information and Facts
Focusing on non-fiction texts to understand how information is organized and communicated to an audience.
Identifying labels, captions, and headings that help readers find information quickly.
Learning to organize facts about a specific topic into a clear and simple written report.
Developing inquiry skills by formulating questions before and after reading informational texts.
The Magic of Poetry and Rhyme
Engaging with the rhythm, sound, and imagery of poetry to enhance phonological awareness and creative expression.
Exploring how patterns of sound create a musical quality in poems and nursery rhymes.
Using descriptive language and adjectives to create vivid mental images through poetry.
Developing confidence in speaking and listening by reciting poems with expression and gesture.
Building Sentences and Structure
Focusing on the mechanics of writing, including punctuation, grammar, and the construction of meaningful sentences.
Understanding the basic boundaries of a sentence to ensure clarity in written communication.
Using conjunctions like 'and' and 'because' to expand simple sentences into complex thoughts.
Identifying nouns and verbs to understand how sentences are built around subjects and actions.
Speaking with Confidence
Developing oral language skills through structured discussion, debate, and collaborative group work.
Practicing the skills of paying attention and responding appropriately to what others say.
Learning to express personal preferences and give reasons for likes and dislikes.
Developing the ability to give and follow clear, step by step verbal directions.
Becoming an Author
Synthesizing skills to plan, draft, and publish original pieces of writing across different genres.
Using graphic organizers and drawings to map out ideas before writing.
Writing the first version of a text and looking for ways to improve it with teacher and peer support.
Preparing a final piece of work to be shared with the class or displayed in the school.