THE Ministry of Education has started its promised early reading intervention training sessions for teachers as part of its strategy to improve literacy outcomes among Jamaica’s youngest learners.

The training is part of a broader initiative targeting more than 13,000 grades 1 to 3 teachers across 986 public and private primary level institutions.

It is a key element of the education ministry’s transformation agenda, which prioritises foundational literacy and supports the delivery of a structured, 60-minute daily reading block in schools which will also impact grades 4 to 6 using the discrete approach.

The sessions cover multi-sensory teaching techniques, guided reading, interactive read-alouds, scaffolded spelling, and strategies to support struggling readers, including those with special education needs.

“This training marks a renewed commitment to ensuring every child becomes a confident reader,” said Terry-Ann Thomas Gayle, acting chief education officer.

“We are investing in our teachers because they are at the heart of this transformation. When teachers are well-equipped, our children thrive,” added Thomas Gayle.

These sessions follow a recent three-day Trainer of Teachers Workshop in Montego Bay, St James, which convened a multidisciplinary team of curriculum officers, literacy specialists, college lecturers, and digital learning experts.

Meanwhile, in the face of public concerns regarding reading being “removed” from school timetables, the education ministry has pointed out that reading has always been a key strand within the Language Arts curriculum.

According to the ministry, while reading is not always listed as a standalone subject on timetables, it has consistently been taught, having been integrated into structured language instruction both at the primary and secondary levels.

“Through the integrated approach, we achieved 65.1 per cent mastery, 30.2 per cent near mastery, and 4.7 per cent non-mastery in the 2024 sitting of the national literacy test,” said the ministry in a media release.

The ministry said, in order to remedy gaps, it has made the decision to modify the strategy by timetabling reading as a discrete area to be explicitly delivered and supported by strong teacher training.

“This is about reinforcing what matters most in early education in a targeted manner,” said the ministry.

In her comments, Minister of Education Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon said she is a strong supporter of the discrete approach to teaching literacy. “And, given the gains that I have seen with the integrated approach, I am confident that most if not all of our students will attain mastery in literacy in the very near future and beyond with the discrete approach to teaching reading.

“I am committed to working with the team to ensure no child transitions to secondary level, not reading at their grade level,” she said.

The reading intervention training being executed by the ministry is aligned with the National Standards Curriculum (NSC) and emphasises core reading sub-strands, including word recognition and vocabulary development, comprehension and literature, and research and study skills.

The programme also promotes the use of data-driven instruction and the integration of digital and artificial intelligence (AI) tools to modernise reading practices.

The ministry said teachers will continue to receive school-based coaching and post-training support throughout the academic year, including peer check-ins, classroom monitoring, and reflective sessions led by master trainers and regional officers.