Beyond Educational Disadvantage presents contributions from over forty leading educationalists in Ireland, giving voice to the reality that the education system needs to change and develop in order to meet the needs of a high proportion of students at risk of early school leaving. It explodes the myth that there is sufficient investment in education to secure the foundation of the ‘Celtic Tiger’ economy and highlights the need for a focus on education that does not simply reduce education to schooling. A wider focus is held throughout on a life-cycle approach to education, including pre-school education and adult and community education, as central to moving beyond disadvantage. The book explores a range of themes, which, while interlinked, call for separate in-depth analysis across a number of disciplines, including education, psychology, philosophy, sociology and social policy. These themes focus on adult and community education, intercultural education, literacy and numeracy, child-centred research, the arts and emotional expression.
Beyond Educational Disadvantage offers an agenda for reform of the present educational system in Ireland with a view to informing future social policy at international, national, local and school level. Using a combination of theoretical and practical approaches, it discusses good practice and presents the most current research on educational disadvantage across the educational community at primary and post-primary levels and in the adult education and out-of-school services sectors. Investment in the professional development of teachers is particularly emphasised in relation to the areas of literacy, numeracy and conflict-resolution skills. A menu of options for good practice is provided for incorporation in school planning in relation to areas such as making the school a focal point for community education, process drama, peer mediation, anti-bullying strategies and culturally relevant information technology.