School pack has a few wrinkles

A new programme for primary schools aims to promote a more positive image of ageing and older people's issues

A new programme for primary schools aims to promote a more positive image of ageing and older people's issues. The CD-ROM and teachers' manual were launched by the Minster, Dr Michael Woods, yesterday, and will be distributed to all national schools.

The pack, entitled Young and Old, has been prepared by the National Council on Ageing and Older People (NCAOP) and is designed for use in the context of the new Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum for primary schools. An Irish-language version is being prepared and will be ready for distribution at a later date. The pack includes a number of different strategies to encourage active learning among children, who will be encouraged to explore facts and attitudes. There are suggested exercises for stimulating classroom discussion and activities to encourage contact and communication between children and older people.

The council wants to promote "new levels of communication and understanding", according to John Heuston of the NCAOP. "There is, perhaps, no more suitable place to begin the process of encouraging solidarity between children and the older generations than in primary school."

News-Plus is compiled by Catherine Foley.