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Gaelscoileanna Teo. welcomes invitation to dialogue on early Total Immersion

November 17, 2008

 Friday, November 14th, 2008 – 1300 Hrs

 

GAELSCOILEANNA TEORANTA WELCOMES INVITATION TO DIALOGUE ON EARLY TOTAL IMMERSION

 

Gaelscoileanna Teoranta has welcomed the supportive comments of Minister for Education and Science Batt O’Keefe on the question of early total immersion in Irish language teaching.

 

Speaking at the annual Gaelscoileanna Conference in Bettystown Co. Meath this morning Minister O’Keefe said "I consider immersion education to be a really good system for promoting and maintaining the Irish Language, and I look forward to meeting with Gaelscoileanna Teoranta for a wide discussion on the Department’s curriculum policy."

 

"Evidence from around the world and in Ireland strongly indicates that early total immersion is extremely successful as a model of education for children of varying heritage languages," said Uachtarán Gaelscoileanna Teoranta, Mícheál Ó Broin.  "95 per cent of children entering Gaelscoileanna do so from an English or other language speaking background.  We do not impose language as a barrier to be overcome but as a bond between children who can better communicate across a range of voices and accents."

 

"The Minister’s willingness to listen and review the department policy on early total immersion is a welcome move.  We simply cannot afford to let go a model which is applauded throughout the world."

 

End

 

For further information or to arrange an interview with Mícheál Ó Broin, please contact:

 

Rob Hartnett

Director, Hartnett McClure PR on (086) 3851955  

 

Strategic Plan Sets Focus On Establishing New Schools

November 17, 2008

 

Friday, November 14th, 2008 – 1100 Hrs

 

STRATEGIC PLAN SETS FOCUS ON ESTABLISHING NEW SCHOOLS, SUPPORTING EXISTING ONES AND REACHING OUT TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES

 

Gaelscoileanna Teoranta has today published its ‘Strategic Plan 2008-2011′.  The plan, supported by Foras na Gaeilge was launched at the organisation’s annual education conference and AGM in Bettystown County Meath.

 

The Strategic Plan provides a roadmap towards the planned establishment of more than 20 national and 10 secondary Irish medium schools by 2013.  It also sets out a range of measures to support the short and long term success of the existing 140 Irish language national schools and 39 post primary schools throughout the Republic of Ireland outside of the Gaeltacht areas. The third element of the plan proposes ways in which the existing schools can reach out to their broader local community in fostering Irish language and culture.

"The growth of Irish medium education is testament to the demand and support of dedicated individuals within communities," said Uachtarán Gaelscoileanna, Micheál Ó Broin.  "The plan published today sets out the objectives which the Gaelscoil community as a whole needs to meet in order to sustain and develop the enthusiasm which has been the bedrock of our schools."

 

"The education sector faces challenges as does every other part of society.  We are representing the future of those children who do not have a direct voice.  In so doing we must be clear about what we need to do the job, and how we can best support the education of present and future generations."

 

"We have set out our vision as being to establish and maintain a high standard of Irish medium schooling throughout the country as well as developing and strengthening the Irish speaking community and culture."

 

"This strategic plan outlines the steps we need to take to ensure this vision is brought into clear focus."

 

End

 

For further information or to arrange an interview with Micheál Ó Broin

 

Rob Hartnett

Director, Hartnett McClure PR on (086) 3851955  

 

Economic Benefit of Bilingual Education Hailed at GAELSCOILEANNA Conference

November 13, 2008

 

Thursday, November 13th, 2008 – 1400 Hrs

 

ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF BILINGUAL EDUCATION HAILED AT GAELSCOIL CONFERENCE

Keynote address highlights importance of language education

 

The benefits of a strong bilingual approach to education should be given greater prominence within the Irish education system.  This is the central theme of the keynote address which will be delivered to the annual Education Conference and AGM of Gaelscoileanna Teoranta in Bettystown, Co Meath tomorrow morning (Friday, November 14th) by Colin Baker, Professor of Education and Pro Vice Chancellor of Bangor University.

 

"There is evidence compiled for the World Bank that bilingual education is economically advantageous due to its creation of higher achievement, a more skilled workforce and less unemployment," said Professor Baker.  "Children who learn through bilingual education,  such as is provided to a high level through Irish medium education, have a better understanding of different cultures, show a greater propensity for learning additional languages later on, and benefit from the greater demand for multiple language skills in an increasingly global economy."

 

"There are issues involving the political and financial support which bilingual education demands but in the long term it is likely to provide greater cost efficiency, for example as achievement levels are raised.  This should be of significant interest within Ireland especially given the report earlier this week that the country finished last in a European survey of OECD nations in terms of the ability of its citizens to hold a conversation in another language."

 

"Professor Baker is one of the world’s leading authorities on bilingual education", said Uachtarán Gaelscoileanna Teoranta, Micheál Ó Broin.  "He will outline how other countries are approaching bilingual education issues in 2008 and how the practice of early total immersion is undisputed as very successful.  His experience will doubtless further strengthen our resolve to fight for the right to continue early total immersion as an option in our schools."

 

 The conference, the theme of which is ‘Fostering an Irish Language Community’, will also include presentations on:

 

  • cultivating an Irish speaking community outside of the classroom

 

  • the importance of reaching out to different cultures and presenting bilingual education as a benchmark for inter-culturalism

 

  • the approach to special needs teaching at both primary and post-primary levels

 

Gaelscoileanna Teoranta will also publish its Strategic Plan for the next three years, part of a programme which anticipates the establishment of more than 20 new primary and 10 new secondary Irish medium schools over the next five years.

 

The conference will be officially opened by Minister for Education and Science, Batt O’Keefe.

 

GAELSCOILEANNA TEORANTA is the co-ordinating body for schools that teach through Irish.  It helps parents and local groups set up new schools and supports the established Irish-medium schools.

 

End

 

For further information or to arrange an interview with Professor Colin Baker or Micheál Ó Broin, please contact

 

Rob Hartnett

Director, Hartnett McClure PR on (086) 3851955, rob@hmpr.ie

  

 

 

Gaelscoileanna Teo. Ready To Listen To Minister And Plan For The Future

November 12, 2008

GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. READY TO LISTEN TO MINISTER AND PLAN FOR THE FUTURE

Minister O’Keeffe to address Annual Conference of GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. on Friday

 

Minister for Education and Science, Batt O’Keefe will address the annual education conference and AGM of GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. in Bettystown this Friday, November 14th 2008. 

 

He is expected to cover areas including the effect of budget cuts, the ongoing dispute over the teaching of Irish through total early immersion and the question marks thrown up recently over new school recognition.

 

"We are pleased that the Minister has agreed to open our conference and heartened by his willingness to engage in dialogue with those who represent those most affected by decisions taken within his department over the past twelve months", said GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. President, Mícheál Ó Broin.

 

"While the gaelscoileanna movement has gone from strength to strength in the past twelve months, there have been difficult times as well.  Parents and teachers are concerned particularly by the cuts in education spending, the lack of progress on research into the benefits of total early immersion education and the difficulties caused by a premature announcement on the recognition of new schools."

 

"We will of course provide a hospitable welcome to the Minister but we will also leave him clear in our view that the cuts in education announced in the budget are an inexplicable and short sighted move that we, together with all education partners, are continuing to urge the government to reconsider."

 

"Over the past years we have struggled for every small victory in reducing class sizes.  This is crucial to the effective education of a child and is a barometer of just how seriously a society values the education of its next generation.  Now we risk having all those gains swept away.  We already have one of the worst pupil teacher ratios in Europe.  Government has long claimed to recognise this as unacceptable but has now acted to make a bad situation worse."

 

"We are very concerned about the Minister’s announcement on school recognition and the implications for the founding committees that are working diligently towards opening in 2009.   It is a basic parental right to choose the kind of education their children should have and it is no accident that every gaelscoil that has opened since the foundation of the state remains open and popular today.  Schools that grow from within a committed community, and which operate wholly within the national curriculum must be supported.  We look forward to hearing directly from the Minister what measures are being taken to ensure the future of these new schools. "

 

The conference, the theme of which is ‘Fostering an Irish Language Community’, will include presentations on:

 

  • cultivating an Irish speaking community outside of the classroom

 

  • the importance of reaching out to different cultures and presenting bilingual education as a benchmark for inter-culturalism

 

  • the approach to special needs teaching at both primary and post-primary levels

 

The keynote address will be on ‘Advantages in Bilingualism and International best practice models’, given by Colin Baker, Professor of Education and Pro Vice-Chancellor of Bangor University.

 

"Professor Baker is one of the world’s leading authorities on bilingual education", added Ó Broin.  "He will outline how other countries have approached the issue and how the practice of total early immersion supported within Ireland is held up as a model of best practice.  His experience will doubtless further strengthen our resolve to fight for the right to continue total early immersion as an option in our schools, and to oppose department plans to disallow it in our schools."

 

GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. will also publish its Strategic Plan for the next three years, part of a programme which anticipates the establishment of 26 new primary and 10 new secondary Irish medium schools over the next five years.

 

GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. is the co-ordinating body for schools that teach through Irish.  It helps parents and local groups set up new schools and supports the established Irish-medium schools.

 

End

 

Media wishing to attend the conference at the Bettystown Court Hotel, Bettystown Co. Meath on Friday 14th November or who would like further information should contact:

Mícheál Ó Broin, Uachtarán GAELSCOILEANNA TEO., 087-9467700

Rob Hartnett

Director, Hartnett McClure PR on 086 3851955