Staidéar Dátheangachas ó Ollscoil Cambridge
Eanáir 8, 2014
Cambridge University researchers are spreading the message that bilingualism is good for learning, rather than a hindrance as sometimes perceived.
Cambridge University researchers are spreading the message that bilingualism is good for learning, rather than a hindrance as sometimes perceived.
Research shows that children who speak more than one language are multiply advantaged over their monolingual playmates – in communication, cognition and social interaction. Yet, a perception among some parents and teachers is that growing up multilingual is not only fraught with challenges but may even be a risk to educational development, say researchers Drs Dora Alexopoulou, Napoleon Katsos and Teresa Parodi of the Department of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics.
Aiming to dispel such misconceptions and champion the benefits of bilingualism, the three linguists have launched an outreach initiative, the ‘Cambridge Bilingualism Network’, aimed at parents, teachers and policy-makers, and will be hosting a workshop on 22 October at the University of Cambridge Festival of Ideas (www.cam.ac.uk/festivalofideas/).
“There’s a huge body of research on bilingualism, much of which is quite technical,” explained Dr Katsos. “We hope to raise awareness of the benefits of bilingualism among stakeholder groups by creating access to this state-of-the-art research and by facilitating contact between the community and our network of specialists at the University.”
One aspect of such research shows that bilingual children ‘notice’ better how language works and outperform monolingual children in tasks linked to language awareness, such as distinguishing whether a sentence is grammatically well-formed from whether it is truthful.
But the benefits go even further, as Dr Alexopoulou explained: “Studies show that a bilingual child is better able to cope with tasks that involve attention, memory and concentration. The mental gymnastics needed to constantly manage two or more linguistic systems increases cognitive flexibility and makes learning easier.”
The advantages of bilingualism hold independently of whether the language in question is spoken by many speakers or is what is commonly viewed as being a ‘useful’ language, observes Dr Parodi. “It’s important to balance this perception of ‘usefulness of a language’ by increasing awareness of the advantages of bilingualism, or the child risks losing their additional language.”
“Moreover, lack of awareness about bilingualism may lead to schools incorrectly diagnosing, or failing to diagnose actual learning difficulties if a phase of linguistic difficulty is observed”, she added. “Typically, if the problem shows in both languages this will point to a learning difficulty, but not if it only shows in one of them.”
Recent research carried out by Dr Katsos is aimed towards identifying a method to distinguish between a child showing a typical delay and a child with an underlying learning problem.
In collaboration with colleagues in Poland and with funding from the British Academy, he discovered that bilingual children are very good at understanding concepts that hold for all languages, such as the meaning of some, most and all, but may take longer to master those parts of grammar that are specific for one language and not the other one.
“A child with temporary delay may score well in the former but less so in the latter test, whereas a child with learning difficulties is likely to score low in both,” he explained. With the help of a Social Entrepreneurship Catalyst Award from HEFCE and UnLimited, Dr Katsos is now turning the research into an off-the-shelf language assessment tool.
Research in the field has also shown that raising and educating children to be bilingual doesn’t happen simply because two different languages are spoken at home, but instead requires continued input on the part of parents. The commitment of teachers and parents is therefore vital.
Through conversations with teachers and parents, the team is also pinpointing where further study is needed, and this is being fed back into the academics’ own research. In particular, the linguists have realised that comparatively few studies have focused on those children who move to a different country and begin learning a second language at primary school age.
The researchers are now extending their outreach activities to a greater number of schools in collaboration with Cambridgeshire County Council’s Cambridgeshire Race Equality and Diversity Service (CREDS) and in partnership with several schools.
Arbury Primary School in Cambridge is one the Network’s recent partners. Kathy Whiting, a teacher at Arbury and County leading Teacher for English as an Additional Language said: “The Cambridge Bilingualism Network events are inspiring and thought-provoking. Parents and teachers appreciate the scientific exposition of the benefits of bilingualism. They also welcome the opportunity to air the, often implicit, concerns and aspirations. We are delighted that this partnership between the University and our school has lead parents and teachers to higher levels of awareness and engagement with bilingualism.”
“Although bilingualism is perfectly normal in many places in the world, it is comparatively new in the English-speaking world,” added Dr Alexopoulou. “The problem with an education system set up with assumptions of monolingualism is there is a risk that children may miss out on the significant benefits conferred by maintaining their bilingualism.”
The ‘Cambridge Bilingualism Network’ involves researchers from several departments of the University who specialise on different aspects of learning more than one language. For instance, Professor Usha Goswami at the Department of Experimental Psychology focuses on reading and the brain, and Drs Edith Esch and Linda Fisher in the Faculty of Education focus on bilingualism in the family and the classroom. As such, the ‘Cambridge Bilingualism Network’ extends a warm invitation to all Cambridge researchers working on language who wish to contribute towards breaking the barriers between academia and social practice.
For more information about the Cambridge Bilingualism Network’, please visit http://sites.google.com/site/cambiling/
Sraith nua faisnéise, An Ceoldráma, ag tosú ar TG4
Eanáir 7, 2014
Beidh sraith bhreathnaitheach úrnua, An Ceoldráma, ag tosú ar TG4 ar an 12ú Eanair ag a hocht a chlog. Sraith cheithre pháirt (4 x 52 nóiméid) atá ann a leanann iarrachtaí cheithre Gaelscoileanna ar cheoldráma a chur ar an stáitse don Fhéile Scoildrámaíochta – féile atá 80 bliain ar an bhfód i mbliana.
Is sraith shiamsúil, ionspráideach atá ann a thugann dianléargas ar thraidisiúin na ceoldrámaíochta i nGaelscoileanna na tíre agus a thaispeánann conas mar is féidir leis an gceol agus an drámaíocht a dhul i bhfeidhm ar an aos óg Gaelach ina dteanga dhúchais.
Colm Bairéad (An tÁdh, Lorg na gCos) a thaifead agus a stiúraigh agus is í Cleona Ní Chrualaoi (Lorg na gCos, The Gathering: Homeward Bound) a léirigh an tsraith. Feictear saol an tseomra ranga agus mionsochaí na Gaelscoile ann, feictear dianchleachtadh na ndaltaí agus an dua a chuireann na múinteoirí orthu féin, feictear giotaí spleodracha ó na cuir i láthair agus tugtar léargas a ardóidh do chroí, ar an saol sa mbaile ag roinnt de na príomhcharachtair.
Leanann an tsraith scoil amháin ó gach cúige:
- Gaelscoil Charraig Uí Leighin, Co. Chorcaí
- Gaelscoil Ultain, Muineachán
- Scoil Lorcáin, Baile Átha Cliath
- Scoil Náisiúnta Cholmcille, An Tulach, Conamara
Is sraith í seo a thugann léiriú ar na miondrámaí taobh thair de na drámaí seo, a thugann le fios cén saghas dua agus deacracht a bhíonn i gceist le léiriúchán dá leithéad a thógaint ón bhfocal scríofa go dtí stáitse náisiúnta. Is sraith ghreannmhar, bhríomhar, dhathannach atá ins An Ceoldráma, í lán de mhothúcháin, sraith a mbeidh dúil ag idir óg agus aosta inti.
Is é an comhlacht léiriúcháin Inscéal a léirigh. John Murphy (Showrunners, Bliain in Árainn Mhór) a bhí mar eagarthóir ar an sraith. Rinneadh an tsraith a thaifead idir Eanair agus Bealtaine 2013 i suíomhanna éagsúla i mBaile Atha Cliath, Muineachán, Gaillimh, Dún na nGall, Corcaigh agus san Iarmhí.
Craolfar An Ceoldráma gach Domhnach ar TG4 ag 8i.n. ar feadh ceithre seachtainí ón 12ú Eanair.
Má tá tuilleadh eolais de dhíth, féadtar teacht ar Chleona Ní Chrualaoi ag cleonanic@gmail.com or 087-3296776
An Ceoldráma – Sceideal
Clár 1: An Fhéile Áitiúil (Corcaigh/Muineachán)
Dé Domhnaigh, 12ú Eanair 2014 – 8i.n. / Athchraoladh 14ú Eanair 12 meánoíche & 16ú Eanair 2i.n.
Clár 2: An Fhéile Áitiúil (BÁC/Gaillimh)
Dé Domhnaigh, 19ú Eanair 2014 – 8i.n. / Athchraoladh 21ú Eanair 12 meánoíche & 23ú Eanair 2i.n.
Clár 3: Na Féiltí Cúige (Na ceithre scoileanna)
Dé Domhnaigh, 26ú Eanair 2014 – 8i.n. / Athchraoladh 28ú Eanair 12 meánoíche & 30ú Eanair 2pm
Clár 4: An Fhéile Náisiúnta (Na ceithre scoileanna)
Dé Domhnaigh, 2ú Feabhra 2014 – 8i.n. / Athchraoladh 4ú Feabhra 12 meánoíche & 6ú Feabhra 2pm
‘Ní míchumas atá orm – is buntáiste atá ann’
Eanáir 7, 2014
Tá Ionad tacaíochta Coláiste Feirste ar an fhód le seacht mbliana anuas, freastalaíonn an Ionad ar daltaí le riachtanais foglamtha éagsúla, aspéargar, disléicse agus pairilis cheirbreach ina measc.
Tá bainistíocht an Ionaid a lorg tacaíocht maonithe bhreise ón Roinn Oideachais as siocair go bhfuil orthu féin íoc as cuid mhaith de na seirbhísí foglamtha atá a soláthair acu. Is é an t-aon Ionad dá leithéid a fhreastlaíonn ar an ghaeloideachas ó thuaidh.
Chaith Meon Eile lá i gcuideachta na daltaí agus foireann an Ionaid. Labhair muid leo faoina ndúshláin fhoghlama phearsanta agus faoina ndóchais don todhchaí.
Féach an físeán ar www.meoneile.ie.
Rith 2014
Eanáir 6, 2014
Is féile náisiúnta Gaeilge é Rith 2014 a bheidh ar siúl ón 7-15 Márta 2014 i rith Sheachtain na Gaeilge.
Ar an 7 Márta 2014, cuirfear tús le ‘Rith 2014’ i mBaile Bhuirne i gCo. Chorcaí, ollrith náisiúnta timpeall na tíre, le baitín sealaíochta ag athrú láimhe idir daoine agus grúpaí reatha gach uile ciliméadar.
Beidh daoine ó cheann ceann na tíre ag glacadh páirt i Rith 2014 a mhairfidh ar feadh 9 lá, ag rith ó mhaidin go hoíche, idir cúigeMmumhan Laighin agus cúige Uladh.
Is ar son na Gaeilge a bhíonn daoine ag rith, i gcondaithe éagsúla agus arís i mbliana tugtar cuireadh don phobal, do scoileanna grúpaí aitiúil agus do aon duine ar mhian leo páirt a ghlacadh sa rith dul amach agus rith le linn an rith ollmhór se oar son na teanga.
I féidir le daoine ciliméadar a cheannach agus é sin a rith ó tús go deireradh. Tá beagnach 700 ciliméadar ar díol mar chuid de Rith 2014. Is féidir le haon duine nó aon ghrúpa ciliméadar a cheannach ar an gcúrsa.
Le linn na seachtaine iomprófar an bata timpeall na hÉireann ar feadh naoi lá, ó mhaidn go hoíche, ar thuras 1000km, trí breis is 200 baile agus 14 Condae, críochnóidh Rith 2014 ar an 15 Márta i gcroilár Bhéal Feirste.
Is féidir le daoine ciliméadar a cheannach mar aon le tá tuilleadh eolais a fháil maidir le cúrsa Rith 2014 ar: www.rith.ie
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Tráth na gCeist Bórd Feachtas
Eanáir 6, 2014
Beidh tráth na gceist boird á reáchtáil ag Feachtas do scoláirí dara leibhéal sna scoileanna thíos go luath:
- i gColáiste Raithín, Bré ar 20ú Eanáir 2014 ag 19.00
- i gColáiste na Toirbhirte, Corcaigh ar 27ú Eanáir 2014 ag 19.00
- i gColáiste na Coiribe, Gaillimh ar 29ú Eanáir 2014 ag 19.00
Má tá spéis agaibh foirne a chur chur isteach, déanaigí teagmháil le Ciara Ní Bhroin, Oifigeach Forbartha Feachtas, chomh luath agus is féidir chun áit a dheimhniú ann. Bronnfar boinn agus teastais ar bhuaiteoirí na hoíche agus rachaidh siad ar aghaidh chuig ag gcraobh a bheidh ar siúl i mí an Mhárta.
Tuilleadh eolais: ciara.feachtas@gmail.com
Ciara Ní Bhroin
Oifigeach Forbartha
Feachtas
Oifig a 8
Teach Coghill
64 Sráid an Dáma
Baile Átha Cliath 2.
Fón oifige: 01 6725940
https://twitter.com/Feachtas_ie
https://www.facebook.com/feachtas
Ceiliúradh na Nollag i mBunscoil an Iúir
Eanáir 6, 2014
Thug Meon Eile cuairt ar Bhunscoil an Iúir an tseachtain seo. Chan cóir na scoile meascán deas d’amhráin na Nollaig idir ‘Oíche Chiúin’, ‘Rudolf an Fia Rua’ agus ‘Tá Daidí na Nollag ag teacht anocht!’.
Seo chugaibh an tsiamsaíocht agus píosa cainte ó na páistí féin faoina ndúil agus faoina ndóchais don Nollaig! Féach an físeán ar www.meoneile.ie.
The surprising people speaking up for Irish
Eanáir 6, 2014
THE resignation of the Irish-language commissioner, Seán Ó Cuirreáin, is “undoubtedly the worst blow to the Irish language in many years,” say Irish-language group, Conradh na Gaeilge.
Ó Cuirreáin, appointed as the first commissioner in 2004, and re-appointed in 2010, says many civil servants and public body employees are only capable of conducting business through English. Ó Cuirreáin accused the Government of hypocrisy, and said Irish speakers in Gaeltachts were being neglected. But the Irish language is being embraced by new speakers, and this is welcomed by Foras na Gaeilge, which is responsible for the promotion of the Irish language. Dr John Walsh, a lecturer in Irish at NUI Galway, says Irish is attracting unlikely practitioners. Walsh is involved in an EU-funded project, ‘New Speakers in a Multilingual Europe’, led by Heriot-Watt University in Scotland. It involves 15 partners from Europe. Other languages include Basque, Catalan, Galician and Scottish Gaelic.
Walsh defines a ‘new speaker’ as someone who has learned Irish outside of the home; either at school, through adult classes or some other formal means. “Our project is about finding out what has encouraged these people to make thedecision to learn Irish, what their views on Irish are, what their experiences ofspeaking it are, and how they relate to native speakers,” Dr Walsh says. A few non-Irish nationals have been interviewed for the project, which is in its early stages. “The non-Irish nationals are a very interesting group, because they don’t come to the language with the baggage that a lot of Irish people bring to it. “They may be motivated through heritage connections to Ireland, or they’re simply people who are interested in integrating more fully with Irish culture. Some may be interested in moving to the Gaeltacht,” he says.
Dr Walsh says that he knows of a student from the Czech Republic who is learning Irish, and he’s aware of a number of West of Ireland-based Africans learning the language. “I know that there’s a certain amount of non-Irish nationals going to Gaelscoileanna. They’re very often people who are linguistically open, because many of them would speak three different languages already. I had students in the past who worked in a school in west Dublin, where a lot of the non-Irish nationals were very well-disposed towards the language. Their parents wanted to learn it as well,” Dr Walsh says. Some enjoy learning another language. “Irish can be an interesting challenge for them. It’s not a burden for them,” he says. However, some of the new speakers “experience hostility from Irish people. Some people don’t like the fact that a French or Spanish person would know more Irish than them. But, in general, they’ve viewed with admiration.”
Walsh says that few non-Irish people studying Irish at NUI Galway are complete beginners. They come to the university having previously attended an introductory course. “Irish is taught in a lot of universities outside of Ireland. You can study Irish in Poland, and there are dozens of universities in North America where Irish is taught. “People from these backgrounds can reach quite impressive standards of Irish. The question of difficulty in learning the language comes from some Irish people who have their own attitudes towards the language,” Dr Walsh says. “Through preliminary work that we have done on the new speakers, we’ve found that they’re very committed, and will overcome the intricacies of another language and get to grips with it.
“It shows the importance of attitude. None of the new speakers talk about the fact that they’re struggling. They’re speaking Irish quite happily and want to get better. They often talk about it as if they’re on a journey and haven’t quite got there yet. “But any objective analysis would say that they’re very good already.” Some Irish are learning the language to move away from nationalism. They’re not speaking it for patriotism. “I think a certain generation associates nationalism and patriotism with political violence in the North. But, for a lot of young people, it’s all about being tolerant and open. They tend to be very accepting people, with liberal views towards the world. “They’re accepting of all sorts of diversity. The older generation that we’ve spoken to are much more nationalist. “They might have been at school in the 1940s and 1950s, when Irish was much more strongly associated with nationalism,” he says. With the new speakers of Irish come changes in the language. “We’ve definitely experienced all sorts of linguistic innovation across the spectrum. Nobody is replicating the traditional model. Researching language revival is part of this project.
“Irish is being brought into the future. Some people can be quite daring, almost transgressive, deliberately breaking rules and almost revelling in it. Other people are more conservative, as they try to stick to the style of the Gaeltacht areas,” Dr Walsh says. While purists may not like to see Irish changing, Walsh says that “one of the cardinal rules is that language changes.”
www.irishexaminer.com
Gabh chuig Goitse!
Eanáir 6, 2014
Bunaíodh Goitse i 2010 mar pháipéar míosúil áitiúil Thír Chonaill, ach cuireadh deireadh leis i mí an Mheithimh 2011 mar gheall ar easpa maoinithe.
Cuireadh feachtas ar bonn ar na mallaibh chun an nuachtán a athbhunú agus chun trí eagrán a chur amach. D’éirigh leis – bailíodh €5,000 agus tháinig an chéad eagrán amach i mí na Nollag. Ní bhfuair an páipéar airgead ar bith ón rialtas agus rinneadh an obair uilig go deonach. Tá eagrán clóite ann agus tá sé ar an Idirlíon chomh maith (goitse.org).Tá cuma an-phroifisiúnta ar an nuachtán. Cluaitear an nuacht is déanaí (stoirmeacha mhí na Nollag ina measc!), na healaíona, siamsaíocht, oideachas agus spórt. Tá leathanach ann do dhaoine óga. Tá gearrscéal ann le Bríghid Ní Mhonachán.
Tá ómós ann le Noel Ó Gallchóir do Thomás Mac Giolla Bhríghde a fuair bás ar na mallaibh. Fuair Tomás Céim Oinigh ó Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh mar gheall ar a obair ag cruthú fostaíochta i nGaoth Dobhair agus ag cur chun cinn an chultúir agus na Gaeilge. Bhí sé ina bhall d’Aisteoirí Ghaoth Dobhair ó 1938 go dtí 2013. Bhí sé ina aisteoir; scríobh sé drámaí; léirigh sé drámaí. Fear soilse agus fear smidte a bhí ann fosta! Chum sé an t-amhrán ‘ Cumha an oiléain’ faoi Ghabhla. ‘Athair maith, fear céile dílis, fíor-Ghael agus fíor-Chríostaí’a bhí ann. Comhghairdeas leis an fhoilseachán nua: tá súil agam go dtiocfaidh fás agus forbairt air.
Ba chóir Goitse a chur ar bonn trachtála agus dáiliúchán a shocrú. Is léir go bhfuil na féidearthachtaí ann. De réir cosúlachta tá suim ag daoine i nGaeltachtaí eile ina leithéid. Ach nach gcuireann sé iontas ort go bhfuil grúpa áitiúil ábalta nuachtán tarraingteach beomhar a chur amach agus nach bhfuil Foras na Gaeilge in ann tacú le páipéar seachtainiúil clóite? Cad chuige a bhfuilimid ag fanacht, cad chuige a bhfuilimid ag fanacht….?
www.derryjournal.com
Na chéad fhógraí Pleanála Teanga foilsithe
Eanáir 6, 2014
Iarratas ar aighneachtaí i dtaca le trí limistéar pleanála teanga fógartha faoi Alt 7(3) d’Acht na Gaeltachta 2012
Tá fógartha ag an Aire Stáit sa Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta, Donnchadh Mac Fhionnlaoich, T.D., go bhfuil fógraí i leith na limistéar a leanas foilsithe ag an Roinn inniu:
Ciarraí Thiar
Cois Fharraige
Gaoth Dobhair, Rann a Feirste, Anagaire agus Loch an Iúir
Faoi Acht na Gaeltachta 2012 roinneadh an Ghaeltacht i 19 ceantar pleanála teanga faoi leith, agus é i gceist go mbeadh plean teanga uathúil le dréachtú do gach ceantar acu sin. Ag an am sin, bhí sé aontaithe go roghnófaí príomheagraíocht cinnireachta amháin i ngach ceantar pleanála teanga chun an próiseas a stiúradh ar an talamh, le cúnamh ó Údarás na Gaeltachta. I mBealtaine na bliana seo, fógraíodh go ndéanfaí athdhréachtú ar na ceantair a roghnaíodh, ionas go mbeadh 26 ceantar ann in áit 19.
Agus é ag fógairt an chórais iarratais inniu, dúirt an tAire Stáit Mac Fhionnlaoich, “Tá lúcháir orm a bheith in ann a fhógairt go bhfuil an chéad trí fhógra foilsithe agam faoi alt 7(3) d’Acht na Gaeltachta 2012. Cuireann na fógraí seo tús oifigiúil leis an phróiseas pleanála teanga ar an talamh sna limistéir seo”.
Tá tugtha le fios go dtabharfar tréimhse suas le 2 mhí ón 16 Eanáir 2014 d’eagraíochtaí chun iarratais a dhéanamh chuig Údarás na Gaeltachta le bheith roghnaithe mar eagraíochtaí chun plean teanga a ullmhú agus a fheidhmiú sna limistéir ar leith. Tabharfar tréimhse suas le 2 bhliain do na heagraíochtaí roghnaithe chun plean teanga a chur faoi bhráid na Roinne le faomhadh agus is thar thréimhse 7 mbliana a chuirfear na pleananna teanga i bhfeidhm le cúnamh ó Údarás na Gaeltachta.
“Agus tús oifigiúil curtha anois leis an phróiseas pleanála teanga i 3 Limistéar Pleanála Teanga Gaeltachta ó thuaidh, ó dheas agus thiar, táim ag súil go mbeidh 10 bhfógra eile foilsithe i gcás 10 limistéar eile an bhliain seo chugainn agus go ndéanfar na fógraí eile ina dhiaidh sin,” a dúirt an tAire Stáit Mac Fhionnlaoich.
Dúirt Stiúrthóir Chomhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge, Kevin De Barra go rabhthas ag súil le níos mó ón Roinn: “Níl fógartha ach trí cheantar as sé cheantar fichead, agus má leantar le cur i bhfeidhm an phróisis pleanála teanga ar an ráta céanna seo, is beag dul chun cinn a bheidh á dhéanamh. Tá dhá bhliain ag na ceantair seo anois chun plean teanga a chur le chéile agus a aontú leis an Roinn, agus beidh seacht mbliana acu ansin chun an plean sin a fheidhmiú”.
“Níl aon sonraí eisithe fós maidir leis na hacmhainní nó na tacaíochtaí a bheidh ar fáil do na ceantair seo sa tréimhse sin. Is gá don Rialtas tosaíocht a dhéanamh d’fheidhmiú an phróisis seo agus acmhainní cuí a chur ar fáil dá réir,” a dúirt De Barra.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Feighlí leanaí
Eanáir 6, 2014
Feighlí leanaí ag teastáil chun aire a thabhairt do leanbh os cionn bliana d’aois.
Bheadh an post seo feiliúnach do dhuine cineálta le Gaeilge agus taithí i gcúraim leanaí agus atá suite i gceantar Dhún Laoghaire – an Charraig Dhubh.
Tuilleadh eolais le fáil uaim ach glaoch ar 0866015725 – Má tá spéis agat ba bhreá liom cloisteáil uait!
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
