Méid an Téacs

Folúntas: Post le Dowtcha Puppets

Samhain 23, 2015

Dowtcha Puppets, a rinne ceardlann ag Comhdháil Oideachais Gaelscoileanna Teo. do stiúrthóirí naíonra agus múinteoirí bunscoile, ag lorg duine le Gaeilge líofa, sonraí anseo: Post le Dowtcha Puppets

Oibrí Cúram Leanaí

Samhain 23, 2015

sunTá Saran Wood Crèche agus Naíonra Ghleann Na Darach ag lorg iarratas do phost mar Oibrí Cúram Leanaí.

Tá líofacht gaeilge riachtanach don phost seo agus chomh maith leis sin, ní mor don iarrthoir go mbeadh cáilíocht FETAC leibheál a cuig i gcúram leanaí.

Ní mor don iarrthoir go mbeadh ar fáil ó 8am – 3pm, ag obair ó Luain go hAoine.

Má theastaíonn tuilleadh eolais uait faoin bpost seo is féidir dul i dteagmháil le Grace ar 0863450093

nó ar ríomhphost ag saranwoodcreche@hotmail.com

Bilingual kids have multiple advantages, no matter what the languages are

Samhain 23, 2015

We live in a world of great linguistic diversity. More than half of the world’s population grows up with more than one language. There are, on the other hand, language communities that are monolingual, typically some parts of the English-speaking world.

In this case, bilingualism or multilingualism can be seen as an extraordinary situation—a source of admiration and worry at the same time. But there are communities where bilingualism or multilingualism are the norm—for example in regions of Africa. A Cameroonian, for example, could speak Limbum and Sari, both indigenous languages, plus Ewondo, a lingua franca, plus English or French, the official languages, plus Camfranglais, a further lingua franca used between anglophone and francophone Cameroonians.

On a smaller scale, we all know families where bilingualism or multilingualism are the norm, because the parents speak different languages or because the family uses a language different from that of the community around them.

How difficult is it for a child to grow up in such an environment? And what are bilingual children capable of? Well, they are capable of quite a lot, even at a very young age. They can understand and produce expressions in more than one language, they know who to address in which language, they are able to switch very fast from one language to the other.

Noses for grammar

Clearly we are talking here of a range of different skills: social, linguistic and cognitive. Social skills are the most known: bilingual children are able to interact with speakers of (at least) two languages and thus have direct access to two different cultures.

But they also have linguistic skills, some very obvious, such as understanding and using words and expressions in different languages. A less obvious aspect is that bilingual children have a raised awareness for how language “works.” For example, bilinguals are better than monolinguals of the same age at pinpointing that the sentence “apples growed on trees” is bad, and “apples grow on noses” is fine, but doesn’t make sense.

Less known are the cognitive skills developed by bilinguals, an issue of great interest for research at the moment, as seen, for example, in work by Ellen Bialystok and colleagues. Probably due to the practice of switching languages, bilinguals are very good at taking different perspectives, dealing with conflicting cues and ignoring irrelevant information. This skill can be applied to domains other than language, making it an added value of bilingualism.

Is it worth it?

What if one of the languages is not a “useful” one because, for example, it does not have many speakers (for example, Cornish)? Is it worth exposing the child to it? The linguistic, social and cognitive advantages mentioned above hold, independently of the specific languages. Any combination of languages has the same effect.

A common worry is that trying to speak two (or more) languages could be too strenuous for the child. But there is no need for concern: learning to speak is more similar to learning to walk than it is to learning a school subject. Learning to speak is genetically programmed. The brain is certainly able to cope with more than one language, as research and experience shows.

There could be a practical problem, though, in providing enough exposure to the languages. The stress is then on the parents to ensure the opportunity to interact with speakers of the languages in question. Bilingualism is not genetic: having parents who speak different language does not guarantee a bilingual child.

Code-switching is cool

Another frequent worry is that of the child learning two half languages, short of the “proper” version of either of them. One may, for example, hear bilinguals—children and adults—using words or expressions from two or more of the languages in their linguistic repertoire in a single sentence or text, a phenomenon known as code-switching.

Often people assume that the main reason for doing this is a lack of sufficient proficiency in one of the languages, such that the speaker cannot continue in the language they started in. They also often assume that the choice of the words from one language or the other is random. Far from it. Code-switching is common among bilinguals and, contrary to popular belief, it follows grammatical rules.

Research has shown regular patterns in code-switching, influenced by the languages concerned, by community norms and by which language(s) people learn first or use more frequently. Very often, code-switchers are very highly proficient in the languages concerned. Code-switching also follows social rules: bilingual children only use it if they know the interlocutor knows the “other” language.

Additionally, if asked for clarification, they know if they have spoken too quietly or used the wrong language, and only switch in the latter case. Both bilingual children and adults have a range of reasons, including sociolinguistic reasons to code-switch. Code-switching can be cool!

All typically developing children will learn one language. To learn more than one they need the opportunity and the motivation. Growing up with more than one language is an asset well worth the investment.

http://qz.com/543919/the-incredible-ever-growing-multi-faceted-value-of-being-bilingual-in-our-global-economy/

(English) No school refusal for children based on religion – State agency

Samhain 19, 2015

www.irishtimes.com

Folúntas: Coláiste Cois Life, Baile Átha Cliath

Samhain 19, 2015

Tá Coláiste Cois Life ag lorg ionadaí do shaoire mhaithreachais. Tuilleadh eolais ag an nasc thíos:

http://educationposts.ie/adverts/second_level/employee/16948/

(English) Huge rise in Mid Ulster Irish school enrolments

Samhain 19, 2015

www.tyronetimes.co.uk

(English) TD and former Minister disappointed for gaelscoil after school funding news

Samhain 19, 2015

www.donegalnow.com

D’fhéadfá iad a thógáil i bpluais agus d’fhoghlaimeoidís Béarla…

Samhain 19, 2015

Ghlacfá leis go raibh an luath-thumoideachas i bhfeidhm riamh i scoileanna Gaeltachta, agus an mall-thumoideachas é féin agus an tumoideachas ó eireaball go ceann. B’shin é mo thaithí féin ar an oideachas Gaeltachta, fadó, fadó, agus is fadó a bhí.

Ach, ar ndóigh, níorbh é an taithí i scoileanna Gaeltachta le roinnt mhaith blianta. Bhí áthas orm a léamh an tseachtain seo caite go mbeidh an tumoideachas ar ais anois arís agus a beannacht tugtha ag an Aire Oideachais, Jan O’Sullivan don luath-thumoideachas suas go dtí na naíonáin mhóra.

Fuair mé mo chuid scolaíochta féin i scoileanna Gaeltachta agus ní chuimhním gur labhair aon duine de na múinteoirí riamh i mBéarla linn, fiú agus gan mórán Gaeilge a agam féin nuair a thosaigh mé amach sa scoil mar go raibh toisc go raibh mo mhuintir díreach tar éis sinn ar fad a thabhairt abhaile as Meiriceá, áit a raibh roinnt blianta caite acu féin ar imirce. Ach ní raibh mé i bhfad ag foghlaim.

Níor mé an t-aon duine sa scoil a chaith tús a saoil i dtír eile. Bhí roinnt teaghlach eile cosúil linne, daoine a chuaigh ar imirce go Sasana nó Meiriceá agus a tháinig ar ais go dtí a n-áit dúchais lena gclann a thógáil. Taithí saoil coitianta go maith atá ann sa Ghaeltacht ar aon chaoi, agus is dócha go bhfuil sé fíor ar fud na tíre. Is dócha go bhfuil roinnt mhaith gasúr ag teacht isteach sa nGaeltacht i gcónaí gan aon Ghaeilge nó ar bheagán Gaeilge mar gheall ar an imirce. Ach ní hionann agus daoine fásta, ní bhíonn páistí i bhfad ag foghlaim.

Is é an t-aon bhealach go loicfí ar pháistí a fhaigheann scolaíocht sa nGaeltacht ná mura gcuirfí oideachas trí Ghaeilge ar fáil dóibh. Ní bhíonn gasúir i bhfad nó go mbeidh siad líofa sa nGaeilge nuair a bhíonn chuile shórt sa scoil trí Ghaeilge agus an pobal á labhairt freisin.

Chuaigh mé chuig meánscoil Gaeltachta lán-Ghaeilge chomh maith. Níor rith sé riamh linn go mba cheart ábhair a mhúineadh dúinn trí Bhéarla. Múineadh chuile shórt trí Ghaeilge, an Béarla san áireamh.

Ní raibh aon locht ar an modh oideachais sin, sílim, agus bhí Béarla ag chuile dhuine chomh maith céanna. Mar a dúirt tuismitheoir amháin liom le deireanas, ‘d’fhéadfá iad a thógáil i bpluais agus d’fhoghlaimeoidís Béarla’.’

Aontaím léi; níl aon chall imní ag aon tuismitheoir sa tír seo go mbeidh aon pháiste a fhaigheann oideachas trí Ghaeilge taobh thiar ó thaobh an Bhéarla de. Ná taobh thiar ó thaobh rud ar bith eile ach an oiread.

www.tuairisc.ie

Foláireamh tugtha maidir le fógra na Roinne Oideachais faoi bhunú Ghaelcholáiste Mhaigh Nuad

Samhain 19, 2015

Tá foláireamh tugtha dóibh siúd atá ar son bunú Gaelcholáiste i Maigh Nuad gan na maidí a ligean le sruth.

Tá an Foras Pátrúnachta agus lucht an choiste atá ag plé le bunú an Ghaelcholáiste buartha faoi ghnéithe éagsúla d’fhógra na Roinne Oideachais inné go mbunófar Gaelcholáiste Mhaigh Nuad i 2019.

D’fháiltigh an Foras Pátrúnachta agus lucht an choiste atá ag plé le bunú an Ghaelcholáiste roimh fhógra na Roinne Oideachais inné go raibh sé le bunú i 2019, ach dúradh nár cheart “eirí as an mbrú” nó talamh slán a dhéanamh de go mbunófar an Gaelcholáiste.

D’iarr an Foras Pátrúnachta, a bheadh mar chomhphatrún ar an ngaelcholáiste nua, ar an Aire Oideachais Gaelcholáiste Mhaigh Nuad a oscailt i 2016 seachas i 2019 chun nach bhfágfaí ar an dtrá fholamh na daltaí atá sna hardranganna faoi láthair i gColáiste Pobail Mhaigh Nuad, mar a bhfuil Aonad Gaeilge.

“Táimid ag iarraidh ar an Aire an chéad chéim eile a ghlacadh agus an dáta a thabhairt ar aghaidh go Meán Fómhair 2016. Bheadh an Gaelcholáiste in ann oscailt sa suíomh ina bhfuil an tAonad faoi láthair go dtí go mbeidh comhaontú ann ar chóiríocht bhuan.

“Má dhéantar é sin, bheadh na daltaí reatha sna hardranganna in ann freastal ar an nGaelcholáiste agus beidh a siblíní in ann freastal air amach anseo,” a dúirt Caoimhín Ó hEaghra, Ard-Rúnaí An Foras Pátrúnachta.

Mheabhraigh Aileen Keogan ón gCoiste Bunaithe dóibh siúd atá ag feachtasaíocht ar son an Ghaelcholáiste go bhfuil geallúint na Roinne ag brath ar líon na ndaoine a chláróidh leis an Aonad Gaeilge i gColáiste Pobail Mhaigh Nuad as seo go ceann trí bliana.

“Cuirimid fáilte ó chroí roimh cheadú Gaelcholáiste i gCill Dara Thuaidh. Ní féidir linn éirí as an mbrú a chur ar pholaiteoirí, áfach,” a dúirt Aileen Keogan.

Tá daoine i gCill Dara Thuaidh ag éileamh go mbunófaí Gaelcholáiste sa cheantar le tríocha bliain anuas.
Scéal ó www.tuairisc.ie

Huge rise in Mid Ulster Irish school enrolments

Samhain 19, 2015

The rise of Mid Ulster’s gaelscoils is dramatically changing the face of local education, according to the latest figures from the Department of Education.

Enrolments at some of the Irish language medium schools in the local district has increased five-fold in the past three years, the highest rate in Northern Ireland.

The number of pupils attending Cookstown’s Gaelscoil Eoghain has jumped from 13 in 2013, to 67 this year, while pupil numbers have doubled at Gaelscoil Aodha Rua in Dungannon, from 31 in 2013 to 67 this year.

St Joseph’s Grammar, Donaghmore added an Irish Medium Stream in 2010, which has also proved popular with local parents.

Coalisland’s Gaelscoil Uí Neill has the largest enrolment of the Irish medium schools in Mid Ulster, and the third highest in the North, with 189 pupils in total.

According to the figures, there are currently 467 pupils in the district’s Irish primary schools, with 256 in Coalisland and Dungannon’s schools, 67 in Cookstown’s and 144 in Magherfelt’s.

The number of Northern Irish pupils being taught through Irish has almost doubled in the last 10 years to just under 5,000 – 830 are in secondary education.

72% of all Irish-medium primary schools are independent, outside of the controlled or Catholic-maintained sector and have pupils from Catholic, Protestant and other backgrounds.
International research shows that bilingual pupils have a greater tolerance of other cultures, something which is most relevant to the principles of shared education.

Research commissioned by the Department of Education for Northern Ireland (Deni) has indicated that Irish-medium children were more open to cultural diversity.

Proponents of Irish-medium education says it offers a system which improves children’s skills in English and Irish, making them more tolerant while also providing the skills to learn further languages with greater ease.

However, in spite of the hike in enrolments many of the schools still have empty desks to fill, with a total of £1.5million spent last year on Mid Ulster’s Irish medium schools. Of the five Irish speaking schools in the local area, only one is above the minimum enrolment number.

www.tyronetimes.co.uk

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