Gaelscoil na Mí
August 31, 2011
Immersion education commences in the Donegal Gaeltacht
August 31, 2011
Three Gaeltacht primary schools in the Donegal Gaeltacht have just commenced the introduction of immersion education in junior enfants this year; Scoil Rann na Feirste, Scoil Dhoire Chonaire and Scoil Chaiseal na gCorr. Basciallly under this system, the schools will delay the start of English language teaching until the senior enfants. We congratulate the parents, Boards of Managements and teaching staff of these schools for taking this very positive step for the Irish language.
It is very clear from international and national research on immersion education that not only does this system improve the acquisition of the minority language, in this case Irish, but also that it improves standards in both languages in senior classes. Therefore, this system is to the benefit of all pupils and is recognised as international best practice for minority language medium schools such as Gaelscoileanna and Gaeltacht schools.
We thank Eagraíocht na Scoileanna Gaeltachta(Organisation of Gaeltacht Schools) and an Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta(the statutory advisory body for Gaeltacht schools and Gaelscoileanna) for organising a seminar on this topic for the teaching staff of Gaeltacht schools in Gaoth Dobhair earlier this Spring. They also organised an information session for the Boards of Management and a training course for teachers in Irish language phonetics. There are seven other primary schools in the Gaeltacht category A area in Donegal. Some of these schools have yet to make a decision on immersion education but we hope that they will make the same decision as these three schools.
It is of critical importance to us as one of the strongest Gaeltacht communities in Ireland that we are prepared to take positive steps to demonstrate our committment to the conservation and development of the Irish language. We have to acknowledge that there is a crisis in even the strongest Gaeltacht areas in terms of the lack of usage by young people of the Irish language in their normal everyday social interactions. The introduction of immersion education in Gaeltacht schools in not the answer to all of these problems but it is definitely a step in the right direction and is to be welcomed.
Ní neart go cur le chéile
Éamonn Mac Niallais
Urlabhraí
Guth na Gaeltachta
Guth na Gaeltachta is a non-political, cross-party campaign concerned with the Irish language and the Gaeltacht. This community campaign was founded in the Gaeltacht in August 2009. This campaign will focus wholly and completely on Irish language and Gaeltacht issues only.
Gaelscoil Aodha Rua
August 30, 2011
Gaelscoil moves from prefabs to dreamland
August 30, 2011
STUDENTS who were previously educated in prefabs on the grounds of a rugby club yesterday moved to a state-of-the-art school at a former hotel in Dunkettle, Co Cork.
Gaelscoil Uí Drisceoil was set up in 2006 with a roll-book of 17 children and was based in Old Christians Rugby Club premises in Rathcooney. Numbers at the primary school subsequently rose to 240 pupils, who were taught in four prefabs and three internal classrooms at the rugby club. Principal Siobhán Ní Chatháin noted that the Ibis Hotel in Dunkettle had closed down and approached the developer with a view to refurbishing the premises to suit the needs of her pupils. Developer Seamus Geaney had intended to refurbish the Ibis and reopen it as a hotel, but decided it would not be feasible due to the economic climate. The school’s board of management approached the Department of Education, which agreed to lease the hotel from Mr Geaney for 10 years. Ms Ní Chatháin said the developer has invested about EUR1 million of his own money in refurbishing the premises.
“We are over the moon. We are very grateful to Seamus Geaney as he has bent over backwards for us. Parents are coming in this morning and they are just gobsmacked at the place. “This is a dream school for any principal – particularly coming from prefabs. We didn’t have an enclosed yard in our old school. There is no such thing as a nice prefab. They are too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer.” The building stands on a 4.5-acre site and has ample external and internal facilities to accommodate the needs of a developing school. It is fitted out with 16 92sq ft (about 8.5sq m) classrooms, four resource rooms, two music rooms, a drama room, a computer room, a large open-plan library area, a purpose-built cookery room and an open-plan assembly/PE hall with attached sports changing room. The school also has a tennis court and a GAA pitch. Close to the junior yard, eight enclosed raised beds have been laid down for the children to learn about gardening, while in the senior play area a basketball court and two tennis courts are provided. The school also has an elevator for disability access and a CCTV system. In recent months the school council raised over EUR30,000 to purchase equipment such as laptops and LCD screens.
Ms Ní Chatháin said the state would do well to take note of the transformation of an unused facility into a state-of-the-art school and rid itself of portable buildings or unsuitable learning buildings for children. “I would encourage the department to come down and take a look at this building,” said Ms Ní Chatháin. “It makes sense that they would buy it eventually. We are so happy. Only for this it would have been prefab after prefab while we waited for planning permission for a new premises. Every school should have its own building. “This is like a dream. “We won’t be coming in to school on a Monday with muck at the entrance because there was a rugby match at the weekend.”
Irish Examiner – Olivia Kelleher
Lascaine speisialta do scoileanna ag Cló Iar-Chonnacht don scoilbhliain nua!
August 26, 2011
Irish careers roadshow to visit North-West
August 24, 2011
The north-west is the destination of choice for the first round of the next series of the Irish language careers events seminars, ‘Buntáiste Breise na Gaeilge’ which focus on career and educational opporuntities in the Irish language sector.
The careers seminar which is aimed at senior students at second level will take place in Carrick-on-Shannon on October 11th and will visit Carickmacross on October 12th.
Up until now Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge have organised many of these seminar all over the country. To date, An Chomhdháil has held these seminars in Killarney, Dublin, Galway, Cork, Castlebar, Belfast, Letterkenny, and Tullamore.
‘The Added Advantage of Irish’ is the theme of the seminar, and guest speakers and well-known personalities will speak on the advantages which the Irish language has afforded them in their chosen careers.
As part of the seminars, questions from the students are welcomed, which give rise to lively debate about such subjects as the future of the language, Gaeltacht status, Irish as a compulsory subject, Irish at third level, and the Government’s support for the language.
Representatives from third level institutions attend with exhibition stands to inform students of the various Irish language courses available to them after they leave school.
These seminars which have been organised since 2009 have proven to be a great success with over 86 secondary school schools and up to 2,680 students all over the Ireland attending.
Further information http://www.gaelport.com/bbnag.
©Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com 23 Lúnasa 2011
Demand for Irish Courses at University level remains consistent
August 24, 2011
Demand for Irish language courses at universities across the country remains consistent, despite the economic slowdown.
There was little of no change in the number of points required for many courses listed in the first round of CAO offers announced yesterday which have Irish as a joint subject or where Irish is the primary language of instruction.
However some Irish language broadcasting courses and journalism courses did see a significant increase from last year.
Journalism and Media
Points for the Journalism and Irish course in Dublin City University jumped to 465 points this year, up 15 points on last year. Simimlarly in NUI Galway, there was an increase in the number of pointe required for the Arts (communications) Degree. Demand for the Irish language and Media degree in the University of Limerick also jumped by thirty points from last year’s figure of 370.
Education
There was s slight fall in points for education courses at the training colleges however St Patrick’s College Drumcondra bucked that trend where there was a slight increase in the number of points required by Gaeltacht applicants (440 points).
Arts
Similarly Arts courses noticed a slight decrease this year overall with courses such as Arts in University College Cork falling by five points to 345 with a similar decrease in UCD (440 points).
However there was an increase in the number of points required for NUI Galway’s Degree in Arts (Translation Studies) which jumped to 405 points.
Business and Commerce
There was a slight dip here also. The number of points required for entry to UCC for the Commerce and Irish degree fell from 450 points to 440 points. Applicants needed 330 points for DCU’s Irish and business course, a drop of 10 points from last year. 410 points would have seen applicants to WIT’s Irish language and business programme receive an offer in the first round.
Law
There was a slight dip in courses such as Law and Irish in University College Cork which this year required applicants to have 500 points to ensure a first round offer.
Other courses
However for those who may have been disappointed by offers made to them in yesterday’s first round, there are still other options open to them. DIT is offering direct entry on a new BA Course in Irish in the workplace. Further information available from the school of languages www.dit.ie/schooloflanguages.
©Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com 23 Lúnasa 2011
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