Reaction to Budget 2012
December 9, 2011
A chara, – The national average for the number of children learning in primary classrooms of more than 30 pupils currently stands at one in five. The average figure for Co Meath is one in four. This country now has the second highest class sizes in Europe.
The Budget has inflicted more hardship on the primary education system with the regressive introduction of an increased pupil-teacher ratio for every school with less than 100 students. This will result in the closing down of many rural schools and the subsequent loss of up to 100 teaching posts.
The shutting down of small country schools and Garda stations for economic expedience is a short-sighted act. There are many cultural, social and economic reasons to support these local services. Remote Gaeltacht communities in particular, will be worst affected by this measure. This is yet another slight upon ár dteanga dúchais agus chultúir. With hundreds of jobs in education already lost due to the economic crisis and with a projected figure of more than 25,000 new pupils expected to enrol in primary schools during the next three years, the outlook appears bleak.
Ireland will continue to be harmed economically and socially unless education is dramatically improved for all children in every corner of this island, in both rural and urban communities. Further meddling in the pupil-teacher ratio will cause more harm than good. – Is mise,
COLIN QUIGLEY,
Chairman,
INTO Athboy/Trim,
Steeple Manor,
Trim, Co
Meath.
The Irish Times – Litir chuig an Eagarthóir
Abolition of the MLPSI announced in budget
December 8, 2011
The budget announcements included a proposal to abolish the Modern Languages in Primary Schools Initiative with immediate effect. As you can appreciate, we are absolutely devastated by this announcement which comes at the end of a year when we have been congratulated at every review meeting with the Department of Education and Skills in terms of how we have continued to maintain and deliver excellent services while achieving SIGNIFICANT efficiencies.
The MLPSI supports modern languages in over 550 schools nationally with a core team of just 6 people. We provide training, resources and school-based support as well as funding 300 visiting teachers who deliver the programme in schools nationwide, all within a budget of under €2 million, and not the €2.5 million erroneously quoted in the budget documents.
In terms of policy, we are already years behind our commitments under the Barcelona Agreement and the Lisbon Strategy – these agreements called for systems to be in place to facilitate early language learning of at least two foreign languages by 2010 . Even more incredibly, all EU countries, including Ireland, ratified recommendations in NOVEMBER 2011 in which we have pledged to “step up their efforts” to implement the Barcelona Agreement (available to read here).
As recently as October the Royal Irish Academy published their National Languages Strategy which called for “the Modern Languages in Primary Schools Initiative (to) be integrated into the mainstream curriculum, as strongly recommended by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (2005) and the Council of Europe Policy Profile (2008) document, rather than being limited to extra-curricular time and to a portion of schools”. A Dept. of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation report also quoted in the RIA strategy and states that “the widespread but erroneous perception that ‘English is enough’ militates against the kind of plurilingual ambitions and achievements common in non-anglophone EU member states. The most recent strategy and action plan issued by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation argues that ‘the main challenge for Ireland…is to become a truly multilingual society, where the ability to learn and use two or more languages is taken for granted and fostered at every stage of the education system and through lifelong education”.
In such difficult economic times, how can this decision be justified? Over 14 years of expertise will be lost to the system and a whole generation of our children will be placed at an even greater disadvantage as they try to compete for jobs with our fellow Europeans. This decision will result in the only children accessing modern language classes being the privileged classes who can afford to pay for them – a return to the situation of 20 years ago. It will also result in over 300 more teachers on the live register.
We hope that you can highlight this issue in your organisation and would urge you, your staff and your parents to contact your local TD, the Minister’s office and the media to make the case for retaining the project.
– statement from the MLPSI
Ó dhearbhnialas go tríocha: Tionchar dearfach na Gaelscoile ar an tSrath Bán
December 8, 2011
Tá an-rath ar an ghaelscolaíocht ach an raibh mórán de thionchar aige sin ar líon na dteaghlach Gaeilge sa tír?
December 8, 2011
GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. 2011 Conference – Workshop notes online
December 7, 2011
GAELSCOILEANNA TEO.’s Annual General Meeting and Education Conference 2011 took place in Tullamore on the 25th and 26th November 2011. The Conference gave teachers, principals, parents, Irish language organisations and local interest groups the opportunity to come together to discuss some of the major issues facing the Irish-medium sector and to celebrate its success, and you can see photos from the conference in our gallery.
We’re publishing material from the conference workshops here, not all of the workshops are covered at present but we hope to add to the content, so be sure to check back for further updates.
We greatly welcome feedback from attendees of the 2011 Conference. The feedback forms distributed at the event may be posted back to us (GAELSCOILEANNA TEO., St. Patrick’s Hall, Marino Institiute of Education, Griffith Avenue, Dublin 9) or the same form may be filled out online (the feedback form is in Irish only, but you are welcome to email comments to oifig@gaelscoileanna.ie). Planning is already underway for our 2012 Conference, so be sure to take this opportunity to have your say!
Scléip 2012- get in on the act!
December 7, 2011
Scléip is the national talent competition catering specifically for Irish-medium and Gaeltacht post-primary schools. The competition began in 2005 and it has grown steadily since then. The aim of the competition is to encourage pupils attending Irish medium secondary schools to use their Irish through the various performing arts by giving them the opportunity to take part in a innovative and exciting event.
This year, we’ll be putting a a greater emphasis than ever on the students’ creativity and original compositions. The 2012 competition will highlight modern arts – we want to challenge students and encourage them to perform new music, songs, dance and drama before an audience and professional judges, in theatres right across the country.
The competition will be divided into six different categories, with a junior and senior prize awarded in each division and the Scléip Award for the best act overall. Everyone will have the opportunity to compete in regional heats in each province and the best talent from those heats will be selected to compete in the competition final. Regional competitions will be held in January and February and the competition final will be held in March. The closing date for entries this year is December 16, 2011.
The dates and venues for Scléip 2012 are as follows:
Leinster
Axis Theatre, Dublin, 20 February
Munster
Firkin Crane Theatre, Cork, 22 February
Ulster
Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin, Derry, 29 February
Connacht
Town Hall Theatre, Galway, 2 March
You can read the contest rules (in Irish only) here, and fill out an entry form (also in Irish) here.
You can download the 2012 brochure (in Irish) here: Bróisiúr Scléip 2012
New diploma course in Irish for art teachers
December 7, 2011
Each area of expertise tends to have its very own “language”. There’s enough jargon in business and finance, for example, to make your head spin! But if you’re a teacher, you’ll understand the importance of using the correct terminology to describe things. You’ll also appreciate how vital it is to appear fully confident and in control in front of your class.
With this in mind, a new course is being offered by the National College of Art and Design which is aimed at secondary school art teachers working in Irish-medium and Gaeltacht schools, as well as primary school teachers who are interested in teaching art through Irish. The diploma course, which is being run in conjunction with Gaelchultúr, is a one-year part-time programme running over two semesters and will commence in January 2012.
“The course aims to give participants the language skills that will enable them to teach art effectively through Irish,” says Éamonn Ó Dónaill, Gaelchultúr’s Director of Education, “and participate with confidence in school activities conducted through the language.”
The joint venture is receiving funding from a third party: An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG). COGG’s Chief Executive, Muireann Ní Mhóráin, is anticipating a high level of demand for this course and for similar programmes in the years ahead.
“This course came about, to a large extent, as a result of feedback we were receiving from post-primary school principals working in Irish-medium and Gaeltacht schools. They were telling us about their difficulties in finding fluent Irish speakers qualified to teach accountancy or art or biology or whatever subject,” says Ní Mhóráin.
“It’s a different story for those involved in teaching the humanities or the more ‘traditional’ subjects – subjects such as history, geography, French or maths, for instance. Very often, a teacher of those subjects will have completed a BA with Irish as their second subject. But with the more practical subjects, we often find that teachers have never had an opportunity to learn the proper terminology to deliver their classes through the medium of Irish.”
Ní Mhóráin says that the framework of the new diploma course will be built upon and adapted to suit other subjects in the coming years. “We’re hoping to develop courses in the future in which participants will learn how to teach other practical subjects through the medium of Irish – metalwork, for example, woodwork and PE. These courses will be developed in conjunction with various third-level institutions.”
COGG has been organising summer courses for four years, catering for teachers of practical subjects who wish to improve their Irish. This new year-long course, however, differs from those short courses in that it is being run by a third-level institution and participants will be awarded a recognised qualification upon completing it.
Classroom tuition and e-learning will be combined in the course, giving participants the opportunity to undertake course work at home at times that suit them, without the pressure of having to attend weekly classes. Classes will take place in NCAD in Dublin on four Saturdays in Semester 1 and on four Saturdays in Semester 2. Learning materials and interactive lessons will be provided on the e-learning website ranganna.com (only a basic knowledge of computers is required to use this site).
Entry requirements
Applicants should have a recognised qualification in the teaching of art at post-primary level or a recognised primary teaching qualification. Applications will also be accepted from students currently undertaking the BA (Hons) in Art and Design Education course or Professional Diploma in Education. Applicants will be required to have a basic competence in Irish.
Course fee
The course fee of €1,500 can be paid in two instalments.
Application form / Information
Those wishing to apply for a place on the Diploma in Teaching through Irish (Art) should complete the course application form. The form is part of the course brochure, which can be downloaded from gaelchultur.com. Applicants will be asked to attend an interview as part of the application process.
For further information regarding the Diploma in Teaching through Irish (Art), please contact (01) 484 5220, write to eolas@gaelchultur.com or visit gaelchultur.com.
The deadline for applications is Friday, 16 December 2011.
Oíche Íosagáin
December 7, 2011
Red Riding Hood in the Taibhdhearc
December 5, 2011
Black Box 13th-18th December 7i.n. €10 entry
(Matinée Saturday/Sunday @ 3.00)
Sadie tries to organise a village Arts festival but there is something going on in the woods. Tomás cries wolf and Red Riding hood and her granny could be in danger. When Fiach Ó Gránna the Co. Councillor gets involved all is not what is seems. Things take a turn for the supernatural as poor Sadie struggles to compete with the Galway Arts festival. Taibhdhearc Na Gaillimhe’s Christmas panto promises to be a fantastic show for Mam and Dad as well as the little ones. The show is full of characters and mayhem. Great for the Gaeilgeoir and learner alike.
Séamus Hughes has brought together a stellar cast of theatre and TV stars. The show is certainly in very safe hands with Peadar Cox and Ros na Rún Stars Seán Mistéal, Linda Breathnach, along with Eoin Mac Diarmada and compantas na Taibhdheirce Gearóidín Mhic Thómais, Uinseann Mac Thómais and John Forde with special guests Bridie Ní Churraoin agus Gearóidín Nic Aodha.
A show not to be missed!
Sainriachtanais an pháiste dhátheangaigh
December 5, 2011
