Coláiste Feirste – Múinteoir le Béarla á lorg
March 29, 2012
Benefits of Bilingualism
March 28, 2012
Short video from the University of Illinois, Chicago on the benefits of bilingualism: http://bilingualismresearch.com/2012/02/20/benefits-of-bilingualism/
Multilingualism – also for children with an auditive or communicative disability
March 28, 2012
Until now most logopedists and therapists believe that children with an auditive or communicative disability such as, deafness, down-syndrome or autism should be brought up in one language. Drs. Mirjam Blumenthal, researcher at the Royal Kentalis, proves the opposite with her presentation!
As an example she showed a video of a seven year old who is deaf due to Meningitis since his first year but who speaks three languages with ease. Even though the boy is an exceptional case it illustrates Mirjam Blumenthal’s theory.
Blumenthal is one of the 40 specialists participating in the Poliglotti4.eu expert seminar. The seminar was being organised by the Mercator Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning, part of the Fryske Akademy on 9 and 10 February in Leeuwarden/Ljouwert within the frame of the European Poliglotti4.eu project. Experts from all over Europe came together in the capital of the bilingual province Fryslân to discuss themes on Early Language Learning. One of the main outcomes is the fact that the earlier one starts with more languages, the better it is, and that yields for everyone.
More information on the seminar can be found on www.mercator-research.eu or www.poliglotti4.eu
Poliglotti4.eu is a project promoting multilingualism in Europe – the result of the deliberations of the EU Civil Society Platform on Multilingualism. The project will result in the creation of an On-line Observatory, reporting on best practice in language policy and language learning. The observatory will provide policymakers, teachers, learners and civil society organisations with a powerful toolkit for benchmarking and enhancing their activities, in non-formal and informal education and learning sectors. The project is co-funded through the European Commission’s Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP).
Léacht maidir le Pátrúnacht agus Iontaíobhaíocht sa chóras oideachais ar RnaG
March 28, 2012
Múinteoir Eolaíochta de dhíth i Loch Garman
March 28, 2012
Gaelscoil Chaladh an Treoigh – Seachtain na Gaeilge
March 27, 2012
Aighneacht ar Shamhail Mhaoinithe Fhorais na Gaeilge
March 27, 2012
Bainisteoir Nua Tionscadail Trasphobail Ceaptha ag Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta
March 27, 2012
Scléip 2012 Winners
March 26, 2012
Congratulations to everyone who took part in the final of the Scléip 2011 competition, we had a great day on March 24th in the Axis theatre in Ballymun. 15 schools took part in the final, and the day was a huge success. We had three judges for the show, Sinéad ní Uallacháin, Tomaí Ó Conghaile agus Jen ní Mhathúna, and they had a hard job choosing winners as the standard was so high on stage on the day. They praised all of the competitors for the progress they’d made since the regional heats, all of their practice paid off! After much discussion, they announced the results to the audience. We’d like to thank them for all their hard work, and to thank the teachers, parents and enthusiastic audience too, who gave the participants such encouragement. We wish the participants themselves all the best for the future; you’ve certianly got talent and we look forward to seeing you onstage again, whether it’s at Scléip 2013 or in the o2, who knows!
The winners in each category were:
Contemporary Music (groups):
Cór Cois Life, Coláiste Cois Life, Baile Átha Cliath (junior)
Na Comrádaithe, Gaelcholáiste Mhuire AG, Corcaigh (senior)
Contemporary Music (solo):
Sinéad Toomey, Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh (junior)
Kym Gartry, Coláiste de hÍde (senior)
Creative Dance (solo):
Saoirse ní Dhubhshláine, Coláiste de hÍde (junior)
Dearbhail Ní Mhurchú, Meánscoil Gharman (senior)
Creative Dance (groups):
Áine Pollock agus Sinéad Ní Buachalla, Coláiste de hÍde (junior)
Na Jaffa Cakes, Gaelcholáiste Cheatharlach (senior)
Drama/mime (solo/groups):
Cé sa diabhail í Alice? Gaelcholáiste Chill Dara (junior)
Naomh Smirnoff, Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair (senior)
Variety (solo/groups):
Clíona Ní Ghallchoir, Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair (junior)
Grúpa Ceoil an Daingean, Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne (senior)
Judges’ Choice:
Scléipeoirí, Coláiste Chilliain
Grand Prix 2012:
Sinéad Toomey, Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh
Photos from the event can be seen in our gallery. If you have photos or recordings of the event, you’d be very welcome to send them to us: cspainneach@gaelscoileanna.ie.
Rural primary schools hit as 73 posts to go
March 26, 2012
UP TO 73 small primary schools will lose a teacher in September because of changes in teacher allocations.
The full list of schools threatened with the loss of a teacher is revealed by the Irish Independent today.
They will only avoid the loss if their pupil numbers have risen since the last count in September — a major challenge for many because of their location.
With the exception of one in Clondalkin, Dublin, all the schools are in rural areas, mainly in the west. Last year’s Budget change to teacher allocation has sparked a major protest campaign amid fears that ultimately schools will close — to the detriment of local communities.
The Department of Education has told the 73 schools that, based on the last official pupil count, they will lose a teacher next September.
In recent weeks, schools were advised of their September 2012 allocations based on their September 2011 figures.
But there is an appeals process and — in a bid to soften the blow — Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has said that if schools succeed in enrolling higher numbers than in September 2011 the new figure will be included in the calculations.
This has pushed schools into a major competitive drive for new enrolments.
The cuts will continue for three years, starting in September, and will put the schools under ongoing pressure to keep increasing numbers.
Under the department’s plan, a school which this year got a third teacher for 49 pupils or above will need 51 pupils in September to secure the third teacher and 56 in three years’ time.
It also means a school which this year has a fourth teacher for 81 pupils will need 83 next year and 86 in two years’ time to retain that number of staff.
The aim is to cut 250 teaching posts in all. However, the staff will be redeployed to fill vacancies elsewhere.
The cuts have sparked a huge outcry in rural Ireland.
Over the weekend, parents, teachers and community activists held a rally in Loughrea, Co Galway and handed a petition in to Junior Education Minister Ciaran Cannon.
Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) president Noreen Flynn told the protest that what was needed was a coherent, long-term and resourced strategy for sustainable schools into the future.
“Instead, what we have are budget proposals aimed at forcibly amalgamating some small schools by cutting teachers”, she said.
Ms Flynn said the department should wait for the outcomes of a value-for-money report it was undertaking.
There was a need to review the benefits of small schools in rural communities.
INTO says alternatives to school closure and amalgamations should be considered, such as examining the possibility of repopulating existing schools rather than constantly expanding larger schools in urban areas, often with unsuitable temporary accommodation.
Minority
The union said schools of minority denominations, island schools and Irish medium schools must be treated with particular sensitivity.
Separately, 16 disadvantaged rural primary schools are losing a teacher arising from the Budget decision to withdraw what are known as “legacy” posts. These were awarded under a programme which predated the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) programme in 2005.
IRISH INDEPENDENT
