BunGhaeilge available as smart phone app
May 14, 2013
Forbairt Naíonraí Teoranta will launch their new app ‘BunGhaeilge’ this Wednesday, 15 May 2013.
This app has taken a year to develop and FNT, an organisation which supports education through Irish, aims to provide families who wish to speak ‘cúpla focal’ on a daily with a reliable and easy to use learning resource.
The phrases are divided into different categories including ‘Ar maidin’ (In the morning), ‘Sa Siopa’ (In the Shop), ‘Sa ghairdín’ (In the garden), as is laid out in the phrase book on which the app is based, ‘BunGhaeilge do Thuismitheoirí agus Feighlithe Leanaí’.
The app enables learners to listen to the pronunciation of the phrases and then to repeat them aloud, an aspect which would be suitable for all learners of the Irish language, not just families. Phonetically, the first version of the app will be published in the ‘caighdeán’ but a later version will be available in other Gaeltacht dialects.
The app stands as a significant development in the use of technology to promote the Irish language and it is hoped that the app will help families all over the world to pass on the language to the next generation.
BunGhaeilge will be available to download for free, from 15 May on Android and from the start of next month on iPhones.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
New post-primary schools to be established in 2015-2016
May 14, 2013
The Department of Education and Skills recently announced that 8 new post-primary schools are to be established in 2015-2016. These schools will be English-medium schools, according to the letter received by GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. from the Department, and the correspondence also states that “Irish-medium provision was decided and catered for in the first group of schools announced” (the schools due to open in 2013 and 2014; including 3 Irish-medium schools). GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. is seeking immediate clarification of this statement as it directly contradicts the democratic process, the basis for the Department’s new approach to founding schools based on parental demand.
The Department of Education will ask prospective patrons of the new schools (in the areas listed below) to declare that they are willing to establish an Aonad (Irish-medium unit) if there is a demand for one, and GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. has asked that the Department clarify what processes are in place to measure this demand, what requirements there are of patrons to actively offer Irish-medium provision and what supports the Department will provide to patrons who wish to establish an Aonad. Patrons have until June 28th to submit applications for the patronage of these new post-primary schools. GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. will continue to negotiate with the Department and with patrons to insure that the right to and demand for Irish-medium education is provided for in the process to establish new schools.
The Department’s press release is available to read here: http://education.ie/en/Press-Events/Press-Releases/2013-Press-Releases/PR13-05-10B.html
| County | Area Indicative | Start Year Projected | Long-term School Size (Pupils) |
| Cavan | Kingscourt | 2016 | 400 |
| Cork | Carrigaline | 2016 | 500 |
| Cork | Midleton/Carrigtohill | 2016 | 1,000 |
| Dublin | Balbriggan | 2016 | 700 |
| Dublin | Ballinteer | 2016 | 1,000 |
| Dublin | Kingswood, Tallaght | 2016 | 1,000 |
| Kildare | Celbridge | 2015 | 1,000 |
| Wicklow | North Wicklow | 2016 | 1,000 |
An Brat Buí i nGaelscoil an Bhradáin Feasa
May 13, 2013
Leagan Gaeilge de láithreán gréasán Ionadaíocht an Choimisiúin Eorpaigh in Éirinn le seoladh
May 13, 2013
Gníomhaíochtaí Gasta: leabhar nua do mhúinteoirí bunscoile ó Ghaelchultúr
May 13, 2013
Oifigeach Cléireachais Gaeilge – Coláiste Mhuire gan Smál, Ollscoil Luimnigh
May 13, 2013
Half of Scots back right to send child to Gaelic school
May 13, 2013
ALMOST half of Scots believe parents should have the right to send their children to a Gaelic school, research shows.
Analysis of results from the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey found there was widespread support for youngsters being able to attend Gaelic-medium education, where classes are taught in Gaelic with English as a secondary language.
The survey found that 48 per cent of people thought parents should have the choice of Gaelic education across Scotland. This rose to 91 per cent when respondents were asked if parents in Gaelic-speaking areas should have the right.
But access to Gaelic-medium education is currently low, with figures showing just 2,418 children – about 0.6 per cent of Scottish primary school pupils – are being taught in such schools.
The survey also found that more than a third (37 per cent) of people thought that all pupils aged five to 16 should have to study Gaelic for one to two hours a week regardless of what type of school they were in, while 36 per cent disagreed and 26 per cent neither agreed nor disagreed.
The analysis was carried out by Soillsei, an inter-university Gaelic language research project, based on the results of last year’s Scottish Social Attitudes Survey with a sample of 1,229 people.
Despite the millions spent on trying to save Gaelic – and various Scottish Government initiatives from bilingual signs to education – many respondents expressed doubt about the future of the language, which is spoken by fewer than 60,000 Scots.
More than half – 53 per cent – thought that in 50 years the language would be spoken by fewer people than now, with only 14 per cent believing that it would be spoken by more.
Just under a third (32 per cent) of Scots believed that the use of Gaelic should be encouraged throughout Scotland, but 87 per cent believed that it should be encouraged in Gaelic-speaking areas. Only 11 per cent did not want Gaelic to be encouraged at all.
When asked whether learning Gaelic was pointless in the 21st century, 44 per cent disagreed and only 22 per cent agreed.
Despite rows over Gaelic road signs and other public signage – which have been fiercely opposed in places like Caithness – barely half (58 per cent) of respondents had seen any such signs.
But the research found there was a positive impact of public sector interventions to support Gaelic, with 70 per cent having heard the language in their homes on television or radio.
Soillsei project director Professor Lindsay Paterson, from Edinburgh University, said: “These results from the highly-respected Scottish Social Attitudes Survey show widespread support for Gaelic – probably much more extensively than is often supposed.”
John Angus MacKay, chief executive of Gaelic development agency Bòrd na Gàidhlig, added: “The results clearly indicate that a large majority of the Scottish population recognise that the Gaelic language and culture are an integral part of Scotland’s identity.”
www.scotsman.com
An tAos óg agus an Ghaeilge
May 13, 2013
Donncha Ó hÉallaithe moved from Dublin to Conamara 40 years ago. ‘It was Irish that lured me away from Dublin,’ he says in the current edition of beo.ie. But he continues: ‘But Irish has been greatly eroded since then …. Many young people are refusing to use Irish as their everyday language … They speak a strange mixture of English and Irish.’
And at the end of his article he asks: ‘What is the good of trying to save a language that has become so corrupted in the mouths of the last native speakers?’
It is obvious that the Irish of today’s speakers is not as rich as the Irish of the previous generation. But that can be said of any language. Ask a young English speaker what ‘replenishment’ means. Ask him what a wireless is. Everyday English vocabulary is now very limited. It is said that you can survive with 600 words in English. And I think you need only about one hundred words if you use the ‘f -’ word.
But why do young people give up Irish? Many don’t see it as a real language. We don’t even have a daily newspaper in Irish. You can get a job in the Civil Service, or a job as a teacher or as a guard with no Irish or with Irish that is not worth a damn.
Can Irish not be made realistic? Can the Dublin government not make bilingual labels and notices in shops compulsory, for instance? This is done in other countries. But on the other hand, we must remain hopeful.
Many children outside of the Gaeltacht are learning Irish. They use the language and they enjoy it. Education through Irish is going from strength to strength throughout the country except in the City of Culture and in Inis Eoghain, apparently. Numbers are low in the three Irish medium primary schools in Derry and the Gaelscoil in Buncrana is in danger. People around here should be asking themselves questions.
www.derryjournal.com
Minister Quinn invites applications for patronage of new post-primary schools in 2015 & 2016
May 13, 2013
The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn T.D., has today invited patron bodies to apply for the patronage of eight new post-primary schools due to be established from 2015 and 2016.
The eight new schools will be in the following areas:
| County | Area Indicative | Start Year Projected | Long-term School Size (Pupils) |
| Cavan | Kingscourt | 2016 | 400 |
| Cork | Carrigaline | 2016 | 500 |
| Cork | Midleton/Carrigtwohill | 2016 | 1,000 |
| Dublin | Balbriggan | 2016 | 700 |
| Dublin | Ballinteer | 2016 | 1,000 |
| Dublin | Kingswood, Tallaght | 2016 | 1,000 |
| Kildare | Celbridge | 2015 | 1,000 |
| Wicklow | North Wicklow | 2016 | 1,000 |
Today’s announcement is the continuation of a process which began in June 2011 when the Minister announced that 20 primary schools and 20 new post-primary schools were to be established up to 2017 across a number of locations to cater for increasing pupil numbers.
Inviting the applications from interested patron bodies today, Minister Quinn said, “Parental preference is the key issue in deciding who should be awarded patronage of these new post-primary schools.
“I believe strongly that parents should have choices in the education of their children and the process of awarding patronage for new schools is centred on this.
“I am confident that these new schools, alongside the existing schools in each area, will mean that parents and students have real choice when it comes to deciding which school most reflects their own ethos.”
The criteria for recognition of new schools were set out in 2011. Patrons are asked to provide evidence of parental demand when making an application for a new school. In addition, the criteria used in deciding on patronage include how the proposed schools under the respective patrons should provide for extending or strengthening diversity of provision in each area, having regard to the views of parents.
The New Schools Establishment Group, an independent advisory group, is then tasked with advising the Minister on the patronage of the new schools following its consideration of a report prepared by Department officials. These new schools are part of a €2 billion five-year capital investment programme, launched by Minister Quinn last year.
The deadline for receipt of applications for patronage of these new schools is close of business on Friday 28th June 2013.
The first tranche of the new post-primary schools had their patronage announced on 25th July, 2012 and the Department is now undertaking the patronage process for the remaining schools due to start between September 2015 – 2016. As Irish medium provision was decided and catered for in the first group of schools announced, the current batch of new schools will be English medium schools. They will also be fully vertical co-educational facilities catering for pupils from 1st year through to Leaving Certificate when fully developed and will have the option to establish an Aonad where there is sufficient parental demand for this.
New Arrangements for patronage of new Second level schools
The following key elements will apply to the establishment of a new second-level school:
- The demographics of the area must support the need for the establishment of a new school– a new school would not impact negatively on the enrolment of schools in the catchment, other than perhaps the establishment of an all-Irish school and the impact of this on an existing Aonad.
- If the demographics require the establishment of a school, then the process for the selection of the type of school should allow for different patrons/bodies to be considered as the patron of a new school.
- Most new schools must have the capacity to operate schools in the size range of 800 to 1,000 pupils. A lower threshold of 400 would apply for Gaelcholáistí having regard to the alternative of establishing an Aonad within a school.
The following requirements will have to be satisfied by prospective school patrons:
- Confirmation that the prospective patron is willing to accept and open special education facilities
- Confirmation that the prospective patron is willing to enter into the standard lease agreement with the Department of Education and Skills or that the prospective patron will provide their own school site.
- Confirmation of willingness to operate by the rules and regulations laid down in various Department of Education and Skills circulars and operating procedures
- Confirmation of willingness to operate the school within the resourcing and policy parameters established by the Department of Education and Skills
- Confirmation of willingness to share school buildings with other schools as may be determined by the Department should the school building not be in full use
- Confirmation of willingness to be part of a campus development with other primary or second-level schools as identified by the Department
- Confirmation of willingness to enrol children in the area for whom the Department has identified the need for a school
- Confirmation of willingness to follow the prescribed curriculum
- Confirmation that the prospective patron is willing to willing to expand/operate in the size range of 800 to 1,000 pupils
- Confirmation of willingness to establish an Aonad where there is a demand for it ( for a school where the primary medium of instruction is to be English)
An initial decision will be made by the Department before seeking applications on whether the school would operate through the medium of Irish or English and that applications would be sought from patrons when this decision is made.
Most new school provision will be co-educational in nature and patronage decisions will be made on that basis. There may be a small number of instances where single-gender provision will need to be made if there is an identified imbalance between the capacities of single-gender schools. Any such identification would be made in advance of seeking applications from patrons.
The main criterion for the decision on patronage in an area where there is already at least one second-level school will be the following:
- Whether the establishment of the proposed school model would result in greater diversity and plurality of second-level school patronage and provision in the area (having regard to neighbouring areas) where there is demand for such diversity and plurality. In this context individual patron bodies from the one faith group will be regarded as representing the same school patronage type for assessing plurality.
As part of the examination of this criterion regard would be had for:
- Whether there is a school of the same or similar patronage in the same catchment area (having regard to neighbouring areas) and whether there is additional demand for such patronage
- The extent to which the establishment of the school would result in greater diversity and plurality of patronage in the area (having regard to neighbouring areas) where there is demand for such plurality and diversity
- Effectiveness of mechanisms planned to ensure that the proposed school will expand to the size range of 800 to 1,000 pupils, including
- Planned possible measures if expansion is not happening as fast as planned
- Planned collaboration with existing second level schools in the catchment area.
- Where an area is to be served by a single new school, the key criteria will be the following:
- Whether the school can cater for the needs and requirements of all of the pupils in the area.
- Having regard to neighbouring areas, whether the establishment of the proposed school model would result in greater diversity and plurality of second-level school patronage and provision where there is demand for such diversity and plurality. In this context individual patron bodies from the one faith group will be regarded as representing the same school patronage type for assessing plurality.
As part of the examination of these criteria regard would be had for:
- The effectiveness of the manner in which the patron proposes to determine the requirements of all pupils / groups of pupils regarding pupils of a particular faith; pupils of no faith
- The extent to which these requirements are to be met
- Effectiveness of the manner in which a comprehensive and broad curriculum is proposed to be offered during the start up phase
- Effectiveness of the manner in which a comprehensive and broad curriculum is proposed to be offered when the school is past the start-up phase
- Effectiveness of the manner to which a comprehensive and broad curriculum is proposed to be offered to all students, e.g., supporting gender integration into all subjects
- The extent of demand in the area for the applicant patrons
- Having regard to neighbouring areas, whether the establishment of the proposed school model would result in greater diversity and plurality of second-level school patronage and provision where there is demand for such diversity and plurality
The process will involve the following steps at second level:
- Identification of locations of new schools and sizes of new schools by the Department
- Decision by the Department in relation to whether the school would operate through the medium of Irish or English
- written applications from prospective patrons addressing all of the criteria
- consideration of the applications by Department officials and report drafted for consideration by the News Schools Establishment Group
- consideration by Group of report and endorsement by Group or identification of need for further analysis by Department and subsequent consideration by Group
- report from the Group submitted to the Minister for consideration
- decision by the Minister
Parental Preferences
Patron bodies proposing schools will be asked to provide evidence of parental demand. Patrons will be asked to sign up lists of parents who indicate interest in having their children educated in their new school. These lists are to be broken down by the age of the children, including year of proposed entry to school, and by where they are living, having regard for the area to be served by the school. A template for submission of parental demand will be provided for this purpose, and all information must be presented in this format only.
Leaders to give free talk on Gaelic in education
May 10, 2013
The heads of two Western Isles education institutions are to give a free talk on Gaelic in education.
Nicolson Institute rector Dr Frances Murray, and Lews Castle College UHI principal Iain Macmillan, will explore the challenges and opportunities associated with Gaelic in education. Topics will include the impact of the curriculum for excellence and community and partnership working.
The talk, which will be delivered at the Nicolson Institute later this month, is part of a series of free Gaelic lectures taking place this year. Organised by the University of the Highlands and Islands, the series marks the 60th anniversary of Lews Castle College UHI, a partner of the university.
Based on the theme of Gaelic in modern life, the lectures recognise Gaelic as an integral part of Scotland’s heritage and national identity. Head of BBC ALBA, Margaret Mary Murray, spoke about Gaelic media in Glasgow earlier this year and a lecture on Gaelic and publishing will take place in Benbecula in June.
The talks also tie in with courses offered by the university, which include degrees in Gaelic language and culture; Gaelic with education; Gaelic and development and a higher education certificate in Gaelic and communication. All of these courses are offered through Lews Castle College UHI.
Highlighting one of the areas he will speak about in the lecture, Iain Macmillan said: “We have been very successful at engaging learners in Gaelic language acquisition, but we are less successful at engaging people who have been brought up in Gaelic households or communities in developing their language skills for everyday use.
“People like myself are all too often intimidated when confronted with Gaelic learners who, as a result of their learning, have developed what appears to be a wider vocabulary and proper grammar. “We need to improve our confidence and willingness to use the language if it is to thrive in our communities.”
Dr Frances Murray added: “To ensure we consolidate the improvements made in Gaelic medium provision and before we can look to further expansion, we must be very clear about where the challenges lie.”
James Fraser, principal and vice-chancellor of the university, welcomed the lecture, saying: “We are delighted that Dr Frances Murray and Iain Macmillan are speaking as part of this lecture series.
“The University of the Highlands and Islands is spread across the Gàidhealtachd and aspires to be central to the maintenance and revival of the Gaelic Language. Lews Castle College UHI is vital to the university’s commitment to and aspirations for Gaelic.”
The Gaelic in education talk will take place from 7pm to 9pm on Thursday May 16th at the Nicolson Institute, Stornoway. Parts of the lecture will be delivered in Gaelic and there will also be simultaneous interpretation into English available through headphones.
To book a FREE place, contact the university’s events team on 01463 279 344 or at events@uhi.ac.uk
And to find out more about the university’s lecture series or Gaelic courses, visit www.uhi.ac.uk
www.stornowaygazette.co.uk
