Méid an Téacs

Junior Cert overhaul is to be applauded

Deireadh Fómhair 29, 2013

WE HAVE known for some time about general plans to modernise and update the Junior Certificate syllabus.

But today we find out in more detail about some exciting things that will be involved. Included in a number of new short courses for students will be opportunities to get recognition for achievements in sport, computers and socially useful things like promoting community mental health. As our education editor writes in this newspaper today, these developments will for the first time ever give 15- and 16-year-olds a chance to show what they can do outside of the examination hall. The plans appear to be innovative efforts to promote practical life-skills and help advance self-reliance and the ability to think and solve problems.

The old-style examinations have for long promoted a practice in too many schools described as ‘teaching to the test’. In that culture, the most important item in a student’s schoolbag has been the ‘past papers’, which shape far too much of what happens in the classroom. The plans are being developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment and other equally exciting plans are also currently being finessed. These include the prospect of Chinese, electronic media literacy, the performing arts and care for animals. The core subjects of mathematics, English and Irish will be retained. But the traditional Junior Certificate examination every June will over time become a thing of the past with a move to continuous assessment again complementing an emphasis on on-going learning rather than preparing for an examination ordeal.

We are heartened that there will be an emphasis on cultivating literacy and numeracy skills. We applaud news that there will be a focus on cultivating computer literacy as in many ways people who are deprived of such skills are becoming the new illiterates of our society. The changes will bring challenges and practical difficulties for school principals, teachers, pupils and parents. Teacher training and liaison with parents will be very important elements in a smooth transition to the new syllabus. Currently, moves to phase in the new Junior Certificate face a blockage due to industrial action by the secondary teachers’ union, ASTI. But it is to be hoped that this matter can be overcome. It will be a particular challenge for the Department of Education to oversee the management of a considerable change in thinking and practice.

www.independent.ie

Success for St. Mary’s at Gael Linn quiz

Deireadh Fómhair 29, 2013

Pupils from St. Mary’s Limavady have entered teams in the Irish Language quiz, Gael Linn, and have been successfully placed in the top positions.

This year has been no different for the school, with one of the school entry’s achieving runner up in the competition. Pupils from across Derry attended the recent Gael Linn Quiz held in the White Horse Hotel. The quiz, which is organised by Gael Linn, takes place each year and encourages the use of the Irish Language. “The annual quiz forms one of many activities organised by Gael Linn with the main aim of fostering and promoting the Irish language and its heritage throughout Ireland as a living language and as an expression of identity,” said Principal Mary McCloskey. Year 10 pupils, Cody O’ Doherty, Grainne Mullan, Ciara Mc Colgan and Caoimhinn Campbell were delighted to take the prize.

Head of Modern Languages at the school, Miss Cairns said: “I am so very proud of the team on their achievement and it is events such as these that allows pupils to see the practical application of their skills when studying a language.” The school recently held its Primary 7 Enrolment Day, and was packed with Primary 7 pupils and their parents as they enrolled for September 2014. Speaking to parents, Principal McCloskey said: “Times are changing in the world of education and as parents they now have decisions to make regarding which school their child would attend for the next seven years. All our schools are now unilateral, open to pupils of all abilities but we feel St Mary’s should be your number one choice.” She added: “First and foremost St Mary’s is a Catholic school. This is evidenced in our attention to Masses, confessions and other religious observances. As as a school community treat each other with respect and the care that it given to our pupils to enable them to achieve to their highest potential. At St Mary’s we are about much more than exam results. We encourage our pupils to perform at all levels and in all activities. Any parent can be confident if their child gains a place in St Mary’s they will be well cared for; that their child will gain the knowledge and skills to take their place in today’s world.”

www.derryjournal.com

Speaking with one voice

Deireadh Fómhair 29, 2013

Why do we have such a problem with modern languages?

The European Council warned: ‘The main challenge for Ireland is to move away from an official but lame bilingualism’ Next month the Long Room at Trinity College Dublin will be home to a Babel of tongues as the many language-interest groups in Ireland come together to form a new advocacy movement for language learning.

Ireland is well behind other nations when it comes to languages, and we have no official language policy, beyond Irish, around which a movement for progress could coalesce. Modern languages are not compulsory at any stage of Irish schooling. Last year’s budget saw the abolition of the Modern Languages in Primary Schools Initiative (MLPSI); our first foray into early-language learning never made it past the pilot stage. Hence the One Voice for Languages movement. “We have seen what can happen when there is State support for a subject,” says Kristin Brogan, a founder of One Voice and a lecturer in German, intercultural communication and EU projects at the Institute of Technology Tralee. “There has been a huge emphasis on science and technology over the past few years, and it has paid off in terms of uptake at postprimary and third level.”

Brogan and the One Voice group want to light a similar fire under language learning, but, she admits, there are obstacles unique to Ireland. “There is a tendency to assume English is enough, that we don’t need other languages. However, in Europe, the English language is like the European Computer Driving Licence. Everyone has it. Irish people competing for jobs in Europe are up against applicants with English, their own native language and often a third language as well.”

The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment is moving towards an integrated language curriculum at primary level, but the focus will be on English and Irish, with some element of language-skill learning. This, the NCCA hopes, will “establish a sound foundation for the learning of a foreign language in postprimary school. An integrated language curriculum would enable teachers to achieve learning efficiencies by explicitly drawing children’s attention to similarities and differences between their languages”.

But any hope that French, Spanish or German might find its way back into primary schools, where children are at the optimum age for new language acquisition, has been definitively extinguished. “The decision to end the MLPSI was made in the context of a very challenging budgetary environment, where difficult decisions had to be taken,” a spokesperson for the Department of Education told the Irish Times. “The programme ended in June 2012, and there are no plans to revisit this decision.” Irish-language lobby Irish is the second challenge to modern-language learning in Ireland. Irish-language groups will form part of One Voice, but the native tongue occupies a unique position that sets it apart from other languages in the Irish context. “We don’t want to put down Irish,” says Brogan. “It’s a can of worms nobody wants to open.”

In theory, the learning of Irish should complement further language acquisition, but in reality, for Ireland, it doesn’t. Before the abolition of the MLPSI, just 3 per cent of Irish primary-school children were learning a modern language, compared to an EU average of 79 per cent. Roughly two-thirds of Irish postprimary students take a modern language. In the UK it is compulsory until the age of 16. By third level, uptake here has dropped again, to around 3 per cent. A 2012 European Commission report revealed that only in Britain, Portugal, Italy and Hungary can fewer adults hold a conversation in an additional language. In Ireland, 40 per cent have a second language, but that includes those who can speak Irish. This compares with a 54 per cent EU average, but the figure is more than 90 per cent in the Netherlands and Sweden.

Brogan admits educationalists will not be able to force the Government’s hand on a modern-languages policy. The language of money is the only one that’s ever heard, and there is no shortage of companies highlighting the language deficit here. Apple, eBay, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Oracle, PayPal and Dropbox have their Europe, Middle East and Africa headquarters here, and are all recruiting outside Ireland to fill their language needs. Amazon, IBM and Twitter have headquartered their European operations here. Currently, there are 2,000 vacancies for speakers of German in Dublin, and companies are starting to move some of their departments to eastern Europe, where they can find appropriate language skills.

This is a measurable loss to the Irish economy. What is harder to quantify is the potential growth Ireland is missing out on. Tony Donoghue of Ibec believes that Irish SMEs, particularly export companies, are the biggest losers. “The tendency among many Irish exporters is to avoid markets where language is a barrier. If we had more speakers of German, French and Spanish working in our SMEs it could open up so many doors. Over 75 per cent of the world’s population do not speak English, and only 9 per cent speak English as their first language. If we neglect to ensure adequate availability of foreign language skills in Ireland, the opportunities of this global market for our indigenous exporting companies will not be realised.”

Six year years ago the European Council’s language-policy division warned: “The main challenge for Ireland is to move away from ‘an official but lame bilingualism’ to become a truly multilingual society, where the ability to learn and use two and more languages is taken for granted and fostered at every stage of the education system and through lifelong education.” Mickael Lenglet of the Alliance Française says that although there is more to gain from language learning than boosted job prospects, the Irish will not be at the races at all if we don’t catch up in this area. “Ireland is the only European country not to have compulsory teaching of a foreign language in primary school. Being bilingual in business is normal; a third language will soon be unavoidable. How can Irish people meet the expectations abroad, or in the Irish market, if their knowledge of foreign languages is behind the rest of Europe?”

www.irishtimes.com

Ar chuairt ó Ghaeltacht Cheanada

Deireadh Fómhair 25, 2013

Beidh Grúpa daoine fásta ó Ghaeltacht Cheanada ar chuairt ar Gaeltacht Ráth Chairn

Dé Máirt 29ú Deireadh Fómhair 2013

Áras Pobail Ráth Chairn ag a 8in.

Bígí linn chun fáilte a chur rompu

Comharchumann Rath Cairn

rathcairn@eircom.net

Spreagadh an chéad ghlúin eile

Deireadh Fómhair 24, 2013

Beidh Micheál Ó Foighill, Bainisteoir Choláiste Lurgan, a bhfuil cáil báine amach aige de bharr éachtaí an Choláiste sin ar Youtube, i measc na gcainteoirí a bheidh le cloisteáil ag Seimineár Chonradh na Gaeilge ag Oireachtas na bliana seo i gCill Airne.

Réabhlóid Nua na Gaeilge – An Chéad Ghlúin Eile a Spreagadh atá mar theideal ar an seimineár a bheidh ar siúl san Óstán Brehon, Cill Airne, Dé Sathairn, 3 Samhain. I measc na gcainteoirí eile tá Máire Treasa Ní Dhubhghaill ó TG4, Aodhán Ó Deá a bheidh ag tarraingt ar a thaithí le mic léinn Ollscoile agus Traic Ó Braonáin a bheidh ag trácht ar bhunú an stáisiúin Raidió Rí-Rá BEO. Is é Donnchadh Ó hAodha, Uachtarán Chonradh na Gaeilge a dhéanfaidh cathaoirleacht ar an seimineár.

Le tamall de bhlianta anuas bíonn tarraingt mhór ar sheimineár an Chonartha ag an Oireachtas agus arís i mbliana táthar ag iarraidh ar lucht an Oireachtais ról gníomhach a ghlacadh sa phlé agus a gcuid tuairimí i leith Réabhlóid Nua na Gaeilge a nochtadh le linn an tseimineáir. Cuirfear tús leis an gcaint ag 11.00am agus seolfar cúrsa Rith 2014, rás sealaíochta ar son na Gaeilge, ina diaidh.

Is féidir tuilleadh eolais a fháil ó seiminear@cnag.ie; 01 4757401; www.cnag.ie.

www.advertiser.ie

Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com 24 Deireadh Fómhair 2013

Galway Advertiser – Peadar Mac Fhlannchadha

Siansa Gael Linn 2014

Deireadh Fómhair 24, 2013

Tá an dáta deiridh iontrála don chomórtas Siansa Gael Linn 2014, comórtas do ghrúpaí óga traidisiúnta, nach mór buailte linn agus tá go dtí Dé hAoine 8 Samhain ag grúpaí clárú don chomórtas.

Tá an comórtas seo á eagrú ag Gael Linn le tacaíocht ó Raidió na Gaeltachta, an Irish Music Magazine agus Foras na Gaeilge. Tá dul chun cinn mór déanta ag an gcomórtas seo agus é aitheanta anois mar cheann de phríomhchomórtais ceoil/amhránaíochta na tíre. Beidh an craobhchomórtas ar siúl sa Cheoláras Náisiúnta, Baile Átha Cliath ar an Domhnach, 6 Aibreán 2014, áit a mbeidh ocht ngrúpa san iomaíocht do dhuaischiste €4,500.

Ní mór do na hiomaitheoirí ar fad a bheidh idir 12 – 19 bliana d’aois agus caithfidh go mbeidh idir cúigear agus ochtar ball i ngach grúpa. As na hiarrthóirí ar fad roghnófar 30 grúpa le bheith páirteach i sraith ceardlanna, ceardlanna a bheidh faoi stiúir ag na ceoltóirí iomráiteacha, Ciarán Ó Maonaigh agus Mary Bergin. Is iad Ciarán agus Mary, in éindí leis an gceoltóir Niamh Ní Charra a bheidh mar mholtóirí ar an gcomórtas freisin.

Is féidir gach eolas faoi Shiansa Gael Linn a fháil ar www.gael-linn.ie agus freisin is féidir féachaint ar na grúpaí a bhí páirteach i gcraobhchomórtas 2013.

www.advertiser.ie

Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com 24 Deireadh Fómhair 2013

Galway Advertiser – Peadar Mac Fhlannchadha

Póstaeir saor in aisce

Deireadh Fómhair 24, 2013

Tá postaeir Oíche Shamhna le híoslódáil saor in aisce ón Ionad Buail Isteach (íomhá thíos). Tá cóipeanna crua saor in aisce ar fáil tríd an bpost ach ainm agus seoladh a chuir chuig ionadbuailisteach@gmail.com

  • 2 do Shamhain
  • 4 don Nollaig (ag teacht)

Bíodh Samhain mhaith agaibh go léir!

http://www.ionad.org/

Oíche Shamhna 13

SAMHAIN13

Gaeilge & Fáilte ag Comhairle Cathrach Dhoire

Deireadh Fómhair 23, 2013

Aeidin McCarter, Oifigeach Infheistíochta agus Fiontraíochta le Comhairle Cathrach Dhoire a ghnóthaigh fáinne óir i ndiaidh cúrsa Gaeilge a chríochnú leis an Chomhairle Chathrach. Léi sa ghrianghraf tá Pól Ó Frighil, Oifigeach Gaeilge a theagasc an cúrsa in éineacht le Méara na Cathrach, an Comhairleoir, Martin Reilly. Is é aidhm an chúrsa ná cumas sa teanga a fhás i measc fhoireann na Comhairle Cathrach le go mbeidh oibrithe in ann eolas agus seirbhísí i nGaeilge a chur ar fáil don phobal.

Derry City Council - Fainne

Pobal Mhúscraí á bhrú le maoiniú neamh-chaite Euro 15,000 a úsáid

Deireadh Fómhair 23, 2013

TÁ MUINTIR Ghaeltacht Mhúscraí á mbrú chun leas a bhaint as maoiniú forbartha neamh-chaite de chuid Euro 15,000 nach mór a úsáid roimh dheireadh na bliana.

Tá an t-airgead seo saincheaptha don cheantar faoin gClár Forbartha Pobail agus Áitiúil (LCDP) agus tá sé á dháileadh ag Comhpháirtíocht Forbartha Iarthar Chorcaí (WCDP). Thug an chomhpháirtíocht faoi riaradh na scéime seo agus scéimeanna maoinithe eile i nGaeltacht Mhúscraí tar éis cliseadh Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta agus, go dtí an samhradh seo, bhí oibrí forbartha do cheantar Mhúscraí fostaithe acu a bhí lonnaithe san Ionad Áise i Réidh na nDoirí.

Tar éis dó siúd fágaint chun tabhairt faoi phost eile, níor ceapadh oibrí forbartha ionaid don cheantar, rud a bhí mar chúis le héiginnteacht maidir le riaradh na gcistí do cheantar Mhúscraí, atá a mbainistiú anois ó oifigí WCDP i mBeanntraí agus i gCloch na Coillte. Chuir Kathryn Kingston, oifigeach forbartha i mBeanntraí, iallach ar mhuintir Mhúscraí dul i mbun teagmhála leis an eagraíocht le hiarratais ar chúrsaí agus tionscadail forbartha pobail a luaithe agus is féidir. Tá seacht gcúrsa á bhfógairt aici le reáchtáil san Ionad Áise cheana féin, iad ar fada atá saor in aisce do mhuintir na gaeltachta. Murach seo bheadh sé costasach go maith freastal ar na cúrsaí seo, le costas Euro 3,500 in aghaidh an duine do chúrsa amháin atá á eagrú – maidir le sábh slabhrach a fheidhmiú – dá mba rud é go raibh sé á eagrú go príobháideach.

Tá níos lú ná leath den bhuiséad Euro 15,000 atá fágtha don cheantar leithdháilte agus tá WCDP ag breithniú ar ghníomhaíochtaí do sheanóirí, daoine óga agus earnálacha uile an tsochaí, agus iad i mbun teagmhála le grúpaí pobail maidir le go leor tionscadal nua. “Is féidir le duine ar bith iarratas a dhéanamh, idir grúpaí óige agus daoine scothaosta, agus d’fhéadfaí aon rud in aon chor a chlúdach,” a mhínigh Kathryn Kingston. “D’fhéadfadh gur cúrsaí a bheadh iontu chun cáilíocht na beatha a fheabhsú nó d’fhéadfadh go mbeadh baint acu le cúrsaí fostaíochta; chomh fada agus go bhfuilid féideartha agus praiticiúil le reáchtáil sna hionaid atá ar fáil.” Níl an babhta maoinithe is déanaí ar fáil ach go dtí deireadh na bliana seo agus chuir Kathryn iallach ar dhaoine úsáid a bhaint as sula gcaillfí é toisc nach féidir an buiséad a thabhairt anonn chuig an mbliain seo chugainn.

Mar sin féin, thug sí le tuiscint go mbeadh Gaeltacht Mhúscraí ar tí babhta nua maoiniú LCDP a fháil ó mhí Eanáir, go dtí mí an Mheithimh 2014. Ag an bpointe sin, faoi mholtaí athchóirithe an rialtais áitiúil, táthar ag ceapadh go nglacfaidh coistí soch-eacnamaíocha atá faoi riarachán na n-údarás áitiúil freagracht as bainistiú agus scaipeadh an chláir maoinithe seo agus a thuilleadh eile nach é atá á riar i láthair na huaire ag cuideachtaí forbartha áitiúla cosúil le WCDP, ag fágaint todhchaí na ngrúpa ús go mór in amhras.

www.eveningecho.ie

Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com 23 Deireadh Fómhair 2013

Evening Echo – Pet OConnell

Múscraí á thréigean in áit Oireachtas na Samhna

Deireadh Fómhair 23, 2013

BEIDH na sluaite móra ó Ghaeltacht Mhúscraí i láthair ag Oireachtas na Samhna, nuair a filleann príomhfhéile bhliantúil na nGael ar Chill Airne an tseachtain seo chugainn.

Osclaíonn an tOireachtas ar an Máirt, 29ú Deireadh Fómhair, le formhór na n-imeachtaí ag tarlú in Óstán an Gleneagle/an INEC i rith na seachtaine. Beidh beirt bhan ó Mhúscraí – Eibhlís Uí Thuama agus Nell Ní Chróinín, iad beirt ó Bhéal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh – ag glacadh páirte i mbliana i bpríomhchomórtas an Oireachtais, Corn Uí Riada. Sna comórtais amhránaíochta eile beidh Seosaimhín Ní Chróinín ó Bhaile Mhic Íre agus Síle Uí Luasa ó Screathan, Cúil Aodha, san iomaíocht do Chorn Mháire Nic Dhonnchadha, fad a bheidh Cathal Ó Riada agus Seán Ó Luasa, an bheirt acu ó Chúil Aodha, ag tabhairt faoi Chorn Cuimhneacháin Amhránaithe Sean-Nóis Chonamara.

Beidh triúr bhan ó Chúil Aodha – Ruth Ní Riada, Aoife Ní Mheachair agus Muireann Ní Luasa – i measc na n-iomaitheoirí do Chorn Cuimhneacháin Sheáin Óig Uí Thuama, fad a bheidh Máire Ní Chéileachair san iomaíocht do Chorn Phádraig Mhic an Rí. Beidh Liam Ó Cróinín ó Bhéal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh, Seosamh Ó Críodáin, Fiontán Ó Meachair agus Eoiní Maidhcí Ó Súilleabháin ó Chúil Aodha san iomaíocht do Chorn Cuimhneacháin Chiaráin Uí Chonceanainn. I measc na n-iomaitheoirí sna comórtais sceitse, lúibíní, amhrán saothair agus amhráin nuachumtha beidh Máire de Búrca, Seosamh Ó Críodáin, Seán Ó Muimhneacháin agus Aisteoirí Chill na Martra.

Ach tá an rannpháirtíocht is mó ar thaobh na ndaoine óga, le 12 iontráil ó cheantar Mhúscraí i gcomórtais amhránaíochta ar an sean-nós; seachtar déag ag glacadh páirte i lúibíní agus líon ollmhór 67 ógánach ag glacadh páirte sna hagallaimh beirte, mar thoradh a bheag nó a mhór ar an teagasc agus spreagadh á dtabhairt do pháistí sna scoileanna áitiúla trí scéimeanna Aisling Gheal agus Béal Beo.

www.eveningecho.ie

Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com 23 Deireadh Fómhair 2013

Evening Echo – Pet OConnell

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