Feall, fírinne agus figiúirí
October 23, 2013
Gearradh siar ar airgead do chúrsaí Gaeilge
October 23, 2013
Notes from Lecture: How bilingual learning contributes to educational achievement
October 23, 2013
Lecture by Charmian Kenner 18.10.13: How bilingual learning contributes to educational achievement
Information leaflet Charmian Kenner: Teacher Partnerships for Bilingual Learning
Spraoicheisteanna Fhéile an Fhómhair
October 22, 2013
Ceolfhoireann Shiansach UCD: Peter & The Wolf
October 22, 2013
Lecture: ‘Tyranny of no alternative’: Teachers and students working towards socially just schooling.
October 22, 2013
The Vere Foster Trust and the Institute of Educational Research in Ireland (IoERI) present
EDUCATION POLICY
PUBLIC LECTURE SERIES
Challenging the ‘tyranny of no alternative’: Teachers and students working towards socially just schooling.
Venue: National Gallery of Ireland
Merrion Square W, Dublin 2
Vere Foster, 19th century philanthropist and Anglo-Irish gentleman, established progressive emigration and education schemes in post-famine Ireland. Recognising the connection between education and the strength of the nation, he founded the Irish National Teacher’s Organisation (INTO) in 1868. His legacy offers many valuable lessons for contemporary Irish Education.
RSVP verefostertrust@gmail.com to reserve a seat
6.30pm Thursday 7 Nov 2013
CHALLENGING THE ‘TYRANNY OF NO ALTERNATIVE’: TEACHERS AND STUDENTS WORKING TOWARDS SOCIALLY JUST SCHOOLING.
MARTIN MILLS, THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND
This presentation will seek to demonstrate how all schools can take up the challenge of addressing the economic, cultural and political injustices faced by young people from various backgrounds. It begins from the premise that many young people and teachers experience contemporary schooling as less than satisfying, but that this need not be the case. It will draw on data from a range of ‘alternative’ schools in Australia and England to explore the ways in which all schools can become more socially just. The data will come from interviews with teachers and students in schools variously known as ‘second chance’, ‘flexi-schools’ and ‘flexible learning centres’ and schools sometimes referred to as ‘democratic’. The first set of schools regularly caters to the needs of young people who experience severe social and economic disadvantage through, for example, poverty, homelessness and caring responsibilities. Many of these young people have been failed by the mainstream education system, yet now demonstrate a great enthusiasm for learning. The second group of schools cater to more middle class students, but demonstrate how engaged young people can be when involved in schools’ decision-making processes. In both sets of schools, teachers indicated that they were freed from many of the neo-liberal pressures shaping education systems globally, and that this made their work more productive and rewarding, which in turn benefited their students.
Martin Mills, The University of Queensland Martin Mills is a Research Professor in the School of Education at The University of Queensland, Australia. Martin’s research interests include the sociology of education, social justice in education, alternative schooling, gender and education, school reform and new pedagogies. Martin’s work in these areas has been significant in contributing to international and national debates on these topics. His recent co-authored books include Re-engaging young people in education: learning from alternative schools and Boys and schooling: Beyond Structural Reform. Martin has been on a number of government advisory committees, for example, the Equity advisory group to the Queensland Studies Authority. Substantial policy advice has also been provided through the numerous government reports that he has co-authored, the most recent of which is a report to the Australian Capital Territory government on the alternative provision of schooling in that Territory.
Irish groups urged to apply to new funding bodies
October 21, 2013
Foyle Sinn Féin MLA Raymond McCartney has encouraged Irish language groups in Derry to apply to be part of new all-Ireland funding structures.
“I have great confidence in the northern-based Irish language groups who have been to the forefront of the revival in Gaeilge. Some of the groups expressed concerns about their future under the new arrangements. We have received assurances that there are no predetermined outcomes to the make up of the all-Ireland structures,” he said.
www.derryjournal.com
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com 21 Deireadh Fómhair 2013
Seisiúin Comhrá don 5ú & 6ú Bliain
October 21, 2013
Corn an Earagail
October 18, 2013
Altram Conference
October 18, 2013
“Two Windows on the World” – Comhdháil Idirnáisiúnta Altram. Tower Hotel Derry. 25.09.13- 26.09.13 -27.09.13
Official Launch
Altram’s first ever international conference on early years’ bilingualism, “Two Windows on the World”, was officially launched by Mark Durkan MP, at a celebration in the Tower Hotel, Derry on Wednesday evening, 25 September 2013. The Conference mission was “To celebrate, learn, inform and promote” the general benefits of becoming bilingual at an early age, with special focus on Irish language immersion.
Chair of Altram and Bean a Tí for the night, Áine Andrews, introduced Mayor of Derry Martin Reilly, who welcomed delegates to the city. She also introduced and thanked the other speakers, City of Derry Culture Company representative Shona Mc Carthy and Gerry Conway, Regional Commissioner for the Health & Social Care Board whose organisations, together with Foras na Gaeilge and Iontaobhas Ultach, had sponsored the Conference.
Talented past or present pupils of Irish-immersion nursery and primary schools provided the night’s entertainment – step dancing from Gaelscoil na bhFál sisters Clíona and Éimear Devlin, sean-nós dancing from Edel Ní Churraoin, traditional music by Gaelscoil Éadain Mhóir brother and sister, Donncha Mac Giolla Mhuire and Níamh Níc Ghiolla Mhuire, all rounded off by an impressive set from Belfast-based singer Gráinne Holland, a past pupil of Bunscoil Phobal Feirste. The cráic was mighty and the tone set for the next two days of “Two Windows on the World”.
Day 1
On Thursday 26 September, European Languages Day, around 50 delegates from professional child care, education, public and community sector backgrounds attended and heard Martina Anderson MEP give the opening address.
Dónall Ó Riagáin, Independent Consultant and former Head of the European Bureau on Lesser Used Languages, introduced the speakers for the morning session. First up was Dr. Antonella Sorace, Professor of Developmental Linguistics at University of Edinburgh, who addressed the question “Why does bilingualism matter?” Next was Dr. Piet Van de Craén from Vrije University in Brussels speaking on “Early Bilingualism & the European Union”. There were also interesting talks from Aodán Mac Póilin, the Director of ULTACH Trust on “The Irish Language – The Northern Ireland Situation”, and Áine Andrews, Chairperson of Altram, on “Early Years Irish Language Immersion in Northern Ireland, Achievements & Challenges”.
The aim of Day 1 was to provide a greater insight into bilingualism and early years’ language immersion. Commenting after hearing the presentations the general opinion was that they had contributed to valuable new perspectives on policy development and good practice.
Day 2
Naíscoil practitioners were very much the target audience on the second day of the conference on Friday 27th September. More than 65 delegates from the Irish-medium early years sector came along to hear new information and learn about new ideas and techniques which they could then apply in their own naíscoil settings. Friday’s programme opened with an entertaining set of performances from children who attend Irish medium schools in Derry – Gaelscoil Éadain Mhóir and Bunscoil Cholmcille. Prof. Antonella Sorace was again on hand to give the headline talk on ‘Why Bilingualism Matters?” This was followed by excellent, enjoyable practical workshops from children’s theatre company Ababú on and The Gathering Drum.
The event showcased and celebrated Derry’s culture and heritage in this, the year of the City of Culture. Altram hopes that the conference will leave a lasting legacy of better understanding of the place of early years’ Irish language acquisition in our own society.
Grianghraf (gaelscoil na bhFál)
