SpeakTalkChat – Do Ghaeltacht ar Líne
November 15, 2013
Group highlights importance of language learning for jobs
November 15, 2013
A new group to highlight the importance of language learning for employment was launched in Trinity College Dublin yesterday.
Only 40 per cent of Irish people can hold a conversation in any second language, which is the fourth lowest rate in Europe.
One Voice for Languages is a group of more than 200 linguists, academics, teachers, parents, arts representatives and business leaders who have come together to “highlight Ireland’s deficit in 21st-century language skills”.
The group said language learning is important for employment, education and intercultural understanding. It also claimed language learning is the subject of a “diminishing status” in the Irish education system.
The group came together to raise awareness of the issue following “repeated calls” from industry leaders, employment specialists and experienced linguists.
Dr Ann Devitt said the group was seeking to “highlight how important languages are for Ireland, not only in terms of skills for the economy but also in terms of societal and cultural benefits”.
www.irishtimes.com
New campaign aims to boost languages in our education
November 15, 2013
ENGLISH is no longer enough – that is the message of a new campaign to give languages a greater voice in education.
The big focus on science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) has prompted concern that languages will get left behind.
While so-called STEM subjects are much in demand from employers, proficiency in foreign languages is also essential for many jobs.
Many businesses and industries operate in a global market, and their staff need to be able to communicate across the world.
Employers in Ireland regularly complain about the lack of home graduates with the necessary language skills.
Now the languages fightback has started, backed by more than 200 linguists, academics, teachers, parents and business leaders. It represents the first coming together of all levels of the education system, as well as business leaders and social entrepreneurs, to support language teaching and learning.
The One Voice for Languages campaign argues that employment is not the only reason for students to develop their linguistic skills.
They point to national and international research, demonstrating the direct benefits of language learning in boosting literacy, at both primary and post-primary level.
Proficiency in foreign languages also brings wider social and cultural benefits, they say.
French is the most popular language in the Leaving Certificate, taken by about 25,000 of over 55,000 candidates this year. A long way behind comes German, at about 6,600 candidates, Spanish with about 5,000, with Italian, Russian and Japanese trailing at around 300.
In the Leaving Certificate, male students are less likely to take languages than females.
Dr Ann Devitt, assistant professor in modern languages in Trinity College, said Ireland, with its own national language and migrant populations had the potential to become a place of rich linguistic diversity.
But this potential wealth was not being developed, with only 40pc of Irish people claiming they could hold a conversation in any second language – the fourth lowest rate in Europe, she said. Ireland is the only country in Europe, other than Scotland, where a non-indigenous language is not compulsory at any stage of the mainstream educational curriculum
www.independent.ie
Demonstration on November 20th, support welcome
November 15, 2013
Parents of students who were not given places in Gaelcholáiste Mhuire, North Monastery, Cork, are organising a demonstration outside the office of the Edmund Rice Trust in Blackrock next Wednesday, 20th November at 12pm.
The demonstration is a protest against the new admissions policy which makes it difficult for students from Gaelscoil Pheig Sayers to get a place in the gaelcholáiste. Support would be welcome on the day and further information is available from Gaelscoil Pheig Sayers on 021-4309619 or eolas@peigsayers.com.
A chance for young entrepreneurs!
November 14, 2013
Junior Dragons’ Den applications are now open, please follow the link for more info: www.bankofireland.com/dragons
A meeting re Gaelcholaiste an Phiarsaigh to be held soon
November 14, 2013
The Management Committee of Gaelcholáiste an Phiarsaigh will be holding a meeting with parents before Christmas. We have invited the Department of Education to the meeting to share their plans for the school location with us. Further information will be made available as soon as possible.
Fáilte isteach i mo Shaol
November 14, 2013
Seoladh Rith 2014
November 14, 2013
Minister Quinn moves to cut school uniform costs
November 14, 2013
Schools to ballot parents on school uniform policy
The Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn T.D. has moved to tackle the cost of school uniforms by strengthening the role of parents in how schools decide their policies on uniforms.
The education partners will now be invited to engage with Department officials on how to implement this change which will include compiling a template questionnaire that schools can use to consult with parents on uniforms.
All schools that have uniform policies, or are contemplating one, will use this template questionnaire to conduct a ballot among parents to allow them to decide the type of uniform – if any – they want for the 2014/15 school year.
It is envisaged that parents will be asked to vote on a series of options such as:
Do they want a school uniform or not? If they opt for a uniform do they want trousers, jumpers, blouses, shirts and skirts in colours/shades available in the large retail chains? Do they want a school blazer, a school crest on garments and what type?
Minister Quinn believes that empowering parents to determine school uniform policy is the most effective way to tackle back to school costs. The Department is also working on developing a Parents Charter that will further strengthen the position of parents generally within the school system.
“Specifically I want all schools that currently operate a uniform policy, or contemplate introducing one, to ballot parents during the current school year before deciding on the policy to be adopted for the 2014/15 school year,” said Minister Quinn.
“I have consistently said that schools should listen to the parents on this matter since it is parents who incur the costs arising from the decisions that schools make. Balloting all parents should ensure that a school fully captures the views of its parent body,” the Minister added.
The Department will issue the template questionnaire to schools by the end of this month. Schools are expected to complete the ballots by the end of February. This will give Boards of Management adequate time to consider the parents’ wishes and to determine the schools uniform policy for the next school year.
www.education.ie
Cruinneas agus Scríobh na Gaeilge
November 14, 2013
Más suim leat go bhfreagrófaí nó go bpléifí cúpla cruacheist a bhaineann le Cruinneas na Teanga nó fiú tabhairt fé chúpla alt/fógra a aistriú ó Bhéarla go Gaeilge, seo do sheans. Reáchtálfar Gearrchúrsa Cruinnis sa Ghaeilge i Músaem Bhaile an Fheirtéaraigh ón 14ú-15ú Feabhra 2014 mar chuid de Chlár Gaeilge 2014 ag Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne. Díreofar ar chúrsaí foghraíochta agus ar struchtúir na teanga chomh maith leis na botúin is comónta a dheintear sa Ghaeilge scríofa. Agus ina theannta sin díreofar ar na háiseanna is ar na hacmhainní atá anois ann do theagascóirí Gaeilge is do lucht an aistriúcháin. Ní mór dosna rannpháirtithe a bheith líofa go maith sa Ghaeilge cheana féin agus beidh fáilte is fiche roimis na rannpháirtithe moltaí fé ábhar an chúrsa a chur i scríbhinn chugainn roimhré.
Beir leat foclóir ar bith atá agat. €100 costas an chúrsa seo.
Le haghaidh a thuileadh eolais fén gcúrsa seo téir go dtí suíomh Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne ag www.oidhreacht.ie nó cuir fón orainn ag 066 91 56 100 nó cuir ríomhphost chugainn ag eolas@cfcd.ie.
Tuilleadh eolas:
Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne
Baile an Fheirtéaraigh, Trá Lí, Co. Chiarraí.
Fón: 066 91 56 100
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