Snaschúrsa Gaeilge do Mhúinteoirí
November 14, 2013
Pupils from Gaelscoil Shliabh Rua with the Sam Maguire
November 14, 2013
Exhibitors at Comhdháil Oideachais 2013
November 13, 2013
The conference will take place the 22nd and 23rd November 2013 in the Johnstown House Hotel in Enfield, Co, Meath, and below is a list of the organisations and companies that will have exhibition stands at the conference – make sure to visit them! We will have a great opportunity for celebration this year at the Annual Conference as Gaelscoileanna Teo. marks its 40th year. We are delighted to announce that the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, will be attending. We expect a large attendance. You can register to attend here. We’re looking forward to seeing you there!
Clár na Comhdhála Oideachais 2013 (Conference programme)
Exhibitors at Comhdháil Oideachais 2013:
- 4Schools.ie
- Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge
- Aladdin Schools
- An Gúm
- An tÁisaonad
- Ceol Ireland
- Cló Iar Chonnacht
- Coiscéim
- Coláiste Íde
- Coláiste na bhFiann
- Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge
- Conradh na Gaeilge
- Databiz Solutions
- EMS Copiers (Services) Ltd
- Fiontar
- Foras na Gaeilge
- Forbairt Naíonraí Teo.
- Futa Fata
- Gaelchultúr
- Gathanna Gréine teo.
- GDK Systems Ltd.
- Gill & Macmillan
- Glanmore Foods
- Graffiti Theatre Company
- Kildare Puzzles
- Leabhar Breac
- Nexus TEC Ltd
- ScoilFM
- Smarty Cat Games
- Sona Sásta
- Spraoi!
- TG4
- Virtual Classroom LTD
Cruinniú Cinn Bhliana Chomhar na Múinteoirí Gaeilge
November 13, 2013
With the right programme, teachers can make learning Irish a pleasure
November 13, 2013
Not for the first time schools inspectors recently identified some weaknesses in the teaching of Irish in both primary and post- primary schools.
Should this finding take us by surprise? At primary level we have had a new curriculum since 1999, so what’s missing? What is really needed to support the teaching of Irish in primary schools is a structured teaching programme to support the curriculum. We have them in other subject areas. Programmes such as Maths Recovery and Literacy Lift Off are having an impact in schools in disadvantaged areas (DEIS schools) in maths and English literacy.
A structured teaching programme in Irish should be designed for all class levels that would bring together all aspects of Irish – listening, reading, writing and oral language. Such a programme could spell out clearly the expectations for learning at every stage from junior infants to sixth class. And it should be modern, colourful, attractive and relevant to children’s lives in the 21st century. There is no need to reinvent the wheel. There are some excellent resources available to support the teaching of Irish, but what is lacking is a coherent structure. Teachers’ time is better spent teaching instead of searching for and assessing the suitability of resources for different aspects of the Irish curriculum. A structured language teaching programme for the 21st Century will need to use the most up-to-date technology and reflect the interests of today’s children. Irish can be really cool as we saw from the success of Aifric, a TV programme for teenagers.
If the Department of Education were to free up a small team of experienced teachers to design the programme and a coordinator to oversee the project this work could be completed quickly and inexpensively. Lessons can be learnt from the design of Séideán Sí, an integrated Irish language teaching programme for Gaeltacht schools and gaelscoileanna – certainly a success story. But there is no point in having a state-of-the-art programme unless it is supported by professional development for teachers. Lessons can be learnt here too from the School Support Programme in DEIS schools. Professional development for teachers makes a difference. No matter how good a programme, without professional development, its impact will be less than optimum. If we’re serious about supporting the teaching of Irish in our primary schools, let’s give teachers the tools and the confidence to bring the pleasure of language learning to their pupils. With the right curriculum, the right programme and the right on-going support, teaching and learning Irish will be fun.
The department has failed to give this support to teachers for 30 years. It’s no wonder there’s a problem. Giving teachers the teaching programme they need is the answer.
Deirbhile NicCraith is Education Officer in the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO)
www.irishindependent.ie
Watch out Béarla, it’s the Stepaside Gaeltacht
November 13, 2013
The number of children learning through Irish has trebled in two decades.
The demand for places at Irish language schools continues to surge, but Gaelscoil- eanna hope Education Minister Ruairi Quinn will shelve plans to change their admission policies. The number of students taught through the language outside the Gaeltacht has trebled since 1990 and is set to top over 50,000 in the next five years. In 1990, there were just 15,000 children in Irish language schools. Now there are over 45,000 children who learn as Gaeilge, according to figures supplied to the Irish Independent.The language is booming in the suburbs of Dublin and in commuter counties such as Kildare, according to the school patron body An Foras Pátrúnachta.
Areas such as South Dublin, Lucan and Leixlip are now hotbeds of the language, at least in the classroom. A second Gaelscoil has just opened in the Stepaside area of South Dublin to cope with soaring demand among a new generation of Gaeilgoirs. There is also a third school in nearby Ballinteer. Conchúr O Raghallaigh, principal of tiny Gaelscoil Shliabh Rua in Stepaside, says: “Many parents grew up with a negative attitude towards the language because of the way it was taught. However, they now feel a sense of regret and really want their children to learn it. “Irish is a lot more popular because the teaching methods have improved.” A new Gaelscoil in Lucan has had 223 applications for just 56 places in 2014. Since 1990 the number of Irish medium schools has grown from 79 to 217. Patron bodies for Irish language schools now hope to take over some primary schools if they are vacated by the Catholic Church. Caoimhín Ó hEaghra, general secretary of An Foras Pátrúnachta, says: “We would hope to open a Gaelscoil in Birr (Co Offaly) if one of the schools is left vacant, as the local Catholic diocese reconfigures its schools.”
One point of controversy for Gaelscoileanna is their admission policies. Under the current arrangements they give preference to families where the children are brought up through the language, and they may select pupils by interview. This is said to discriminate against immigrant families. However, as he announced plans to revamp admissions policies earlier this year, Mr Quinn complained about restrictions. ‘We now have a large Gaelscoileanna movement across the country. We are building up a network of Gaelcholaiste to enable parents who want to continue their [children’s] education right through the second-level stream. “I would be concerned with restrictive practices for entrance into those schools just as I would be for entrances into other schools,” he says. Recent draft legislation on school admissions stopped short of blocking all-Irish schools from giving preference to children from Irish-speaking households.
However, under the draft bill they would be barred from carrying out interviews with families to check on their Irish language ability. Gaelscoileanna would also not be allowed give preference to those who attended Irish language pre-schooling. Mr Ó hEaghra denies the schools discriminate against immigrant families. “If you walk into our classrooms you will see that they reflect the diversity of our population. There are students from all kinds of background.” Mr Ó hEaghra says the schools were established to promote Irish and had a responsibility to support families raising their children through the language. “Irish-speaking families are a crucial resource for the schools, because they act as a kind of scaffolding for others hoping to learn the language.” Scoil Shliabh Rua opened with just eight pupils in a pre-fab at Palmerstown Rugby near the village of Stepaside in September. A new school is set to be built on a site at nearby Ballyogan and when it is at full capacity it will have 432 pupils.
Mr Ó Raghallaigh says: “People no longer have the fear of the language that they once had. Years ago it was all about learning poetry and grammar. “Now you have cartoons and game shows on TG4 and Des Bishop has done wonders for the language.” One of the problems for Irish is that it has so far failed to make a breakthrough beyond the classroom and the TV studio. Students may learn through the medium of Irish but when they go home they still speak English. “It is very important that parents are also speaking Irish,” said Mr Ó Raghallaigh. “That is why some Gaelscoileanna are organising Irish classes for parents.” One of the problems facing parents who send their children to Irish-speaking primary school is that there are fewer options at second-level. “We now have a lot of parents who want a second-level Gaelcholaiste, but there is none in their area,” says Mr Ó hEaghra.
www.irishindependent.ie
Seimineár Lae Ardteist 2014
November 12, 2013
Daidí na Nollag le Gaeilge ar fáil
November 12, 2013
Shortlist chosen for New Funding Model
November 12, 2013
Foras na Gaeilge wrote yesterday evening to each organisation who expressed an interest in the role of lead organisation under the new funding model for the voluntary sector, to inform them whether or not they had made the shortlist and would therefore be allowed to proceed in the process.
While Foras na Gaeilge would not release details of the organisations who have reached the shortlist, as this is not public information, they have confirmed to Gaelport.com that 15 expressions were received as part of stage one of the process. Foras na Gaeilge expect to issue a statement next week in relation to the second stage of the process.
The process to achieve the status of lead organisation is a two-part process. Step one involved completing a form stating your interest to act as a lead-organisation in one of the proposed strands as well as confirming your willingness to do so on a 32 county basis.
For those who were invited yesterday by Foras na Gaeilge to take part in stage two of the process, they will now have to prepare a comprehensive submission and the CEO and Chairperson must undertake an interview with Foras na Gaeilge.
Foras na Gaeilge will host a meeting on Friday of this week, with the Chairpsersons and CEOs of those organisations who have been shortlisted. Information will be provided at that meeting in relation to the next stages of the process and what is required in the submission document.
19 organisations currently receive core-funding from Foras na Gaeilge. It is expected that three of these organisations, Raidió na Life, Raidió Fáilte and An tÁisaonad will be funded through new schemes yet to be established by Foras na Gaeilge, which leaves 16 organisations jockeying for position for six golden tickets to ensure their future.
Critics claim this new model could potentially destroy much of the existing language support structures across the 32 counties. It is expected that the six lead-organisations will be announced in January 2014, at which point it will be known which organisations will no longer be supported by Foras na Gaeilge.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Múinteoir Matamaitice
November 11, 2013
