(Gaeilge) Taispeántas Ealaíne Na Nollag le Tristan Rosenstock
December 4, 2015
(Gaeilge) Folúntais: Feidhmeannach Rith 2016
December 3, 2015
(Gaeilge) Folúntas: Gaelscoil Thaobh na Coille, Baile Átha Cliath
December 3, 2015
Irish-Medium eLearning Conference
December 3, 2015
There was a strong presence from Irish-medium schools and units on Wednesday, 25 November for the first Irish-medium eLearning conference, hosted at St Mary’s.
Organised jointly by C2k and An tÁisaonad/St Mary’s University College, the conference aimed to highlight to the schools the range of eLearning opportunities that are available within C2k services. Additionally, C2k wanted to listen to the Irish-medium sector in terms of additional projects in which it might wish to participate and to improve communication with the sector and stakeholders.
Opening the event, Professor Peter Finn, Principal of St Mary’s University College, emphasised the joined-up approach of the conference and how appropriate it was that the conference was being held in the College, which had been pioneering in Irish-medium teacher education since the early 1990s.
Gavin Boyd, Head of the Education Authority, echoed those words in his keynote address. The conference also featured presentations made by the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI), An tÁisaonad, the Council for the Curriculum, Education and Assessment (CCEA), the Curriculum Advisory and Support Service (CASS), C2k and a number of schools.
The conference was tailored to relay the views of Irish-medium schools and units with a number of discussion groups and to end with a plenary session.
www.stmarys-belfast.ac.uk
(Gaeilge) Folúntas: Scoil Chearbhaill Uí Dhálaigh, Cill Dara
December 3, 2015
(Gaeilge) Clubanna Óige Feachtas
December 3, 2015
(Gaeilge) Tráth na gCeist Feachtas
December 3, 2015
(Gaeilge) Coláiste Eoin i mBÁC ar an scoil is mó a sholáthraíonn mic léinn d’institiúidí tríú leibhéal de réir liosta nua
December 3, 2015
Fee-paying schools dominate high-points courses
December 3, 2015
Table-topping Coláiste Eoin in Stillorgan bucks trend as one of just three non-fee-paying schools in top 10 with high progression rates.
Fee-paying schools continue to dominate the tables showing how many students progressed to high-points courses in college.
What we have designated as high-points courses are those at the seven universities, the teacher training colleges such as Mary Immaculate College; plus the Royal College of Surgeons and DIT. Generally, courses in these colleges require a higher level of points for entry than other colleges, including some institutes of technology.
Fee-paying schools largely command the top 30 in this table. This has been an ongoing trend in The Irish Times Feeder Schools tables for a number of years. Given that the State pays for these schools’ teachers’ salaries, it leaves scope for the use of fees for educational resources and facilities that can greatly benefit their students’ education. Some fee-paying schools may also resist enrolling children with educational difficulties.
While the fee-paying schools dominate, a boys’ Gaelscoil in Stillorgan tops this year’s table. Last year Coláiste Eoin had a progression rate of 89 per cent (joint 15th) but climbed to first this year with a 115 per cent progression rate to high points courses.
This figure includes students who sat the Leaving Cert in Coláiste Eoin in other years, and then accepted a place on an undergraduate course this year.
Coláiste Eoin’s sister school, Coláiste Íosagáin, ranked joint ninth in this year’s table with Muckross College, Dublin.
Both schools have a high-points course progression rate of 96 per cent. These three schools are the only non-fee paying schools that cracked the top 10 list. Other schools in the top 10 are Gonzaga College at number two with 109 per cent, St Vincent’s Castleknock College at number three with 108 per cent and the Teresian School, which falls from first to fourth place, at 105 per cent.
Gaelscoileanna continue to do well in sending students to high-point courses. Seven Irish-speaking schools feature in the top 30 list. These include Coláiste Cois Life, Lucan, with 83 per cent; Gaelcholáiste na Mara, Arklow, with 78 per cent; Meanscoil Garman 73 per cent and Coláiste na Coiribe, Galway with 74 per cent.
A bilingual school, Coláiste Iognáid in Galway, takes the 19th spot with an 84 per cent progression rate.
These figures do not tell us specifically where the class of 2015 ended up. The progression rates detailed here include not only this year’s Leaving Cert students, but also students who previously attended the schools listed. They may have deferred their place, they may be going back to college as mature students, or they may have repeated their Leaving Cert in another school or a grind school.
Schools in university towns or cities tend to have a large proportion of their students opting to attend the local university. Cork, Kildare, Limerick and Galway schools feature in the top 30 list but are largely outnumbered by Dublin.
Only two schools in the top 10 are outside of the capital. These are Cistercian College, Roscrea, with a student progression rate on to high-points courses of 103 per cent (fifth); and Clongowes Wood College in Kildare with 97 per cent (joint eighth). Both are fee-paying schools.
Some non-university counties are listed in the top 30. These include Gaelcholáiste na Mara in Arklow with 78 per cent; St Peter’s College in Meath with 78 per cent and Loreto College Cavan with 72 per cent.
Kilkenny College with 77 per cent (joint 25th) also features.
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/fee-paying-schools-dominate-high-points-courses-1.2451891
USI calls on parents to send children to Gaelscoileanna
December 3, 2015
Bilingual students in second and third level with high ability in Irish and English outperformed their monolingual peers in mathematics, even when assessed through English – their second language of learning.
“The mental gymnastics needed to constantly manage two or more linguistic systems increases cognitive flexibility and makes learning easier,” said Dr Dora Alexopoulou from the Department of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics in the University of Cambridge.
Gaelscoil attendance continues to grow across the country with areas outside the Gaeltacht and in Gaeltacht areas recording increased numbers year-on-year. The number of pupils attending both Irish-medium primary schools outside of the Gaeltacht went from 33,205 in 2013/14 to 34,476 in 2014/15 and those receiving education through Irish in Gaeltacht areas increased from 7,347 in 2013/14 to 7,485 in 2014/15.*
“USI is encouraging parents across Ireland to consider sending their children to a Gaelscoil or a bilingual school,” Kevin Donoghue, USI president said.
Highlighting the advantages offered by the development of literacy in two languages, Mr Donoghue said bilingualism “has numerous positive effects for students including increased understanding of maths concepts and problem-solving, resistance to Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, and a greater cultural awareness.”
Julian de Spáinn, spokesperson for Conradh na Gaeilge, said all children should have the opportunity to be educated bilingually.
Mr de Spainn said bilingual education offers linguistic, educational, social, cultural and personal development benefits for children.
“Gaelscoileanna offer this form of education and we believe that there should be more Gaelscoileanna established to satisfy parent demand for this form of education as there is plenty of evidence that supply is in no way meeting the demand.”
* This article was amended on 03/12/2015
