An Múnla Nua pléite i dTionól TÉ
Samhain 6, 2013
Chuir an Choiste Cultúir, Ealaíon agus Fóillíochta de chuid Tionóil Thuaisceart Éireann (Coiste CAL) fáilte roimh Fhoras na Gaeilge le déanaí nuair a bpléadh impleachtaí an mhúnla nua mhaoinithe ar chúrsaí Gaeilge sna 6 chontae.
Fógraíodh struchtúr úr maoinithe d’Earnáil Dheonach na Gaeilge mí Iúil 2013 nuair a ghlac an Chomhairle Aireachta Thuaidh Theas (CATT) cinneadh críochnaitheach maidir le múnla nua molta ag Foras na Gaeilge.
Faoin múnla nua, cuirtear 6 thosaíochtaí straitéiseacha faoi chúram 6 cheanneagraíocht ag feidhmiú ar bhonn uile-oileáin a thiocfaidh in áit na naoi n-eagraíocht déag atá á mbunmhaoiniú ag Foras na Gaeilge faoi láthair. Fógraíodh amlíne an athstruchtúraithe le déanaí a d’fháiltigh roimh aon eagraíocht léiriú spéise a chur isteach roimh 30 Deireadh Fómhair.
D’ardaigh Coiste CAL neart ceisteanna le linn an phlé le Foras na Gaeilge maidir le himní na n-eagraíochtaí ó thuaidh i dtaobh thionchair an struchtúir nua ar an obair ar leith atá á déanamh sna 6 chontae le blianta anuas leis an nGaeilge a chur chun cinn sa dlínse sin.
Chuir an Coiste in iúl nach ionann staid na Gaeilge sa dá dhlínse agus léiríodh buairt an phobail maidir leis na himpleachtaí tromchúiseacha a bheadh i ndán don earnáil faoin struchtúr nua. Tá 7 n-eagraíochtaí bunmhaoinithe lonnaithe sa tuaisceart i láthair na huaire agus ní fios cén líon a mhairfidh faoin múnla nua. Luadh an obair trasphobail atá á déanamh ag Iontaobhas Ultach le blianta anuas agus taighde Phobail i leith staid na Gaeilge agus cearta teanga sna 6 chontae.
Meabhraíodh go bhfuil taithí agus saineolas na n-eagraíochtaí seo ríthábhachtach i leith aon dul chun cinn a dhéanfaí amach anseo agus creidtear go gcaillfí acmhainní luachmhara na hearnála faoin múnla nua. Rinneadh caint freisin ar bhallraíocht an fhóraim fhorbartha agus cén ionadaíocht ó eagraíochtaí sna sé chontae a bheidh ar an bhfóram seo, rud nach fios go fóill. Tarraingíodh aird ar chás gnó an mhúnla nua atá faoi bhráid na Roinne Cultúir, Ealaíon agus Fóillíochta go fóill agus ba é tuairim an Choiste gur chóir na socruithe ó thaobh aistriú bainistíochta agus comhairleoirí a bheith curtha in áit i bhfad roimhe seo.
Chuir Foras na Gaeilge in iúl go mbeidh gach ceanneagraíocht ag feidhmiú ar bhonn uile-oileáin rud a chiallaíonn go mbeidh baill foirne lonnaithe in oifigí sa dá dhlínse. Dúradh go bhfuil taithí ag na heagraíochtaí ó dheas i dtaobh chúrsaí Gaeilge ó thuaidh agus go mbeidh éifeacht dearfach ar an obair trasphobail ar siúl ann óir go leagfaí níos mó béime ar obair eagraíochtaí áitiúla agus gníomhaíocht ar an talamh amach anseo.
Cé nach mbeidh Foras na Gaeilge freagrach as earcaíocht sna ceanneagraíochtaí, dúradh go mbeidh an Foras ag moladh shaineolas na bhfoirne reatha a bheith mar thosaíocht le linn aon phróiseas earcaíochta faoin struchtúr úr. Tugadh le fios go ndéanfar gach iarracht saineolas agus taithí na naoi n-eagraíocht déag a choinneáil san earnáil agus go ndéanfar iarracht scálaí pá a choinneáil mar an gcéanna.
Maíodh nach mbeidh de chumas ar an gcóras nua ról a sholáthar do gach fostaí reatha ach go raibh mar mholadh ag an múnla nua go gcónascfaidh eagraíochtaí mar chuid den phróiseas iarratais. Tuigtear go bhfuil eagraíochtaí áirithe i gcainteanna ina leith seo ach cuireadh in iúl nach bhfuil ar chumas Fhoras na Gaeilge eagraíochtaí a bhrú le chéile faoin bpróiseas. Thug Foras na Gaeilge le fios go dtabharfar cead d’eagraíochtaí cónascadh ainneoin léiriú spéise a chur isteach mar eagraíocht aonarach.
Leag an Coiste an-bhéim ar thábhacht na dtionscadal éagsúil a mbíonn ar bun ag na heagraíochtaí go leanúnach agus nach mór go leanfadh na tionscadail sin ar aghaidh. Chuir ionadaithe Fhoras na Gaeilge in iúl go mbeidh ceanneagraíochtaí ag díriú ar chúrsaí a bhaineann lena réimse áirithe amháin sa chóras nua rud a chiallaíonn go mbeidh an-chuid tionscadal á n-aistriú ó cheanneagraíochtaí úra agus ó eagraíochtaí nach n-éiríonn leo áit a bhaint amach faoin múnla nua.
Gealladh go gcuirfeadh Foras na Gaeilge na socruithe cuí in áit idir Eanáir agus Iúil 2014 leis an aistriú idir eagraíochtaí a éascú agus le cinntiú go gcoinnítear obair thábhachtach na n-eagraíochtaí uile sa chóras nua.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Mórlaigí i múineadh na Gaeilge
Samhain 6, 2013
Foilsíodh Tuairisc an Phríomhchigire inné ina n-aithnítear bearnaí suntasacha i bhfoghlaim agus i múineadh na Gaeilge sa chóras oideachais.
Tá Tuairisc an Phríomchigire Harold Hislop bunaithe ar shonraíocht iniúchtaí, idir chigireacht fógartha agus chigireacht theagmhasach, a reáchtáil an Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna idir 2010 agus 2012.
Is é an cheád uair gur foilsíodh an tuairisc go poiblí agus cé go bhfuil caighdeán na n-ábhar molta den chuid is mó, tá caighdeán múineadh na Gaeilge cáinte go mór ag an bPríomhchigire.
De réir na tuairisce, tá caighdeán na Gaeilge níos lú ná sásúil i 24% de bhunscoileanna na tíre agus 28% d’iarbhunscoileanna. Airíonn an tuairisc nár tugadh deis do dhaltaí foghlaim ó chaint agus ó phlé i 22% de cheachtanna rud a chiallaíonn nach bhfuil aird á tabhairt do bhunriachtanas fhoghlaim teanga. Moladh mór a eascraíonn as tuairiscí cigireachtaí teagmhasacha agus Meastóireachta Scoile Uile (MSU) ná gur gá deis a thabhairt do dhaltaí oibriú i gcomhpháirt le linn na gceachtanna Gaeilge agus i leith dlús a chuir le foghlaim na teanga.
D’airigh an tuairisc go leagfaí an-bhéim ar réamhullmhúcháin agus pleanáil ceachta sna scoileanna ina bhfuil an-rath ar mhúineadh na Gaeilge. Meastar nach bhfuil ullmhúcháin leordhóthanach á déanamh ag 22% do mhúinteoirí agus mar thoradh tá líon suntasach dhaltaí nach bhfuil fáil acu ar chlár foghlama atá ullmhaithe mar is cuí.
Thug cigirí le fios nach raibh cleachtais an mheasúnaithe sásúil i níos mó ná an 35% de cheachtanna Gaeilge. Moltar i dTuairisc an Phríomhchigire nach mór do bhunscoileanna soláthar pleanáilte, córasach ar fhoghlaim daltaí i bpríomhscileanna na Gaeilge a mheas.
Léiríodh easpa acmhainní chun tacú le teagasc na Gaeilge i 20% de cheachtanna. Airíodh an dúshlán céanna i dtaobh múineadh na Gaeilge ag an leibhéal iarbhunscoile. Ardaíodh an géarghá le clár amhail Séideán Sí, atá in úsáid i scoileanna Gaeltachta agus lán-Ghaeilge, i dtuarascáil de chuid na Cigireachta, An Ghaeilge sa Bhunscoil in 2007 ach níl leithéid de chlár i bhfeidhm go fóill. Táthar ag súil go mbeidh dea-thionchar ag obair na Comhairle Náisiúnta Curaclaim agus Monatóireachta (CNCM) agus na Comhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG) ar an easnamh seo.
Moltar sa tuairisc gur gá béim bhreise a chur ar fheasacht fóineolaíochta ag an leibhéal iarbhunscoile agus béim níos láidre ar insealbhú na struchtúr agus na rialacha gramadaí na teanga. Moltar go ndíreofaí ar an sprioctheanga níos mó le linn cheachtanna agus go ndéanfaí an t-aistriúcháin a sheachaint.
Freisin, léiríonn tuairiscí na gcigirí go raibh scileanna teanga na múinteoirí féin easnamhach i líon beag, ach líon suntasach, scoileanna.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
€1.2m ar fáil do sheirbhís úr nuachta
Samhain 6, 2013
Tá beart Fhoras na Gaeilge maidir le seirbhís nuachta fógartha.
€1.2m idir 2014-17 ní €300,000 in aghaidh na bliana an maoiniú a bheidh i gceist.
Tá an foras ag obair ar na mionsonraí agus cuirfear tús le próiseas leis an ghrúpa a sholáthróidh an tseirbhís a aimsiú ag deireadh na míosa.
Seirbhís idirlín amháin a bheas i gceist le nuacht á uasdátú ‘go rialta’ agus ábhar anailíse agus cúrsaí spóirt á bhfoilsiú ar bhonn seachtainiúil.
Tá sé ráite ag príomhfheidhmeannach an Fhorais, Ferdie Mac an Fhailí, go bhfuil sé ag dúil go mbeadh an tseirbhís nua ag feidhmiú “ar a mhoille faoi lár na bliana seo chugainn” – breis is bliain ó cuireadh deireadh leis an nuachtán Gaelscéal.
Foilsíodh an chóip dheireanach de Gaelscéal ag deireadh mhí Feabhra, mí tar éis gur fhógair Foras na Gaeilge go raibh siad chun deireadh a chur le maoiniú an pháipéir.
Agus é ag caint ar Raidió na Gaeltachta, dúirt Mac an Fhailí “go bhfuil gné eile ann atá thar a bheith tábhachtach go mbeidh deis ag daoine óga altanna a sholáthar don ghrúpa seo agus an cheird a fhoghlaim”.
www.independent.ie
An M. Oid. san Oideachas Lán-Ghaeilge seolta go hoifigiúil ag an gComhairle Mhúinteoireachta i gColáiste Mhuire gan Smál
Samhain 6, 2013
Seoladh clár nua iarchéime, An M. Oid. san Oideachas Lán-Ghaeilge, i gColáiste Mhuire gan Smál ar an Satharn, 02 Samhain 2013. Is é seo an chéad chlár iarchéime sa tír le sraith modúl atá comhtháite, comhleanúnach agus idirghaolmhar le freastal go sonrach ar oideoirí tumoideachais agus ar ghairmithe eile a bhíonn ag obair i réimse an oideachais lán-Ghaeilge. Ag seoladh an chláir go hoifigiúil ar an lá, dúirt Stiúrthóir na Comhairle Múinteoireachta, an tUas. Tomás Ó Ruairc, “Tá an clár seo, an M. Oid. san Oideachas Lán-Ghaeilge an-tábhachtach, go háirithe d’earnáil an tumoideachais agus na Gaelscolaíochta. Tá an clár trasearnála cumais foghlama seo ag cruthú spáis ar bhealach a thugann an scóip is mó is féidir do mhúinteoirí a bpróiseas foghlama féin a mhúnlú agus a stiúradh – le chéile. Tá sé ag cruthú an spáis sin ar bhealach atá iomlán solúbtha agus ilghnéitheach Tá an clár le moladh as an oiread sin earnálacha a tharraingt le chéile in aon phróiseas foghlama amháin. Tá an earnáil ag lorg a leithéid le fada an lá.”
Dúirt Uachtarán Choláiste Mhuire gan Smál, An tOllamh Mícheál Ó hAodha, “Trí imeascadh a dhéanamh ar chur chuige a roghnófar go cúramach agus a chuirfidh leis an gcur chuige duine le duine agus ar líne, ag teacht leis na torthaí foriomlána foghlama, tá sé beartaithe go bhforbróidh an clár ilchodach iarchéime seo pobail fiosrúcháin ina mbeidh teagasc agus foghlaim den chéad scoth chomh maith le scoláireacht agus taighde ag an leibhéal is airde”. Léirigh Déan an Oideachais, Coláiste Mhuire gan Smál, An tOllamh Teresa O’ Doherty go bhfuil sainriachtanais i ngort an oideachais Lán-Ghaeilge. Agus í ag caint le linn na hócáide, dúirt sí, “Is léir go bhfuil géarghá le clár ar leith a fhreastalaíonn go beacht ar na sainriachtanais um fhorbairt ghairmiúil aitheanta seo. Tá céim shuntasach chun tosaigh tógtha againn inniu i saol an oideachais Lán-Ghaeilge.”
Ag an seoladh, bhronn Cathaoirleach na Comhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta, An tUas. John Carr, spárántachtaí taighde ar mhic léinn an chohóirt reatha. Dúirt T.J. Ó Ceallaigh, Comhordaitheoir an Chláir, “Tá bearnaí suntasacha fós le líonadh nuair a thagann sé go taighde dúchasach an tumoideachais agus an oideachais lán-Ghaeilge sa tír seo. Cuirfidh an cohórt reatha seo agus aon chohórt eile sa todhchaí go suaithinseach agus go suntasach le réimse taighde agus cleachtais an tumoideachais agus an oideachais dhátheangaigh, go náisiúnta agus go hidirnáisiúnta. Tá na síolta curtha inniu. Beimid ag súil leis an bhFómhar”
Ma tá tuilleadh eolais uait a bhaineann leis an gclár nua trasearnála cumaisc foghlama seo, An M. Oid. san Oideachas Lán-Ghaeilge, is féidir teagmháil a dhéanamh le Comhordaitheoir an Chláir, T.J. Ó Ceallaigh ag tj.oceallaigh@mic.ul.ie
Tairiscint speisialta ar Forever Languages
Samhain 5, 2013
Comhlacht úrnua is ea Forever Languages, agus is mór an paisean atá againn do theangacha. Tá sé mar príomhaidhm againn grá teanga a chothú i measc mac léinn de gach aon aois agas cumas teanga.
Tá roinnt leabhar ar díol againn do scoileanna lán-Ghaelach agus tá tairiscint speisíalta ar siúl againn do Gaelscoileanna.ie i rith mí Samhain. Tabharfar lacáiste 10% agus postas saor in aisce ar orduithe a íocfar roimh 30 Samhain 2013: níl le déanamh ach Gaelscoileanna.ie a lua nó códfhocal GAEL a úsáid agus an t-ordú á dhéanamh agat ar ár suíomh gréasáin: www.foreverlanguages.com
Is iad na leabhair ar thairiscint speisialta ná:
On y va! 1 + 2: Is é seo an t-aon chúrsa Fraincise trí Ghaeilge atá ar fáil don Teastas Sóisearach.
On y va! 1 – Téacsleabhar agus dlúthdhiosca don chéad bhliain iarbhunscoile
On y va! 2 – Téacsleabhar agus dlúthdhiosca don dara agus don tríú bliain iarbhunscoile
….à la française – Leabhar agus dlúthdhiosca Fraincise don leibhéal tosaitheoir bunscoile ná chéad bhliain sa meánscoil. Pleananna Ceachta déanta amach go mion do gach rémise ábhair – matamaitic, stair, tíreolaíocht, eolaíocht, ealaín agus corpoideachas. Acmhainn ar féidir fótachóip a dhéanamh di.
Forbartha i dtreo spraoi a bheith ag baint le foghlaim na Fraincise do gach duine.
Cuir ríomhphost chuig marie@foreverlanguages.com le haghaidh tuilleadh sonraí.
Tá leathanaigh samplaigh le fáil ar an suíomh gréasáin:
www.foreverlanguages.com/index.php/samples
Tá nótaí múinteora agus áiseanna breise le íoslódáil ar an suíomh : www.foreverlanguages.com/index.php/downloads
Corn an Earagail
Samhain 5, 2013
Ar an 11 Deireadh Fómhair d’eagraigh Scoil Fhionáin, An Fál Carrach lá mór spóirt do na scoileanna sa cheantar. Bhí ceithre scoil i láthair: Scoil Fhionáin An Fálcarrach, Scoil Dhoire Beaga, Scoil An Luinnigh agus Scoil an Chlochan Liath – bhí seacht fhoireann san iomlán trí fhoireann cailíní agus ceithre fhoireann buachaillí. Bhí sé ar siúl ibpáirc GAA Chloich Cheann Fhaola ar feadh an lae – bhí an ghrian ag soilsiú anuas orainn agus bhí lá iontach ag gach duine. Is é an moladh a bhí ann go mbeadh sé again gach bliain má fhaigheann muid an deontas d’imeachtaí idirscoile. Cheannaíomar dhá chorn agus thugamas’Corn an Earagail’ orthu agus boinn fosta. Seo thíos grianghraif ón lá!
Gairmscoil Chú Uladh – Bliots Cispheile idirscoile
Samhain 5, 2013
Ag tús mí Dheireadh Fomhair socraíodh bliots Cispheile idirscoile don chéad bhliain (Girseachaí + Gasúraí) a eagrú. Ghlac trí Scoil ghaelach ar fad páirt sa chomórtas cispheile seo, Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair, Colaiste Chineal Eoghain agus muid féin, Gairmscoil Chú Uladh.
B’ iad na príomh spriocanna den chomótas seo ná deis a thabhairt do na daltaí feabhas a chur ar a gcuid scileanna cispheile ina dteannta lena gcuid Gaeilge. Cuireadh béim faoi leith ar an Ghaeilge a úsáid mar mheán cumarsáide le linn an lae. Bhain na daltaí uilig an-tairbhe as an imeacht ó thaobh na Gaeilge de.
Cé go raibh an – choimhlint idir na foirne uilig go léir sa deireadh bronnadh coirn agus boinn ar ghasuraí Colaiste Chineal Eoghain agus girseachaí Colaiste Chineal Eoghain. B’ é an t- atmaisféir gaelach, spreagúil agus dearfach a bhí le feiceáil le linn na cluichí iomaíoch agus siamsúil an rud is tabhachtaí a thainig amach as an lá!
School inspectors criticise standards of teaching in maths and Irish
Samhain 5, 2013
Teaching quality and standards in all other subjects were found to be satisfactory Report includes assessments after announced and unannounced inspections
School inspectors have highlighted unsatisfactory quality standards in the teaching of maths and Irish in schools. However, teaching in all other subject areas holds up better, with more positive assessments, a report by the chief inspector of schools has found. The report shows that a quarter of Irish lessons at primary level during inspections were unsatisfactory. In post-primary schools, about a third of Irish lessons were ranked as unsatisfactory, as were a quarter of maths lessons. And while maths learning in primary schools was satisfactory or better in 86 per cent of cases, the report showed that only half of students were involved in collaborative working, something considered essential in this subject area.
Teaching quality and standards in all other subjects were found to be satisfactory or better, according to the Chief Inspector’s Report 2010-2012 released yesterday. The highly detailed report includes assessments after announced and unannounced inspections by staff from the department. For the first time the inspector’s report includes surveys involving parents and also students, who give their assessments of teaching standards in our schools. Inspectors judged that 86 per cent of lessons inspected in unannounced inspections were satisfactory or better in primary schools, but 14 per cent were not satisfactory. The overall figures for post-primary schools were 87 per cent satisfactory or better and 13 per cent not satisfactory. This generally good performance was repeated across all lessons, the inspectors judged, except for in the areas of Irish and maths. Baseline of data Minist er f or Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn said he had read the report with interest. It now provided a baseline of data which could be used in ongoing inspection activities.
The difficulties with maths and Irish were a problem, he said. “Does it point to a need for reform? No, it screams for reform,” Mr Quinn said of the inspector’s findings. For too long people had “unwisely” accepted the notion that Ireland had the best education system in the world, something that blocked change. The report showed that generally the school system was performing well, he said, but it also revealed some weaknesses and pointed schools in the direction of improvement. The school system had been working “in a challenging context” given the fiscal restraints, said chief inspector of schools Harold Hislop. Student numbers had grown while the number of teachers has remained fairly static. The report included the details of a l mo s t 800 whole school evaluations and 1,100 incidental inspections at primary level, he said. At post-primary there had been a l mos t 190 whole school evaluations, more than 1,400 subject inspections and 430 incidental inspections, he said.
Inspection procedures had been changed considerably and this was the first such report to be issued publicly by the inspector’s office, Mr Hislop said. Also for the first time questionnaires were completed by thousands of parents and students to assess their views on the provision of education. These surveys showed there was a “communications issue” between schools and parents. While 94 per cent of primary pupils felt safe at school, only 70 per cent of parents f elt their child’s school was dealing well with bullying. Only 70 per cent of parents said their views were regularly sought by the school. Parental surveys The responses from parental surveys were very positive from the point of view of education, the report indicates. The survey of 47,000 parents of primary school pupils showed that 97 per cent of them f elt that teaching was good in their child’s school. At post-primary school level 87 per cent of the 20,000 parents surveyed were happy about the teaching standards at their child’s school. The 29,000 post-primary student surveys showed 70 per cent of students said their classes were interesting and 74 per cent agreed that their teachers explained things clearly.
www.irishtimes.com
Embedded shortcomings in the system revealed
Samhain 5, 2013
There was good news in this report – but it will be hard to solve the problems
Parents and students are at the receiving end of the education system but their views on the services provided are only infrequently requested. So it is interesting that their views are so well represented in the chief inspector’s report on the quality and standards in teaching and learning in our primary and post-primary sectors. Previously the results of school inspection visits were kept within the Department of Education and Skills and were not issued as public documents. It was decided to revamp the inspection procedures for this latest report, changing them in the knowledge that at the end there would be a report for publication.
There was a considerable effort made to sample sentiment, given that 132,000 questionnaires were issued to parents and students at primary and post-primary level, and the results add significantly to the value of the report. It will be reassuring for the department to see relatively high percentages of “satisfactory” and “better than satisfactory” assessments across the full range of subjects. The report looked at both the teaching approaches taken but also the learning outcomes in the students. Lower performance levels were seen in maths and Irish however, evidence that our educational system needs to improve in these subject areas. The chief inspector Harold Hislop said that these results could not inform on whether the revised maths syllabus, Project Maths ,was having any impact in the classroom. There was confidence, however, that this would make a difference when the syllabus was fully implemented.
There are embedded shortcomings in the system, however, such as the fact that many teachers teaching maths are graduates of subjects other than maths or a science. This does not help when it comes to helping students with this sometimes difficult subject. Preparation It is difficult to know what to do with Irish. The report showed that far too often there was a low level of preparation for the classroom. The inspector speculated on whether having better in-class teaching materials might help bring improvements, although it is clear there are problems when almost a third of lessons at post-primary were considered unsatisfactory. The parent survey proved interesting because it revealed a communications gap between school management and parents, a point highlighted by Ruairí Quinn. At primary level only 70 per cent said their views were sought on school matters, and only 65 per cent knew about the work of the school board of management.
The gap apparently widens at post-primary where just 44 per cent of parents agreed their views were sought, with 32 per cent disagreeing and 24 per cent saying they don’t know. And the schools’ parents’ association does not seem to link with parents given only 51 per cent of parents said they were being informed, while 28 per cent disagreed and 20 per cent didn’t know.
www.irishtimes.com
10pc of lessons given in our schools are sub-standard
Samhain 5, 2013
SERIOUS weaknesses have been found in the teaching of Irish and maths in schools.
The most comprehensive snapshot ever of quality and standards in primary and post- primary education reveals some disturbing evidence of poor practice. While it found that the majority of schools were well- managed, most teachers work effectively and the learning of students is generally satisfactory, there are significant problems in some areas. Chief schools’ inspector Harold Hislop expressed concern about the overall minimum of “10pc to 15pc of schools and lessons where less-than-satisfactory practices exist”. “Fundamentally, there are weakness in the teaching and learning of Irish in particular and, to a lesser degree, in maths, in a significant proportion of our schools,” he said.
The Chief Inspector’s Report, published for the first time, gives a detailed overview of the quality of teaching and learning, based on inspections in the majority of schools over the period 2010-12. For first time also, the report includes the views of parents and pupils on their experiences of the education system, with 65,000 students and 67,000 parents completing questionnaires. The findings on the quality of teaching and learning are based on a range of inspections carried out in half of primary schools and more than 90pc of post-primary schools. In primary schools, it found that a “very significant” 24pc of Irish lessons were less than satisfactory. In post- primary schools, teaching of Irish was “satisfactory or better” in only 72pc of classes, and in some cases teachers’ own skills in the language were deficient. Shockingly, the quality of student learning in Ireland was found to be problematic in 32pc of cases.
Moves to improve the quality of Irish teaching and learning include longer teacher training and a new strategy on numeracy and literacy in schools. Mr Hislop’s report also highlighted issues around maths teaching in post-primary schools, which have been publicised before, and which are blamed for Ireland’s disappointing showing in international student tests. Mr Hislop said it was of concern that the quality of teaching was only “satisfactory or better” in 77pc of classes and the quality of learning was less than satisfactory in 26pc of lessons.
Upskill
Efforts are under way to upskill maths teachers, where necessary, while hopes of improving national student performance are also pinned on the new Project Maths syllabus. However, inspectors also noted that the depth of mathematical understanding required to teach Project Maths was challenging for some teachers. The inspectors found a much more positive picture around the teaching and learning of English, at both primary and post-primary level. Mr Hislop said among the issues raised by the inspections are the “definite shortcomings” in approaches to planning and preparing classes, at both primary and post-primary levels. He also said there were crucial issues to be addressed about how students were assessed. “Improvements in how schools assess and monitor the learning experiences and performance of their learners and in how they use the resulting information to plan for future teaching and learning are particularly important,” he said. Education Minister Ruairi Quinn said while the report acknowledged all the good practices taking place on a daily basis in schools, it also showed a system “screaming for reform” in some areas.
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