Examiners on trend with music and fashion
June 7, 2013
Little Mix, Michelle Obama and Kilkenny hurler Henry Shefflin all got a mention.
Music, technology, celebrities, and tweeting dominated this year’s Junior Cert Irish papers as examiners made a concerted effort to produce a current and culturally relevant exam.
Students opened up the higher level paper 1 and were greeted with a large picture of Little Mix, the 2011 winners of The X Factor. The girl group were used to test Irish grammar.
Although there was much online chatter over the inclusion of a comprehension piece on tweeting (#gtúit) as Gaeilge, teachers felt that some of the vocabulary used – including the word líonrú (networking) – would be unfamiliar to many teens. “I’ve been teaching Irish for over 20 years and I had to look the word up in an online dictionary,” said Robbie Cronin, ASTI subject representative for Irish and a teacher at Marian College, Ballsbridge, Dublin. Manchán Magan Paper 1 also featured a language test built around a TG4 programme hosted by travel writer Manchán Magan.
On higher level paper 2, the contemporary relevance continued, with students required to write about a video they saw on YouTube, or about a band or musician they like or to compose an angry missive to the editor of the local newspaper protesting over a referee’s decision in a sports game.
The response to paper 1 was mixed. A reading comprehension question about a lonely monkey in the Congo was probing but fair, according to Séamus Ó Fearraigh, TUI subject representative for Irish and a teacher in Gairmscoil Chú Uladh, Co Donegal, but some students criticised a question that asked them to write about the sad eyes of the monkey.
Mr Ó Fearraigh said that some of the essay topics – such as “How I Spent my Last Birthday”, “Fashion for People Today” and “Why friends are Very Important in People’s Lives” – would be challenging enough for people to write about in English, let alone Irish. Plain prose The response to paper 2 was more favourable, said Mr Cronin. “It received very positive feedback from both students and teachers. Generally the hardest parts for the boys I teach are the unseen prose and poetry pieces, which can be incomprehensible – not so this year,” he said.
There were no shocks or upsets in the ordinary level paper, where celebrities also featured: US first lady Michelle Obama and Kilkenny hurler Henry Shefflin – regarded by some as the greatest hurler of all time – both made an appearance. Questions were asked about Ms Obama’s children, her family, and her upbringing.
“The topic was current because the Obamas were in Ireland last year and Michelle Obama is due to make a return visit with her children,” said Mr Ó Fearraigh.
But not all students were happy. One boy took to Twitter to moan: “Why can’t I do honours Irish?! They got Little Mix while pass got Michelle Obama.”
www.irishtimes.com
Knocknacarra’s bilingual community national school
June 7, 2013
With only a few days to do so, the City of Galway VEC continues to seek expressions of interest for Galway’s first bilingual community national school in Knocknacarra.
The proposed bilingual model delivers the Department of Education and Skills’ primary education curriculum through two languages, Irish and English, to enable progression to post primary education through the medium of either Irish or English, and welcomes children from all linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
The bilingual community national school will aim to ensure that students are sufficiently competent in Irish to progress to Coláiste na Coiribe, City of Galway VEC’s Coláiste lán-Ghaeilge in Knocknacarra, which recently topped The Sunday Times’ table for university progression in Connacht, should they wish to do so.
Community national schools deliver the Goodness Me! Goodness You! programme, a multibelief programme which caters for children of all beliefs and none. It forms part of the daily teaching and learning in the school.
Full information on the programme can be found at www.cgvec.ie/cns
There has been a high level of interest from parents to date and the VEC is asking all interested parents to register an expression of interest at www.cgvec.ie/cns on or before June 10. You can also contact the City of Galway VEC at 091 549 400.
If successful, the City of Galway VEC’s bilingual community national school will open in Knocknacarra.
www.advertiser.ie/galway
Intensive Irish Language Course
June 7, 2013
Sat 8th June & Sunday 9th June – Registration 10.30 am (11am-4.30pm on Saturday, 11am – 1pm on Sunday)
Would you like to practise your Irish, or maybe start learning it for the first time? Well you will have the perfect opportunity during the Colm Cille Summer School in Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin. Coláiste an Phobail is providing Intensive Irish courses at various levels on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th June. The classes will run from 11:00-16:00 on Saturday and from 11:00 -13:00 on Sunday with the annual trip to Drumcatt taking place that afternoon.There are classes at 4 different levels to accommodate all learners, from complete beginners to those who have a high standard of Irish.
Adm: £15
Scholarships for Family Course in the Gaeltacht
June 6, 2013
Foras na Gaeilge, is providing 10 scholarships worth €1,000 each, to families wishing to attend a Family Course as Gaeilge in Gaoth Dobhair, Co Donegal during the week 20-27 July 2013.
All information on the course is available on www.piarsaigh.ie
The scholarship gives a family of four, two adults and two children, the opportunity of attending the course. An accommodation allowance of €400 will be paid to each family.
The scholarships are for families who have children in the All-Irish education sector.
Two scholarships will be presented each day during the week 10-14 June 2013 on Binneas Béal (2pm-4pm) on RTE RADIO NA GAELTACHTA.
Further information is available from Joe Ó Gallchóir at 086 8288764 or galljoe@eircom.net.
Stiúrthóir Naíonra
June 6, 2013
Sliabh Bloom walk – Celebrating Blain na Gaeilge
June 6, 2013
A special walk of Sliabh Bloom will take place as part of Bliain na Gaeilge celebrations which is being celebrated in many ways all over Ireland and abroad.
The Irish language walk will take place on Saturday 8th June 2013.
Sieve Bloom is full of hidden, magic places for walking, especially perhaps along the streams and rivers that radiate from the hills in all directions.
People will meet at the pub at Cadamstown in Co. Offally at 11am and then the walk will commence.
Come along to the land of Fionn Mac Cumhaill this Saturday and enjoy a wonderful sunny day out where thousands of years of magic and mystery are interwoven across a land as unspoiled as it is rich in archaeology, history, tradition and culture.
Please bring snacks and water.
Everybody welcome
For further information contact: 087 640 0184
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Gaelcholáiste na Mara gets permanent recognition from the Department of Education & Skills
June 6, 2013
GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. would like to congratulate Gaelcholáiste na Mara, Arklow, Co. Wicklow, which has been granted permanent recognition by the Department of Education and Skills. The announcement is a timely one for the school, founded in 2007, as this year will see the first cohort of students from Gaelcholáiste na Mara undertake their Leaving Certificate. We wish all the school’s students well, especially those sitting their Junior and Leaving Certificate exams at the moment. They’re sure to have a bright future ahead after their time spent in this supportive, vibrant school. More information on the school is available on www.gaelcholaistenamara.ie, where you’ll find a great blog on the wide range of activities the school has been involved with over the course of the year.
Anseo – aip nua le gréasán Gaeilge a chruthú ar líne
June 6, 2013
Stiúrthóir Cúnta – Naíonra Thomáis Daibhís
June 6, 2013
Gaelbhrat do mheánscoileanna
June 6, 2013
