Comórtas aistriúcháin an AE
November 29, 2010
Ionsaí ar Ghaelscoileanna
November 29, 2010
That’s how you debate: Coláiste Rís into debating final
November 29, 2010
Three Dundalk students have proved that they not only know how to win an argument, they know how to do so through the Irish language.
Coláiste Rís students Kelly Ní Fhloinn and twins, Mícheál and Neasán Mac Suibhne are on their way to the regional final of the Gael Linn debating competition. The junior team recently successfully competed in the second round of Comórtas Uí Chadhainis in Monaghan where they debated the motion ‘Pensioners have a great life!’ (‘Is aoibhinn beatha an phinsinéara!’). They debated the motion with teams from Coláiste Íosagáin and Coláiste Eoin, Booterstown, Co Dublin and Coláiste Oiriall, Co Monaghan. Teacher Seán Ó Coigligh helped the young Dundalk orators to prepare for the debate and they managed to convince the judges with their strong arguments in favour of the motion.
Delighted with their win, the team will now progress to the regional final of the competition, which is due to take place next month. “The main aim of Comórtas Uí Chadhain is to promote the use of Irish in schools and among young people, while at the same time fostering skills in public speaking and debating,” said Jamie Ó Tuama of Gael Linn. “There is an added incentive for students to participate, as 40 per cent of marks in the Leaving Certificate will be allocated to the Oral Irish Examination from now on, and the competition has attracted a large number of entries this year as a result.”
Donegal Democrat – Tamara O’Connell
24 Samhain 2010
An Gaeloideachas – croílár na Straitéise 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge
November 29, 2010
Irish-medium schools under serious threat following the announcement of proposed changes to the pupil-teacher ratio
November 25, 2010
Irish-medium schools are deeply concerned by the Department of Education and skills’ announcement of the end of the current pupil-teacher ratio system. The system currently in operation acknowledges the extra challenges facing small and developing Irish-medium schools and allows them a slightly more favourable pupil-teacher ratio than large and long-established schools.
The present system recognised the extra challenges facing developing Irish-medium schools, such as teaching the entire curriculum through the medium of Irish despite the paucity of resources and supports available to the Irish-medium sector. The ratio permitted in smaller Irish-medium schools acknowledged the need to strengthen and protect the immersion system and the Irish language ethos in schools.
It has now been announced that the Irish-medium schools will be subject to the same ratios operational in English-medium schools from September 2011. This has very serious implications for the Irish-medium sector and will result in job losses, larger class size and a less effective learning experience for the child. This will also have serious repercussions for teachers employed in the Irish-medium sector, especially those without panel rights and particularly given that there isn’t a proper panel for teachers in Irish-medium schools.
Caoimhín Ó hEaghra, General Secretary of Foras Pátrúnachta na Scoileanna Lán-Ghaeilge Teo. remarked, “it’s clear from the amount of calls we received from our schools today that they feel threatened by a Department completely insensitive to their needs. If this continues, teachers will lose their jobs and they will not have a place on a panel, as schools under the remit of the Foras are not granted panel places by the Department. This, coupled with the lack of proper accommodation for schools and the failure to grant Gaelscoil Ráth Tó official recognition raises questions about the Department’s attitude to Irish-medium education.”
There has also been a steady stream of calls from concerned teachers and principals to the GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. offices about the implications of the Department’s decision in terms of the everyday running of schools operating under the additional pressure of larger classes and greater teacher workloads. GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. President, Mícheál Ó Broin sympathises, saying
“We understand the seriousness of this crisis for a sector which is taking one serious hit after another. Not only are Irish-medium schools unfairly suffering due to poor accommodation and a lack of educational supports, this latest blow puts more pressure on their already limited resources. It is scandalous and unacceptable that Irish-medium schools suffer yet again due to the government’s lack of planning and vision. We will continue to seek clarification through dialogue with the Department on this important issue.”
GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. is the national coordinating organisation for Irish-medium schools at primary and post-primary level. It provides assistance and support to parents and local communities who wish to found a school and it supports existing Irish-medium schools in their development.
End
GAELSCOILEANNA TEO: 01-8535195 / Mícheál Ó Broin ag 0879467700 /Bláthnaid ní Ghréacháin (Ardfheidhmeannach) ag 0868050335.
An Foras Patrúnach
Seminar organised by Gaelscoileanna Teo. and Forbairt Naíonraí Teo.
November 25, 2010
Irish-Medium Education – Fundamental to the 20-year Strategy for the Irish language
November 25, 2010
Minister Pat Carey officially opened GAELSCOILEANNA TEO.’s Annual Conference which was held in Tullamore on November 19th and 20th with a timely, and stirring speech for the large crowd of principals, teachers, esteemed guests and members of the Irish-language and education communities and organisations present.
The Minister officially recognised the pivotal role of Irish-medium schools in developing the twenty year Strategy for the Irish language and of the voluntary organisations which he sees as central to the future of Irish as a spoken language.
Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh’s dedication and contribution to the Irish-medium sector was also celebrated and he gave a rousing speech about the importance of Irish-medium education in society, throughout history and to the future of the Irish language.
Éamonn Murtagh, Assistant Chief Inspector with the Department of Education and Skills stressed the Department’s complete support for Irish-medium education and recognised the fundamental role played by Irish-medium schools and their teachers in developing and promoting the Strategy. He furthermore emphasised the values and advantages of the immersion system and referred to the progress made on the question on early-immersion education as a result of ongoing talks with GAELSCOILEANNA TEO., other organisations and the schools themselves. Ardfheidhmeannach, Bláthnaid ní Ghréacháin remarked “we greatly welcome the official support and recognition of the Department for the most effective educational system in terms of language acquisition in Ireland. We look forward to consulting with the Department with regard to the immiment publication of the Draft legislative Instrument to ensure that the advantages of the immersion system are reflected in the new legislation”.
Ní Ghréacháin thanked all the Conference delegates over the two days for “contributing to the success of the Conference through their passion and active participation. It’s wonderful to see the excellent education standards in Irish-medium schools being celebrated and I’m very grateful to the Irish-medium schools who played an active role in the debate and discussions”.
President of the organisation, Mícheál Ó Broin, called on the Department of Education and Skills to “honour its commitment in relation to developing the Irish-medium education system by investing accordingly in the system, and in particular in finding solutions to the current accommodation crisis and the granting of recognition to new gaelscoileanna to satisfy demand.”
More than 250 delegates attended the Conference, with strong representation from both Primary and Post-Primary schools and from educational and Irish-language organisations from all over the island. The material from the sessions and speeches will be available shortly on the organisation’s website, www.gaelscoileanna.ie.
GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. is the national coordinating organisation for Irish-medium schools at primary and post-primary level. It provides assistance and support to parents and local communities who wish to found a school and it supports existing Irish-medium schools in their development.
COIRM GAEL LINN
November 23, 2010
Camchuairt Bhuntáiste Breise na Gaeilge 2010
November 22, 2010
Language plans said to be the ‘most significant in 90 years’
November 22, 2010
Just 83,000 people speak Irish on a daily basis and the Government aims to increase that number to 250,000 through its 20-year language strategy, the Dáil has heard.
As calls were made for compulsory Irish to be dropped after Junior Certificate level, Minister for the Gaeltacht Pat Carey warned there is a danger that the Irish language will die unless action is taken. He described the strategy as one of the most significant steps taken on the Irish language in 90 years. Mr Carey said it was a great achievement that the language was still being spoken in Gaeltacht areas given the pressure from the level of English that is spoken. The Minister said it is the household that creates the native speaker but it is the community speaking the language that would keep it alive.
During a two-hour debate on the first official language, conducted mainly in Irish, Fine Gael Gaeltacht spokesman Frank Feighan believed that 4 per cent of Irish speakers, or roughly 72,000 people, use the language daily outside the classroom. He welcomed the strategy but said we should look at the retention of Irish as a compulsory subject from primary to Leaving Certificate level. Fergus O’Dowd (FG, Louth) was more adamant. We must get rid of our compulsory Irish after the Junior Certificate. We must offer people choice after the Junior Certificate rather than having it compulsory. Students love the subjects they want to do, not the ones they have to do.
Labour spokesman Brian O’Shea said there is a large measure of soft support for the Irish language among the public but we must convert this into something more active. He said the Gaeltacht areas could not be kept alive without employment in the area. He also believed the language should be simplified, particularly irregular verbs, a proposal sharply criticised by Sinn Féin spokesman Aengus Ó Snodaigh. He said: I don’t see anyone asking the French to change their irregular verbs. He also criticised the Oireachtas which refused to accept amendments to Bills in Irish and condemned the rare use of language in the chamber with usually only one debate annually on Irish, around St Patrick’s Day. Trevor Sargent (Green, Dublin North) said the language was on the edge of extinction and warned against the strategy’s changes in the role of Údarás na Gaeltachta.
The Irish Times – Marie O’Halloran
19 Samhain 2010
