An M. Oid. san Oideachas Lán-Ghaeilge seolta go hoifigiúil ag an gComhairle Mhúinteoireachta i gColáiste Mhuire gan Smál
November 6, 2013
Special Offer from Forever Languages
November 5, 2013
Forever Languages is a brand new Irish company with a passion for languages. Our aim is to instil a love of languages in students of all ages and abilities.
We have a number of books for Irish-medium schools available for purchase. We have a special offer for Gaelscoileanna.ie until November 30th 2013, which gives a 10% discount and free delivery for all orders. Just mention Gaelscoileanna.ie when you place your order to avail of the discount, or use coupon code GAEL when you purchase from our website www.foreverlanguages.com
Some of the books in this special offer include:
On y va! 1 – French textbook with accompanying CD for 1st year students, specifically designed for Irish-medium schools.
On y va! 2 – French textbook with 2 accompanying CDs for the 2nd and 3rd year curriculum, also designed specifically for Irish-medium schools.
…à la française – French resource book and CD for beginners level in primary school or 1st year in secondary school. Detailed lesson plans for each subject area – maths, history, geography, science, art and P.E. This is a fully photocopiable resource.
Developed to make French language learning fun for everyone.
Please contact marie@foreverlanguages.com for further details.
You can find sample pages of all books on our website www.foreverlanguages.com/index.php/samples
The full Teachers Notes for both On y va! books can be downloaded from www.foreverlanguages.com/index.php/downloads
Minister Quinn Launches Chief Inspector’s Report 2010-12
November 4, 2013
Standards of teaching and learning were satisfactory or better in the majority of lessons inspected
Confidential Parental Surveys show very high levels of satisfaction with schools
The Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn T.D., has today launched the Chief Inspector’s Report on quality and standards in primary and post-primary schools and centres for education. The report, which is based on inspections carried out by the Department between 2010 and 2012, found the standards of teaching and learning were satisfactory or better in the majority of lessons inspected. Chief Inspector, Dr Harold Hislop, also noted there was room for improvement in a significant minority of lessons.
For the first time the Chief Inspector’s Report includes parental surveys that show very high levels of satisfaction with schools. Some 97 per cent of the more than 47,000 parents surveyed in primary schools felt that teaching was good in their child’s school. In post-primary schools, 87 per cent of the 20,000 parents surveyed held similar views.
This report follows a period of significant reform in how school inspections are carried out since 2010. Many inspections are now unannounced and while the number of inspectors has fallen, inspections of schools have become more frequent. Confidential surveys of parents and students now also form part of all whole-school evaluations.
“The reform of inspection has led to the introduction of a range of new models of inspection including unannounced inspections, follow-up inspections and a re-modelling of whole-school evaluation,” Minister Quinn said. “The Inspectorate also gathers the views and opinions of parents and learners and I am delighted to see how these important views are reflected in the Chief Inspector’s Report.”
Minister Quinn welcomed the report’s findings. “The Chief Inspector’s Report acknowledges all the good practice that takes place on a daily basis in our schools in terms of quality leadership, management, teaching and learning. It reveals some weaknesses and points schools firmly in the direction of improvement,” he said.
“Our school system has many strengths, thanks in large measure to the efforts of so many dedicated teachers and school leaders. In the past there has been a marked reluctance to acknowledge its failings and tackle its shortcomings,” Minister Quinn said. “This report gives us the information that we need, both qualitative and quantitative to allow us to see the strengths and weaknesses in teaching, learning, management and leadership in our schools.”
Inspectors judged that 86 per cent of lessons inspected in unannounced inspections were satisfactory or better in primary schools, while 14 per cent were not satisfactory. Similar findings emerged in whole-school evaluations in post-primary schools with 87 per cent of lessons judged to be satisfactory or better and 13 per cent not satisfactory.
“Inspections provide an important external look at the work of schools,” said the Chief Inspector, “and are focused on helping each school to improve its teaching and learning. They also provide an important reassurance to parents and the public about the quality of the work of schools”, Dr Hislop added.
The Chief Inspector’s Report 2010-12 raises particular concerns about the teaching of Irish and the teaching of Mathematics.
Students’ learning was found to be less than satisfactory in almost a quarter (24 per cent) of Irish lessons in primary schools and almost a third (32 per cent) of Irish lessons in post-primary schools. The lack of a comprehensive Irish-language programme for English-medium primary schools and concerns about the Irish-language competence of teachers in a small but significant number of classrooms were among the factors noted by the Chief Inspector.
Standards in the teaching and learning of mathematics were generally good at primary level with learning satisfactory or better in 85 per cent of lessons inspected and good results for Irish students in international surveys. However, inspectors noted the lack of opportunities for primary pupils to engage in the sort of collaborative working needed for effective problem-solving.
At post-primary level, students’ learning was judged to be less than satisfactory in over a quarter of mathematics lessons (26 per cent). The Chief Inspector noted that Project Maths was being introduced during the period covered by this report to address many of the weaknesses in maths teaching. However, inspectors also noted that the depth of mathematical understanding required to teach Project Maths was challenging for some teachers.
The Chief Inspector’s Report 2010-12 also describes the “challenging” environment in which schools operated in the period 2010-12. It notes that spending on education rose from €3.218bn to €3.263bn at primary level and from €3.070bn to € 3.147bn at post-primary level, and that spending per student in 2010 was above the OECD average. Spending on supports for children with special education needs rose from €1.2bn in 2010 to €1.3bn in 2012 and now represents 15 per cent of the total budget of the Department. The report shows that student numbers rose by 5.5 per cent at primary level and by 6.3 per cent at post-primary level but that the number of teachers was relatively static. The retirement of large numbers of experienced teachers and the loss of middle management posts in schools due to the public service moratorium are also among the developments noted by the Chief Inspector.
An Triail
November 4, 2013
Fíbín presents its acclaimed version of the modern Irish classic An Triail by Mairéad Ní Ghráda for Leaving Cert students, as you’ve never seen it before, using puppets, masks and engaging visuals. November 18-22, 10.30am and 1.30pm.
www.axis-ballymun.ie.
Junior Cert Irish under review
November 4, 2013
Major reform for the Junior Certificate was announced by the Department of Education last October.
The new structure will be implemented on a phased basis from 2014 and the reformed examination will be taken for the first time in 2017.
Under the new system, students will take between 8 and 10 subjects from a wide range of traditional exam subjects and ‘short courses’ including subjects such as Chinese, Physical Education and Digital Media Literacy. Individual schools will devise a program of subjects from which students will choose.
Schools will be expected to put together a program that will develop the ability and thinking of students with subjects that meet the needs of that particular school body. It is hoped that the new Junior Certificate will see students rather than examinations at the centre of the new approach to assessment.
Irish, English and Mathematics will remain core subjects and 2016 will see Science introduced to this group.
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment is undertaking a consultation process on the background paper for the review of Irish and submissions are invited from any interested parties on the matter.
Participants are asked to send submissions to consultation@ncca.ie or to take part in the process by filling in either a short survey or a full survey on the NCCA website by 20 December 2013.
Irish is one of the Phase 2 subjects, along with Business Studies and Science, to be introduced to first year students in the autumn of 2015 as part of the junior cycle developments. English, the only Phase 1 subject, will have been introduced the previous year. The new specification for Irish will be published in autumn, 2014, a year in advance of its introduction.
All documents relating to the consultation process are available here.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Oideachas trasteorann ag méadú ó thuaidh agus ag titim ó dheas
November 4, 2013
News from East Galway
November 1, 2013
Chat Groups – Courses – Competitions – Other Opportunities
Register for online Irish courses
Gaeilge gan Stró + Gramadach gan Stró
Pay €80, get €30 back*
Info: 091-870718 / oifig@lochariach.com
Homework Clinic
Help with homework for parents of primary school children over tea and coffee in an informal setting. Every school Monday from 14.45 to 16.15 … back 11th Nov.
The Monthly Scrabble Challenge – Are you up to it?
Eolas | Info: 087 1953884 / oifig@lochariach.com
Join the next Scrabble in Irish evening in the Loughrea Hotel & Spa bar, Tuesday, 12 November, at 7.30pm. For Irish speakers, learners and those with the cúpla focal …. All interested are welcome!
Chat for Teenagers
Info: 091-870718 / oifig@lochariach.com
Chat group for secondary school students in first and second year every Wed. from 16.15 to 17.15 … homework serves as guide to the sessions but practise in speaking Irish is the primary focus … for €2 per week … back 11th Nov.
Enrolment Night for Summer Colleges in East Galway
Info: 087-3903994 / colaisteneifinn@gmail.com
Register your 12-18 year olds with Coláiste Néifinn for their Irish day colleges in Athenry and Glenamaddy next summer. Enrolment takes place in Raheen Woods Hotel, Athenry, on Wed., 6 Nov., at 18.00.
Shortstory Competition in Irish for adults
Info: Seosamh Ó Beirgin, gearrsceal@eircom.net
Organised by the Ballinasloe branch of Conradh na Gaeilge, Craobh Grealláin, for over 18s. Shortstories in Irish only. The prize is €300 … Deadline: 1 February 2014
Calendar for Irish language events in East Galway
Bilingual calendar now online. This is a platform for Irish-speaking or bilingual events hosted by the various organisations, community groups, or individuals who are actively running or involved in them. Contact the office to add an event, a club, or other: 091-870718 / oifig@lochariach.com
Fun Irish Club
Info: Ruth 091-870718 / Maura Kelly Stewart 087-2187924
The fun club for national school children, in Rang 2-6, runs on school Saturdays from 13.00 to 15.00, in Woodford. Check out the latest pictures … back on 9 Nov.
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Gaeilge Locha Riach • 3 Seanbhóthar na Gaillimhe • Baile Locha Riach, Co na Gaillimhe • Ireland
Oifig@lochariach.com
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Ócáid ag Tuismitheoirí na Gaeltachta ag an Oireachtas
October 29, 2013
