Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 July 2006
131 Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister for Education and Science her views on the recent report which indicated that the standard of spoken Irish has deteriorated in schools; her plans to put more emphasis on the spoken language at both primary and post-primary level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25923/06]
View answerI welcome the report entitled ‘Irish in Primary schools: Long term National Trends in Achievement' by Dr John Harris which was published by my Department last Friday, 23 June 2006.
The report contains results relating to Irish language Listening, Speaking and Reading in the three populations of schools, ordinary, all-Irish and Gaeltacht. The report presents comparative data for 1985 and enables us to examine long term trends in achievement in the three types of schools over the period 1985-2002.
It is very gratifying to see that Gaelscoileanna are continuing to have very high achievement rates in language fluency. Such as been the development in that sector that each county has at least one all-Irish school and the numbers of pupils attending Gaelscoileanna has increased fivefold in the period between the two studies.
I am disappointed to read that pupil performance in Irish in English-medium schools has declined significantly in the past two decades. The reported fall in pupil performance in Irish in Gaeltacht schools though less serious, is also a worrying development.
My Department invests significant resources in the teaching and learning of Irish in Schools. This reflects the fact that Irish is the first official language and the national language under Article 7 of the Constitution and that the Irish language is a core part of our national culture and identity.
My opinions on the importance of oral Irish in schools are well known. I was happy to announce recently a number of initiatives to up-skill teachers in improving children's oral competence. I am now in the process of recruiting thirty extra Primary Curriculum Support Programme (PCSP) cuiditheoirí. They will support and advise practising teachers in applying the communicative method for the teaching of Irish at primary school level. This additional support will build upon the existing work provided by the PCSP in relation to Gaeilge. For example, the in-service provided by the PCSP over the 2006/07 school year will involve an input on Irish into four of the six days of in-service provided to teachers which is equivalent to two full days of Gaeilge in-service.
Arrangements are being made to provide in-career courses for primary teachers to improve their language and teaching skills. At post primary level, the Second Level Support Service (SLSS) is providing a series of modular programmes in Irish through the education centre network.
In post-primary schools, provision for an oral examination, organised at school level in accordance with the Department's guidelines, is already an optional feature of the Junior Certificate, although it is not widely used. Whether or not students are entered for this element of the examination, the focus of the syllabus is quite clear in the importance that attaches to communication — including oral communication — as the focus for teaching and learning in the subject. My Department has invited the Council of Europe to carry out an analysis of language education in Ireland. This process is progressing and Irish is one of the main areas for consideration.
I am confident that the package of measures which I have announced recently and other initiatives under the auspices of the NCCA in terms of ongoing review to the curricula in Irish at primary and post-primary will improve the teachers' competence and confidence regarding the teaching of Irish and in particular that such initiatives will cultivate renewed focus on developing the oral competence of pupils.
