Sorca Clarke
Question:546. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education what languages are currently being considered as a Leaving Certificate subject. [27753/23]
View answerTuesday, 13 June 2023
Questions (546)
Written answers
I can advise the Deputy that there are no plans at present to introduce any new languages to the Leaving Certificate Curriculum. Languages Connect – Ireland’s Strategy for Foreign Languages in Education 2017 – 2026 aims to increase and diversify the range of languages taught and learned. Under the 1st Implementation plan 2017 – 2022, significant progress has been made including:- The introduction of four new leaving certificate curricular languages from 2020 – Lithuanian, Mandarin Chinese, Polish and Portuguese. These were examined for the first time in 2022 and circa. 1,500 students sat a leaving certificate examination in one of the four new languages.- This brings the number of leaving certificate curricular languages up to 11 and students can also opt to be examined in a non-curricular EU language in accordance with Article 149 of the Nice Treaty. - Inclusion of foreign languages in senior classes at primary level as part of the recently published new Primary Curriculum Framework. Work is well underway on the development of the specification for introduction in primary schools in 2025.- In advance of this, the “Say Yes to Languages” sampler module for primary will be moving into it’s third year in September 2023 with circa. 1,200 schools applying to participate in the 8 week module in 2023/24. Post Primary Languages Ireland (PPLI) are overseeing the scheme and supporting schools with CPD and resources. Participating schools select the language they wish to use as part of the module based on their own school context, resources and on their demographic. - The first Languages Connect Summit will be held this year on 14th October in the Conference Centre in Dublin with an anticipated attendance in the region of 1,000. - An annual #Thinklanguages event for TY students to raise awareness about the importance of language learning and to promote the uptake of foreign languages for Leaving Certificate.- Funding for upskilling foreign language teachers, school libraries, summer camps, school exchanges etc. through PPLI.My Department is also currently reviewing the Languages Connect strategy with a view to developing a 2nd implementation plan to 2026 which will be informed through consultation with key stakeholders.The Deputy may also wish to note that Reform of Senior Cycle is currently underway and in March 2022, I announced as part of this reform, the introduction of two new leaving certificate subjects – Climate Action and Sustainable Development; and Drama, Film and Theatre Studies.