Dia daoibh ar maidin a Chathaoirligh, a bhaill de Chomhchoiste Oideachais agus Eolaíochta an Oireachtais agus a chairde. Gabhaim buíochas libh as ucht an deis ár gcás a chur faoi bhráid an chomhchoiste inniu ar cheist atá ina údar mór imní do phobal nangaelscoileanna. I thank the joint committee for the opportunity to address the meeting today on a subject which is of immense concern to the gaelscoil community.
Tá cás an-simplí á dhéanamh againn. Ar an gcéad dul síos, is oideachasóirí muid. Is é an priomhról ata againn agus muid ag freastal ar riachtanais na bpáistí atá faoinar gcúram ná oideachas iomlán a chur ar fáil de réir mar atá leagtha síos sa churaclam náisiúnta. Is rogha scoile agus rogha tuismitheora é go ndéantar amhlaidh trí mheán na Gaeilge - rogha atá cumhdaithe sa Bhunreacht. Ní bhíonn droch thionchar ag an rogha seo in aon bhealach ar ar bpríomhról mar oideachasóirí.
Our case is a very simple one. We are educators first and foremost. Our primary role in serving the children entrusted to our care is to deliver a full education through the channels laid down by the national curriculum. That we do so through the medium of the Irish language is a school and parental choice that is enshrined in the Constitution. In no way does this choice impact negatively on our primary role as educators.
Trí rian na staire, mairimid i sochaí ina bhfuil an Ghaeilge ina teanga mhionlaigh. Glacaimid leis sin agus aithnímid gur ceart go gcuimseodh oideachas iomlán Iíofacht i mBéarla chomh maith le líofacht i nGaeilge, agus i dteangacha eile go deimhin. We live, by mark of history, in a society where Irish is the minority language. We accept this and we recognise that a rounded education should encompass fluency in English as well as Irish and, indeed, other languages.
Is é an Béarla an teanga atá thart timpeall ar fhormhór na bpáistí a fhreastalaíonn ar an ngaelscoil — ar an mbus, sna siopaí, ar an Teilifís agus ar an mbealach chun na scoile. Is é an rogha atá a ghlacadh againn, trí chóras an luath-thumoideachais iomlán, ná spás anála a thabhairt don Ghaeilge sna luath-bhlianta oideachais — an deis a thabhairt do pháistí an teanga a shú ag an staid is éasca dóibh ina saol agus chun breis roghanna a bhronnadh ar pháistí de thairbhe na scileanna breise a bhéas chun leasa dóibh tríd a gcuid oideachais uile. English is the language that surrounds most children attending gaelscoileanna — on the bus, in the shops, on television and on the way to school. The choice we make, through early total immersion, is to give Irish the room to breathe in the early years of education, to give children a chance to absorb it when they are best capable of doing so and to give them greater choices by way of language skills throughout their whole education.
Is é an fáth a bhfuilimid anseo ós bhur gcómhair inniu ná go bhfuil an Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta ag iarraidh an rogha sin a bhaint dinn trí eisiúint chiorcláin 0044/2007. larraimid oraibh, a chairde, machnamh a dhéanamh ar roinnt sonraí suntasacha roimh daoibh aon chinneadh a ghlacadh arbh cheart nó narbh cheart don Roinn é sin a dhéanamh. The reason we are before you today is because the Department of Education and Science, by way of circular 0044/2007, is seeking to take that choice away from us. All we ask is that you consider some relevant points before making your own minds up over whether they are right or wrong to do so.
Deir an Roinn go bhfuil an taighde atá ann neamhchonchlúideach agus go dtógfadh sé an iomarca ama fanacht ar thorthaí taighde nua. Deirimid go ndíríonn gach píosa taighde idirnáisiúnta - is mian liom béim a chur ar sin, gach píosa taighde gan fáil go brách air — ar na buntáistí suntasacha a eascraíonn ón gcóras luath-thumoideachais iomlán, ní amháin chun leasa na teanga Gaeilge mar mhionteanga ach chun leasa forbairt oideachasúil iomlán an pháiste. The Department says that research is inconclusive and that new research would take too long. We say that all — I stress all — international research points irrevocably to early total immersion producing significant benefit, not only for the minority language but for the overall educational rounding of children. I gCeanada, sa Bhreatain, i dTír namBascach agus in áiteanna eile, tá an cruthúnas ann sa taighde agus de réir mar atá go fírinneach. In Canada, in Britain, in the Basque region and elsewhere, research and reality have proven this to be the case.
In Éirinn chomh maith, cruthaíonn an taighde a thug an Roinn féin faoi sa bhliain 1988 agus a foilsíodh sa bhliain 1991 an fhírinne céanna. Cuirfear cóip de sin ar fáil daoibh. Léiríonn taighde eile a thug Donal Ó hAiniféin faoi le bliain anuas buntáistíi an chórais luath-thumoideachais agus bréagnaíonn sé an tuairim a chloistear go minic go ndéanann luath-thumoideachas iomlán dochar don Bhéarla. Níl aon fhírinne ag baint leis seo. Rinneadh anailís i dtaighde Uí Ainiféin ar na caighdeáin ghnóthachtála i léitheoireacht an Bhéarla i measc 3,298 páiste gaelscoile ag deireadh rang a dó agus a cúig sa bhliain acadúil atá díreach caite. Faoi dheireadh rang a dó, léirigh sé gur bhain 43% de phaistí a chaith ar a laghad bliain iomlán sa chóras luath thumoideachas sna gaelscoileanna an scór céanna amach is a bhain an 33% is airde ar bhonn náisiúnta.
In Ireland also, research undertaken by the Department in 1988 and published in 1991 does likewise. More research undertaken by Donal Ó hAiniféin during the past 12 months quantifies the benefit and refutes the notion often wheeled out that immersion education damages English learning. This is simply not the case. Donal Ó hAiniféin's research surveyed the English reading attainment tests of 3,298 children in gaelscoileanna at the end of second and fifth classes in the last academic year. At the end of second class, it showed that the equivalent score achieved by the top 33% of children nationally was attained by no less than 43% of children who had enjoyed at least one full year's early total immersion in Irish.
Tá roinnt mhaith fianaise ann ó shaineolaithe eile, lena n-áirítear Edwards agus Baker, a dhíríonn ar bhuntáistí an luath thumoideachais iomlán do gach cineál foghlaimeora, iad siúd le cumas íseal oideachais nó le deacrachtaí foghlama ina measc.
There is also much evidence, from Edwards and Baker among others, that points to the benefit of early immersion for all including those of low educational ability or those with learning difficulties.
Sé bhliain déag ó shin, léiríodh go raibh ag eirí go han-mhaith leis an gcóras tumoideachais. Níorbh fhéidir aon tátal críochnúil a bhaint as cén fath gur mar sin a bhí, agus ar an mbonn sin tugadh geallúint go dtabharfar faoi bhreis taighde. Faraor, níor tharla sé riamh. Léirigh torthaí Uí Ainiféin, a foilsíodh an tseachtain seo caite, an toradh céanna agus éilíonn sé go soiléir an gearghá a bhaineann le níos mó taighde faoi seo.
Research carried out 16 years ago shows that immersion education was working well. As it was not possible to draw firm conclusions about why this was, further research was promised. However, it never took place. The Ó hAiniféin research published last week found the same result and highlights the clear need for more research.
Sé mhí deag ó shin, mhol tuairisc Harris, An Ghaeilge sna Bunscoileanna: Treochtaí Náisiúnta Fadtéarmacha in Inniúlachtaí, forbairt agus tacaíocht an chórais luath thumoideachais. Seoladh an tuarascáil go hoifigiúil agus d'fháiltigh an tAire go mór roimpi.
Some 16 months ago, the Harris report, Irish in Primary Schools: Long Term National Trends in Achievement, recommended the development and support of immersion education. The report was launched and warmly welcomed by the Minister.
I mbliana, mhol an Chomhairle Náisiúnta Curaclaim agus Measúnachta do dtabharfar tacaíocht don chóras luath thumoideachais iomlán agus go dtabharfar faoi thaighde bhreise, mar a mhol an Chomhairle um Oideachais Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta freisin. Thar na blianta fada, bhí bunús comhsheasmhach agus loighciúil leis an argóint. Freagra frithráiteach a bhí i gciorclán 0044/2007.
This year, the National Council for Curriculum Assessment, like the Comhairle um Oideachais Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta, recommended that early total immersion be supported and further research undertaken. Over many years there has been a consistent and logical theme to the argument. Circular 0044/2007 was the contradictory response.
Táimid an-mhórtasach as an gcáil atá orainn mar náisiún d'aos léinn. Is léir go bhfeictear ar na múnlaí den luath thumoideachas iomlán atá á gcleachtadh in Éirinn laistigh dár gcuraclam náisiúnta mar dhea-shampla os comhair an tsaoil de mhodhanna inmholta teagaisc agus sealbhaithe teanga. Agus é sin ráite, mura ndéantar ciorclán 0044/2007 a aistharraingt, cuirfear deireadh leis an gcóras agus ní bheidh deis ag an taighde a chruthú cén fáth ar éirigh chomh maith leis ar feadh os cionn 50 bliain.
We pride ourselves as a nation that achieves high standards of education. It is evident that the models of early total immersion practised within our national curriculum at present are looked upon as a shining example of how language teaching and nurturing should be undertaken. If, however, circular 0044/2007 is not withdrawn, we will kill the system and never know why it worked so well for more than 50 years in practice.
Mar oideachasóirí agus theangeolaithe, ní féidir linn ligint do seo tarlú. Tá ár bhfeachtas taréis an-chuid tacaíochta a mhealladh ó shaineolaithe agus chomhghleacaithe i ngach cearn den domhan nach gcreideann an rud atá ag titim amach in Éirinn. Impímid ar an gcomhchoiste a thionchar a chur i bhfeidhm chun go dtarraingeofar siar ón gníomh seo agus chun go ngabhfar buíochas libh ag na glúin de pháistí, an-chuid daoibh nach bhfuil ar an saol go fóill, a bhfuil ceart acu oideachas a bhaint amach sa mhodh teagaisc dátheangach is mó rath air dá bhfuil sa domhain. Cabhraigh linn le bhur dtoil dul i gcion ar an Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta ciorclán 0044/2007 a aistharraingt agus chun tabhairt faoin taighde a gealladh dúinn i 1991 agus a d'iarr comhairleoirí na Roinne ar an Roinn arís i 2006 agus 2007.
As educators and linguists, we cannot stand idly by and let that happen. Our campaign has drawn support from colleagues around the world who cannot believe what we are on the point of doing. We appeal to the committee to bring to bear its influence by encouraging the Department to pull back from this course of action. It will be thanked by generations of children, many as yet unborn, who will have the right to be educated in the best proven bilingual method of education that exists anywhere in the world. I ask members to please help us to persuade the Department of Education and Science to withdraw circular 0044/2007 and to undertake the research that was promised in 1991. In 2006 and 2007, it was again urged, by its advisers, to undertake this research.
Gabhaimid buíochas ó chroí libh uile as bhur gcuid ama agus spéise.