Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 November 2022
117. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education if her Department will make translators and interpreters available to schools, who have received targeted training in advance to include translating challenging and sensitive conversations in response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis. [58315/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraInformation has been provided to schools on cultural and linguistic supports available to support communication with families arriving from Ukraine.
The Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST), the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), Post Primary Languages Ireland (PPLI) and a range of support services have come together to develop a dedicated space on scoilnet.ie for schools and teachers to access a wide range of cultural and linguistic supports. This is a very useful central repository of supports and resources for teachers and schools which includes:
- A range of Diversity and Inclusion guidelines;
- Teaching and Learning Resources and
- Access to PDST supports.
Included among the wide array of resources, is information in relation to free digital tools, including apps that can assist with text and voice translation. These resources are particularly useful in terms of making school forms accessible to all and for assisting with communication between schools and parents.
Information on free digital apps is available via the new dedicated scoilnet webpages and at www.pdst.ie/sites/default/files/What%20free%20digital%20tools%20are%20available.pdf
A short guidance video prepared by PDST on how to use the Microsoft Translator app is available at the following link www.youtube.com/watch?v=og5WbqV0RlM
Language mats in Ukrainian and Russian are now available for schools to access in digital format through the scoilnet webpage or the PPLI website languagesconnect.ie/language-mats/
They provide commonly used classroom language in Ukrainian and Russian.
Furthermore, the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) has published:
- Guidance on supporting all children who may be experiencing distress in relation to current events – Supporting Children and Young People in a time of war.
- Revised Guidance for primary and post-primary schools in relation to supporting the wellbeing of children/young people from Ukraine at this time. This includes support for students with special educational needs
- Guidance for Parents and Carers from Ukraine on Supporting the Wellbeing of their Children
- A model of Psychological First Aid (PFA) to help teachers support students. The document is called Look, Listen & Link.
- NEPS has delivered a series of wellbeing webinars via the Education Support Centres of Ireland, to further support schools. They will develop further advice and resources as needs emerge.
- NEPS psychologists are actively engaging with school principals to provide advice and support.
