Search

While research on Irish-medium immersion education (IME) has heralded benefits such as cognitive skills, academic achievement and language and literacy development, many studies have also identified challenges to its successful implementation. Immersion-specific research-validated tools can help school leaders navigate the school self-evaluation journey, critically review and evaluate the quality of aspects of their school's provision and plan for improvement. This paper reports on one theme, leadership, from a larger study, Quality indicators of best practice in Irish-medium immersion (Ó Ceallaigh and Ní Shéaghdha, 2017). Qualitative in nature, the study was guided by the following research question: What are IME educators' perceptions of best practices in IME?. The study explored 120 IME educators' perceptions of best practice in IME to inform the development of IME quality indicators. Individual interviews and focus group interviews were utilised to collect data. Data analysis revealed particular themes related to best IME leadership practices. Findings in turn informed the design of an evidence-informed school self-evaluation tool for IME settings. The various functions of the tool will be explored with a particular emphasis on building teaching and leadership capacity in IME through the school self-evaluation process.

As the COVID-19 pandemic has forced all Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to transfer teaching to online platforms, intricate questions in relation to remote teaching and learning dominate the discourse. Teacher educators (TEs) are now tasked with designing online modules, facilitating online learning, and providing direct instruction for students online. There is a dearth of literature which explores how TEs understand and enact pedagogies for the asynchronous learning environment (i.e. facilitate teaching presence). Also missing from the literature are specific features of professional development (PD) experiences which develop that essential knowledge base. This paper reports on a mixed methods study which explores how TEs are best supported to facilitate teaching presence in an asynchronous learning environment. 123 TEs from a range of disciplines across 15 TE institutions in Ireland, participated in the study. Data were collected from an extensive online questionnaire, individual semi-structured interviews and focus group interviews. Significant challenges in relation to planning for the asynchronous learning environment, fostering students' authentic engagement with module content and cultivating student interactivity were unearthed. Findings also outline critical characteristics of PD experiences which, from a TE-informed perspective, positively impact knowledge growth with particular reference to teaching presence in an asynchronous learning environment.

Research has shown immersion to be effective, yet our understanding about the integration of language and content in Irish-medium immersion (IMI) pedagogy remains incomplete. This article reports on how the teaching of mathematics in the IMI elementary setting, supported pre-service teachers in bridging the language and content gap. The study utilised Japanese Lesson Study (LS) to design and implement mathematics lessons and qualitative data were collected from a variety of sources. Findings provide unique insights into the knowledge demands related to designing and implementing content lessons and reveal the challenges for pre-service teachers in providing balanced language and content instruction.

As a language, Irish is unique to Ireland and is, therefore, of crucial importance to the identity of the Irish people, to Irish culture and to world heritage. The Irish language however has had a turbulent and traumatic history and has endured a complex and varied relationship with the Irish people. Since the foundation of the Irish Free State, the education system has been targeted as an agency and model for Irish language planning, education and language revitalisation and has had a critical role in generating linguistic ability in the Irish language. This paper reviews the complex and controversial relationship between the Irish language, the State and the education system from an historical perspective. Some key acts of recent legislation and government initiatives, which impact on the status of the Irish language are considered and barriers and challenges to progress in the education system are outlined. The paper concludes with a discussion on significant positive factors which may revolutionise and "reawaken" the Irish language through our education system.

Increased attention to integrated approaches has resulted from demands to prioritise literacy learning while maintaining a balanced curriculum in primary schools. Limited empirical evidence to support integrated approaches to teaching physical education (PE) exists. This study explored the integration of PE content learning and the learning of Irish as a second language with eight English-medium primary school classes (ages 8-10). Data sources included direct observation, teacher interviews and written reflections, alongside focus groups with children. Careful implementation to balance language and content learning is recommended to ensure the promise of complimentary learning emerges within the spirit of an integrated curriculum.

Research has shown immersion to be effective, yet our understanding about the integration of language and content in Irish-medium immersion (IMI) pedagogy remains incomplete. This article reports on how the teaching of mathematics in the IMI elementary setting, supported pre-service teachers in bridging the language and content gap. The study utilised Japanese Lesson Study (LS) to design and implement mathematics lessons and qualitative data were collected from a variety of sources. Findings provide unique insights into the knowledge demands related to designing and implementing content lessons and reveal the challenges for pre-service teachers in providing balanced language and content instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research study examined the experiences of teachers and learners as they engaged with a CLIL programme, a physical education course being taught through the medium of the Irish language (L2) in English-medium primary schools in the Republic of Ireland. Five primary fourth grade teachers and the students (9-10 years old) in their classes from three primary schools in the Republic of Ireland participated in a unit of physical education (4-8 lessons) through the medium of the Irish language. Qualitative data collection and analysis included direct observation of lessons, an interview with each teacher, teachers' written reflections and a focus group with 3-5 students from each class. Teachers reported that students became highly motivated as they were given the opportunities to use the Irish language in situations of personal choice. This new autonomy and motivation in turn fostered confidence and competence in language use. Several complex and persistent pedagogical challenges (e.g. balancing content and language in instruction) were uncovered in the analysis of data. This study increases our understanding of the complexity of the processes underlying and shaping a coherent CLIL pedagogy. Findings shed light on the yet-to-berealised potential of CLIL as a lived embodied reality for all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a language, Irish is unique to Ireland and is, therefore, of crucial importance to the identity of the Irish people, to Irish culture and to world heritage. The Irish language however has had a turbulent and traumatic history and has endured a complex and varied relationship with the Irish people. Since the foundation of the Irish Free State, the education system has been targeted as an agency and model for Irish language planning, education and language revitalisation and has had a critical role in generating linguistic ability in the Irish language. This paper reviews the complex and controversial relationship between the Irish language, the State and the education system from an historical perspective. Some key acts of recent legislation and government initiatives, which impact on the status of the Irish language are considered and barriers and challenges to progress in the education system are outlined. The paper concludes with a discussion on significant positive factors which may revolutionise and reawaken the Irish language through our education system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]