Students’ Experiences of the Teaching and Learning of Irish in Designated Disadvantaged Schools

Abstract

Irish policy is increasingly focused on addressing the lack of teacher diversity. However, persistent challenges remain around the high standard of Irish required to enter primary level Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and the quality of Irish language teaching in schools that are designated disadvantaged in Ireland. This research aims to explore the relationship between these variables. Students from groups currently underrepresented in ITE and who are participating in a Foundation Course for Initial Teacher Education (FCITE) described their experiences of learning Irish in schools that are designated as disadvantaged, and then their journey through Irish language learning on the FCITE. Participants described largely negative experiences of learning Irish in school which contrasted with positive experiences of learning Irish while on the FCITE. Participants believed the communities they came from, and schools they attended, influenced the quality of teaching received; while teacher expectations of their language capabilities, and consequently their language proficiency impacted upon their Irish language learning. The findings indicate that specific measures should be put in place along the continuum of teacher education to ensure that there is an emphasis placed on not only improving the quality of Irish language teaching in schools located in communities experiencing social and economic inequality, but the parallel need to develop a model of social and political criticality amongst student and practicing teachers that addresses the problematic assumptions observed in this research about students' language learning capabilities.

Language teaching and learning in Ireland: 2012–2021

“…The question of diversity (or lack thereof) in the teaching profession in Ireland, particularly at primary level, has come to the fore in recent years. In relation to the Irish language, O'Sullivan et al (2019) approached this issue in a study of students from underrepresented groups in initial teaching education courses who were participating in a Foundation Course for Initial Teacher Education (FCITE). The participants believed the communities they came from, and schools they attended, impacted on the quality of teaching received since teacher expectations of their language capabilities – and consequently their language proficiency – impacted upon their language learning.…”

Articulating Minority Language Value in Diverse Communities: The Case of Compulsory Irish Language Education

“…In this context, the core status of Irish in both the national primary curriculum (age 4-11) and second-level curriculum (age 12-18), already a point of tension, has become increasingly contested. Indeed, the compulsory study of Irish in schools is positioned by some as a barrier to the emergence of a more open and inclusive educational environment (Ó Laoire, 2012;O'Sullivan et al, 2019). A public consultation on amending the criteria for exemptions from the compulsory study of Irish was commissioned by the Department of Education and Skills [DES] and carried out by the authors in 2018/19.…”

Clustering Different Learning Behavior with Model of Culture

“…For example, in collectivist culture, a sense of trust within society triggers an initiative to pull resources into a shared purpose (Yakaboski et al, 2017). In the end, the students' cultural background and the culture of the schools they attend influence the quality of learning experiences (O'Sullivan et al, 2019). This makes it necessary to embrace diversity in the teacher's composition (Keane and Heinz, 2016;Villegas and Irvine., 2010).…”