11 March, 2007 - Minister Hanafin announces increase in marks for Oral Irish to 40% in exams

 "It's good to talk - Irish"

Hanafin announces increase in marks for  Oral Irish to 40% in exams

The Minister for Education and Science, Mary Hanafin TD, today announced significant changes  to the proportion of marks awarded for oral Irish in the Leaving and Junior Cert exams. The marks at Higher and Ordinary levels in the Leaving Cert examination will be increased from 25% to 40%. Marks for the aural will be reduced to 10% at both Higher and Ordinary levels, which means that the written element of the paper will be worth 50% of the marks.

The new marking system will come into effect for students entering second level this September and will apply to those taking the Leaving Cert in 2012. 

Announcing the reforms, Minister Hanafin said "I have consistently stated that the way to bring a language to life is to be able to converse in it every day. These changes are intended to improve spoken Irish in post-primary schools by increasing the marks for the oral element of the examination. This is the first time since oral Irish was introduced in the Leaving Cert that the marks have increased. I hope that students and teachers will now embrace Irish fully as a living language."

Minister Hanafin went on to say "one of the key Government objectives for Irish is to increase the use and knowledge of Irish as a community language. I believe that a commitment to improving spoken Irish should be reflected in a higher proportion of marks being awarded for the oral examinations."

The overall impact of the changes announced by the Minister represents a significant shift in proportion of marks from the aural and written examinations to the oral. The changes will also apply to the Junior Cert, where the oral examination is a school-based, optional exam. In the case of the Junior Cert oral, the marks will be doubled, from 20% to 40%. At present, only a small number of schools organise the optional Junior Cert assessment, and where no oral exam is held, marks are awarded on the  basis of the written paper and aural only. 

Minister Hanafin said she would like to see more schools now consider the option of an oral exam at Junior Cert, in the light of the increased marks available and by way of preparing students for increased use at Leaving Cert level. 

With these changes applying to students enrolling in First Year in 2007 it means that in 2010, there will be 40% of marks available for optional oral at Junior Cert and 40% for the oral exam in the Leaving Cert in 2012.

"The central intention of this proposal is promote spoken Irish in post-primary schools," said Minister Hanafin. "I want to ensure that spoken Irish is a feature in every classroom and that improvement in spoken Irish is addressed in every lesson. The Irish language is interwoven with our history and our cultural heritage ? we need to nurture and preserve it and pass it on to the next generation."

Minister Hanafin also announced a wide range of supports for teaching and learning and assessment of oral Irish. She has asked An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta to advise on the development of resources to promote the teaching of oral Irish. The Minister has allocated €1m over the next three years for the translation, into Irish, of a whole range of subject text books up to Leaving Cert level.

The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment has been asked to undertake a study of the possible use of information technologies (ICTs) such as mobile phones or internet, in oral assessment. The Minister also announced the establishment of a new support service for post-primary teachers of Irish,  An tSeirbhís Tacaíochta Gaeilge Dara Leibhéal which will provide professional development for teachers from Autumn, 2007.  

In addition, Minister Hanafin also announced the introduction of summer camps in Irish for the first two weeks of July 2007. These camps will be available for up to 600 primary school children from disadvantaged areas. Children attending these Campaí Samhraidh will have an opportunity to learn and practise Irish in the context of a range of enjoyable activities, including drama, art, music and sport.

Minister Hanafin also announced that the Department is making funding available to enable up to 200 students from disadvantaged schools undertake a scholarship in the Gaeltacht this summer.  This new initiative will be offered to second level schools covered by the DEIS programme. "Individual schools are being contacted to nominate pupils they know would benefit linguistically, socially and culturally by attending Irish college for three weeks during the summer.

Taking all these new measures and examination reforms together is a clear sign of my personal commitment as well as the Government?s strong initiatives to support the Irish language.  This will ensure that future generations realise the importance of having pride in our national heritage and identity" concluded Minister Hanafin. 

ENDS

"Is maith an rud Gaeilge a labhairt"

Fógraíonn an tAire Hanafin ardú go 40% ar na marcanna i mBéaltriail na Gaeilge sna scrúduithe

D'fhógair an tAire Oideachais agus Eolaíochta, Mary Hanafin TD, inniu athruithe suntasacha i gcomhréir na marcanna a bhronnfar le haghaidh labhairt na Gaeilge i scrúdú an Teastais Shóisearaigh agus i scrúdú na hArdteistiméireachta. Ardófar na marcanna ag an nGnáthleibhéal agus ag an Ardleibhéal i scrúdú na hArdteistiméireachta ó 25% go 40%. Laghdófar na marcanna don chluastriail go 10% ag an Ardleibhéal agus ag an nGnáthleibhéal, rud a chiallaíonn go mbeidh 50% de na marcanna ag gabháil leis an gcuid scríofa den pháipéar.

Beidh an córas  nua marcála i bhfeidhm do mhic léinn a rachaidh i mbun oideachais dara leibhéal i mí Mhéan Fómhair seo chugainn agus dóibh siúd a dhéanfaidh scrúdú na hArdteistiméireachta sa bhliain 2012.

Agus na leasuithe á bhfógairt aici dúirt an tAire Hanafin "Tá sé ráite agam go minic agus go seasta gurb é an t-aon tslí chun beocht a chur i dteanga ná bheith in ann gnáthchumarsáid labhartha a dhéanamh inti gach lá. Is chuige atá na hathruithe seo á ndéanamh chun caighdeán na Gaeilge sna hiarbhunscoileanna a fheabhsú trí chion na marcanna don chuid labhartha den scrúdú a ardú.  Seo an chéad uair ar ardaíodh na marcanna ó tugadh isteach an Bhéaltriail Ghaeilge san Ardteistiméireacht. Tá súil agam go nglacfaidh idir mhic léinn agus mhúinteoirí an Ghaeilge chucu go huile anois mar theanga bheo.

Ag leanúint uirthí dúirt an tAire Hanafin "ceann de bhunchuspóirí an Rialtais i leith na Gaeilge ná go mbeadh breis eolais ar an teanga agus breis úsáide á baint aisti mar theanga phobail. Creidim gur cheart go mbeadh breis marcanna á mbronnadh ar an mbéaltriail mar léiriú ar an tiomantas chun labhairt na Gaeilge a threisiú.

Is é móréifeacht na n-athruithe a d'fhógair an tAire ná go n-aistreofar cuid shuntasach de na marcanna ón gcluastriail agus ó na scrúduite scríofa go dtí an bhéaltriail. Bainfidh na hathruithe céanna leis an Teastas Sóisearach, mar ar scrúdú scoilbhunaithe, roghnach an bhéaltriail. I dtaca leis an Teastas Sóisearach déanfar na marcanna a dhúbailt ó 20% go 40%.

I láthair na huaire is beag scoil a reáchtálann  measúnú roghnach an Teastais Shóisearaigh, agus aon áit nach gcuirtear an bhéaltriail sin, bronntar marcanna ar bhonn na bpáipéar scríofa agus an scrúdu chluastuisceana.   Dúirt an tAire Hanafin gur mhaith léi go smaoineodh breis scoileanna ar an scrúdú roghnach sa Teastas Sóisearach feasta, i láthair na marcanna breise a bheidh ar fáil agus mar bhealach chun mic léinn a ullmhú don úsáid bhreise a bhainfidh le leibhéal na hArdteistiméireachta. 

Ón uair go mbainfidh na hathruithe seo le mic léinn a chláróidh sa Chéad Bhliain i 2007, ciallaíonn sé go mbeidh 40% de na marcanna ar fáil do bhéaltriail roghnach ag an Teastas Sóisearach sa bhliain 2010 agus 40% don bhéaltriail san Ardteistiméireacht sa bhliain 2012.

"Is é sprioc lárnach a  bhfuil á mholadh agam  ná labhairt na Gaeilge a chur chun cinn in iarbhunscoileanna," arsa an tAire Hanafin. "Teastaíonn uaim a chinntiú go mbeidh labhairt na Gaeilge ar siúl i ngach rangsheomra agus go dtabharfar aird ar fheabhsú na Gaeilge labhartha i ngach ceacht.  Tá an Ghaeilge fite fuaite lenár stair agus lenár n-oidhreacht chultúrtha ? ní mór dúinn í a chothú agus a chaomhnú agus í a bhronnadh ar an gcéad ghlúin eile."

Ina theannta sin, d'fhógair an tAire Hanafin réimse leathan tacaí do theagasc agus d'fhoghlaim agus do mheasúnú na Gaeilge labhartha. Tá iarrtha aici ar an gComhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta comhairle a thabhairt maidir le forbairt acmhainní le haghaidh teagasc na Gaeilge labhartha. Tá €1m leithdháilte ag an Aire don tréimhse trí bliana atá romhainn  chun réimse leathan téacsleabhar ábhar chomh fada suas le leibhéal na hArdteistiméireachta a aistriú go Gaeilge.

Tá iarrtha ar an gComhairle Náisiúnta Curaclaim agus Measúnachta dul i mbun staidéir féachaint an féidir teicneolaíochtaí faisnéise, mar ghutháin nó an t-idirlíon a úsáid i measúnú teanga labhartha. D'fhógair an tAire go raibh seirbhís nua tacaíochta do mhúinteoirí Gaeilge in iarbhunscoileanna, An tSeirbhís Tacaíochta Gaeilge Dara Leibhéal, á bunú chun forbairt phroifisiúnta a sholáthar do mhúinteoirí ó Fhómhar na bliana 2007 amach.

De bhreis air sin, d'fhógair an tAire Hanafin go dtabharfaí isteach campaí samhraidh trí Ghaeilge don chéad dá sheachtain i mí Iúil 2007. Déanfaidh na campaí seo soláthar do suas le 600 leanbh bunscoile ó cheantair faoi mhíbhuntáiste. Na leanaí a bheidh ag freastal ar na campaí samhraidh seo, beidh deis acu an Ghaeilge a fhoghlaim agus a chleachtadh i gcomhthéacs gníomhaíochtaí taitneamhacha mar dhráma, ealaín, cheol agus spórt.

Chomh maith leis sin d'fhógair an tAire Hanafin go bhfuil maoiniú á chur ar fáil ag an Roinn d'fhonn cur ar chumas suas le 200 mac léinn ó cheantair faoi mhíbhuntáiste dul ar scoláireacht chun na Gaeltachta an samhradh seo. Beidh an tionscnamh nua á thairiscint do scoileanna dara leibhéal atá páirteach sa chlár DEIS. "Déanfar teagmháil le scoileanna aonair ag iarraidh orthu daltaí a ainmniú a bhainfeadh tairbhe theangeolaíoch, shóisialta agus chultúrtha as freastal ar choláiste Gaeilge ar feadh trí sheachtain i gcaitheamh an tsamhraidh.

Ar a dtógaint le chéile,  is comhartha soiléir iad na beartais nua seo go léir agus na leasuithe ar na scrúduithe ar mo dhílseacht agus mo thiomantas pearsanta féin agus ar thionscnaimh tréana an Rialtais ar son na Gaeilge."

Críoch