An Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta
Department of Education and Science
Subject Inspection of Irish
REPORT
Saint Fachtna’s De La Salle
Skibbereen,
Roll Number: 62480Q
Dates of Inspection: 8 & 9 May 2007
Date of Issue of Report: 6 December 2007
Subject provision and whole school support
Summary of main findings and recommendations
Report on the Quality of Learning and Teaching in Irish
Subject inspection report
This report has been written following a subject inspection in St. Fachtna’s de la Salle. It presents the findings of an evaluation of the quality of learning and teaching in Irish and makes recommendations for the further development of the teaching of this subject in the school. The evaluation was conducted over two days during which the inspector visited classrooms and observed learning and teaching. The inspector interacted with students and teachers, examined students’ work, and had discussions with the teachers. The inspector reviewed school planning documentation and teachers’ written preparation. Following the evaluation visit, the inspector provided oral feedback on the outcomes of the evaluation to the principal and to the Irish teachers. The board of management was given an opportunity to comment in writing on the findings and recommendations of the report; a response was not received from the board.
Subject provision and whole school support
Saint Fachtna’s De La Salle is an all-boys school. The school is situated in an area where there are strong cultural dimensions in regard to the Irish language. Indeed, the Gaeltacht of Oileán Chléire is quite close to the school community and many of the community have specific connections with the island.
School management deserves praise for its strong support for Irish on the timetable. Every student has regular contact with Irish during the week. Fifth and sixth year students have six periods a week for Irish, an appropriate allocation at this level. First year classes are mixed ability classes and thereafter they are streamed. Irish classes are timetabled concurrently from second year through to sixth year, which provides flexibility, if required, to transfer from one level to another.
Sixteen students have exemptions from studying Irish. Ten of these students are from abroad or have received some of their education abroad, and the remaining students have specific learning difficulties. These students remain in class during the Irish lessons, except in the event that learning support is available to them during this time. The small number of exemptions is indicative of the status Irish has in the school. As a further measure of this support for Irish it is recommended that more Irish would be evident on school stationery, and that some Irish would be used in correspondence with external parties.
Teachers display a great deal of interest in all aspects of Irish, whether the promotion of the language, Irish culture or Irish literature. They value their involvement in events within the town or in the area, and they bring to these events their own eagerness to provide others with whom they are in touch with opportunities to experience Irish. They have a lot of contact with other members in the local community who are involved with Irish (e.g. Glór na nGael, Gaelscoil Dhochtúir Uí Shúilleabháin, Gael-Linn and the Gaelic Athletic Association).
The school has a computer room and some teachers bring their students there from time to time. A selection of posters which include printed ‘seanfhocail’ and photographs (or pictures) to express their meaning are displayed at various locations within the school. Students were encouraged by these posters to conduct some on-line reasearch, which provided useful opportunities for them to experience the use of technology through Irish.
The Irish teachers tend to store their Irish resources in the staff room. A shelf in the staff room contains dictionaries, reference books and research materials as well as DVDs and other materials. It would be most beneficial if teachers had a specific area assigned to them whereby they could easily access the resource materials for Irish. Indeed, it would even be more helpful if they had a dedicated room where they could create an encouraging learning environment. It was recommended to the teachers and to school management that these requirements be considered in any planning for future developments.
Efforts are made
to integrate Irish with other aspects of the school curriculum. As part of a
transition year project, members of a mini-company designed Irish posters and
cards and sold them in the town. All participants in this project deserve
praise for their resourcefulness and their efforts to bring a taste of the
Irish language to the local community. One of the Irish teachers has a
particular interest in local placenames and he
arranged for students to work with a researcher who is collecting placenames of
Some of the extra-curricular activities that support Irish include gaelic games and guest speakers. Various events are organized for Seachtain na Gaeilge (e.g. a poster competition and a quiz). Gael-Linn has strong connections with the schools in the town and they arrange oral Irish examinations for students preparing for the Leaving Certificate Oral Exams. Some of the junior cycle students spend three weeks in the Gaelatcht during the summer.
Planning and preparation
Each teacher works individually on planning. Most teachers made available their personal planning folders which included a range of notes, work sheets and reference materials. These teachers are commended for the diligence they apply to their work practices.
Regarding the aspect of team planning, teachers who have the same year groups for Irish tend to discuss with each other aspects of particular relevance to the groups for which they are responsible (e.g. the selection of textbooks, common exams when applicable). There is an agreed plan drawn up for transition year, except that it needs to be updated. It was recommended that consideration be given to identifying functional activities that would require students to engage with people in the community; that is to say people who have a sympathetic interest in Irish and Irish culture.
It was indicated to the Irish teachers that it would be most valuable to engage in subject department meetings in order to discuss a range of questions pertaining to the learning and teaching of Irish in the school. It was acknowledged that individual teachers had significant knowledge and expertise regarding various aspects of teaching and it was agreed at the post-evaluation meeting that team discussion and team planning would significantly enhance the learning and teaching experience of teachers and of all students of Irish. As evidence of this some short discussion took place at the meeting on topics that might be worth focusing on at the planning meetings (e.g. a school statement on Irish, the principle learning objectives, opportunities for real communication, differentiated learning in mixed ability classes and the acquisition of resources).
It was recommended to the teachers that they compile an Irish file that might include all documentation pertaining to Irish in the school. Such a file would act as a resource reference for newly appointed teachers or for substitute teachers to inform them on all matters related to Irish in the school. Not only that, but the file would provide an overview of all work on Irish, both within and outside the classroom, which would be helpful in developing the language.
Learning and Teaching
Irish was to the fore in most of the classes visited in so far as the teachers spoke Irish to the students. Students had a reasonably good understanding of what teachers were saying and many of them had the confidence to provide answers in Irish to questions posed by the teacher. Some students were considered to have a good standard of Irish and most of them had acquired the language efficiently relevant to their abilities. In one particular case it was evident that the teacher had extensively practised with the class the basic language structures required for conversation. Additionally, the same students were very comfortable with the meta-language of the classroom. This particular teacher deserves to be highly commended for the communicative ability attained by each student in the class and the positive attitude they had towards Irish. It would be wonderful if the same practice could be applied in all classes throughout the school and it would be well worthwhile for teachers to discuss these matters together.
Overall, the content of the lessons was appropriate to the interest levels of students. The themes discussed included sporting events, Irish and the weekend. In most classes the teachers engaged the students in a range of different activities that allowed them to practice the target language. This is very good practce and all teachers were advised to intensively practice all aspects of the language being taught. Nevertheless, there is also the danger that too wide a range of activities could impede effective language acquisition. Teachers were reminded of the importance of practicing language drills in order to use the basic language structures effectively in order to get as much value as possible from writing activities and to consolidate the learning
The materials used in the Irish lessons included textbooks, the blackboard, the tape recorder, examination papers and newspaper extracts. It is very good practice to use authentic materials (e.g. newspapers, photographs, magazines) in order to promote discussion and ideas. Teachers were advised to compile their learning resources and to make them available for all Irish teachers at a central location. They appreciated that it was easier to motivate students to speak when the topics for discussion were more closely related to students’ interests and experiences. Teachers were advised, in this regard, to discuss the most appropriate conversation topics for teenagers and to derive the best use of the resources available to create opportunities for real discussion during the lessons. They were given to understand that students’ spoken ability in Irish should be an underlying objective in each Irish lesson.
One teacher had displayed the students’ work and it was nice to see the classroom decorated in such a manner. It would be well worthwhile extending this practice by displaying more examples of students’ work and of Irish events around the school. It is a great motivation for students when their work is displayed and samples / photographs of various events impact very positively on the whole school community. It is also a great help to the teacher when charts that include grammar points or vocabulary lists are displayed. It is accepted that it is difficult for teachers to apply this practice at present, but it was recommended to them that such should be considered in future planning and development.
Overall, there was a good relationship between the teachers and the students. Most students displayed an enthusiasm in regard to their work and it was clear that their diligence was well rewarded at the end of lessons. There was a good atmosphere in classes where the students were actively engaged in tasks appropriate to their ability and interest levels. Students deserve to be highly commended for the courtesy and positive attitude they displayed in classes and this reflects very well on the professional strengths of their teachers.
Assessment
The progress of students is assessed in various ways as a means of gaining an insight into the effectiveness of the learning and teaching processes.
Some teachers conduct regular class tests. They keep a record of the results of these tests in their own personal files. This type of practice is commendable as it is a help to both students and teachers to have this regular feedback available to them on the progress they have made, or are making.
Students’ written work is corrected. In some cases, a mark is awarded in accordance with the marking scheme used for the written work in the state examinations. This is very good practice in so far as it gives students an accurate perscpective of how the marking scheme operates.
House examinations are conducted at Christmas and in the summer. Students sitting the state examinations have mock examinations in the Spring. These mock examinations are good as an exercise in experiencing the rubrics of the state examinationss as well as aspects such as time management and the layout of the papers. A report which includes the marks awarded in these major examinations are issued to homes – to the students, parents / guardians and teachers – and these provide information on the standards which students are achieving.
The oral language skills of sixth year students are assessed at Christmas and once again before the Leaving Certificate Oral Irish examinations. The Irish teachers, and school management, deserve praise for this provision. Every student studying Irish should have their oral language ability recognised and it was recommended that reference be made in the school reports to the efforts that students make to use Irish during the Irish classes. Not only would this practice be indicative of the importance attached to the oral language aspect of Irish, but it is also a good way of encouraging spoken Irish in classes. The Irish teachers accepted this and it was agreed that a first step in this process would be to present certificates to transition year students who had improved their level of spoken Irish during that year.
Summary of main findings and recommendations
The following are the main strengths identified in the evaluation:
· The school is situated in an area where there are strong cultural dimensions in regard to the Irish language. Many members of the community have specific connections with the Gaeltacht of Oileán Chléire.
· The school timetable is strongly supportive of Irish and and school management deserved to be commended for this.
· Teachers display a great deal of interest in all aspects of Irish, whether the promotion of the language, Irish culture or Irish literature. This interest in, and sympathetic approach to, the Irish language is an invaluable asset, and it can be a great help to those endeavouring to support the development of Irish in young people.
· Efforts are made to integrate Irish with other aspects of the school curriculum. In addition, many extra-curricular events that are supportive of Irish are organised.
· Teachers are engaged in a significant amount of individual planning of the subject and their diligence in regard to their work is commendable.
· Irish was to the fore in most of the classes visited in so far as the teachers spoke Irish to the students. One particular teacher has developed the oral language ability of each student and has instilled a very positive attitude in each one of them.
· Overall, there was a very pleasant relationship between the teachers and the students in their care.
· The progress of students is assessed in various ways as a means of gaining an insight into the effectiveness of the learning and teaching processes.
As a means of building on these strengths and to address areas for development, the following key recommendations are made:
· It is recommended that more Irish be used on the school stationery and in official written correspondence with various partners.
· It is recommended that the school’s Irish department formally undertake work on Subject Development Planning.
· It is recommended that students’ oral language skills be prioritised in the application of learning and teaching strategies and in the methods of assessment.
Post-evaluation meetings were held with the teachers of Irish and with the principal at the conclusion of the evaluation when the draft findings and recommendations of the evaluation were presented and discussed.