Ceisteanna Coitianta
Ní chuirtear, leathnaítear ar an gcumas iomlán teanga. Níl aon bhaol ann go ndéanfaí dochar do chéad teanga an pháiste ach an oiread, ó thaithí na naíonraí anseo in Éirinn agus a gcomhleithéidí i dtíortha eile, níl aon bhaol ann go n-éireoidh an páiste measctha, ní bhíonn deacracht acu an dá theanga a dheighilt óna chéile.
Does a child’s first language suffer when they start to learn a second language?
No, it instead increases the child’s overall language skills. There is no risk to the child’s home language, the experience of naíonraí in Ireland and of early-immersion settings internationally is that children are not confused by the use of a second language and can easily tell the two languages apart.
Bíonn tionchar dearfach ag an tumoideachas trí mheán na Gaeilge ar líofacht na na ndaltaí sa Bhéarla. Cuireann sé le cumais daltaí i dteangacha eile (lena n-áirítear Béarla) seachas aon bhac a chur orthu. Ní gá do thuismitheoirí a bheith buartha faoi chumas na ndaltaí má roghnaíonn siad leanúint ar aghaidh le staidéar ag an tríú leibhéal, mar go bhfuil na scileanna a fhorbraíonn na daltaí ag leibhéal na hiar-bhunscoile inaistrithe go dtí a n-oideachas tríú leibhéal. Ní bhíonn deacracht ag daltaí dul i ngleic le téarmaíocht i mBéarla mar tá tuiscint forbartha acu cheana féin ar na coincheapa a mbeidh de dhíth uathu le staidéar a dhéanamh ar an ábhar.
How will learning everything through Irish effect my child’s development in English?
Irish-medium immersion education has a positive effect on students’ fluency in English, rather than a negative one. Students’ abilities in other languages (including English) is helped rather than hindered. Parents need not worry about the students’ ability should they choose to continue study at third level, as the skills the students develop at the post-primary level are transferrable to their third-level education. Students do not have difficulty getting to grips with terminology in English as they have already developed an understanding of the concepts required to study the subject.
Freastalaíonn scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge ar dhaltaí le riachtanais speisialta fhisiciúla agus oideachasúla go rialta; daltaí le deacrachtaí radhairc agus éisteachta, neamhoird de chuid speictream an uathachais, disléicse, agus riachtanais speisialta oideachais eile. Cuirtear na tacaíochtaí céanna ar fáil do na daltaí seo is a chuirtear ar fáil i scoileanna meán-Bhéarla.
Maítear nach ndéanann an tumoideachas dochar do dhaltaí le riachtanais speisialta oideachais agus dearbhaíonn tuairisc ón gComhairle Náisiúnta um Oideachas Speisialta in 2011 go dtacaíonn an córas le forbairt shóisialta, mhothúchánach agus idirphearsanta.
Is Irish-medium education suitable for students with special needs?
Irish-medium schools routinely provide education for students with special needs, both physical and educational; students with impaired sight or hearing, autism spectrum disorders, dyslexia and other special educational needs. Irish-medium schools offer the same supports for these students as English-medium schools do.
Immersion education does no harm to students who have special educational needs and a report from the National Council for Special Education published in 2011 recognised that bilingual education contributes to students’ social, emotional and interpersonal growth.
Ní gá. Is féidir spreagadh a thabhairt do do pháiste an Ghaeilge a shealbhú fiú mura bhfuil líofacht sa teanga agat féin. Níl Gaeilge mar theanga bhaile ag formhór na ndaltaí i scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge.
An cúnamh is mó gur féidir a thabhairt do do pháiste agus iad ag freastal ar scoil ná meon dearfach agus spreagúil maidir leis an scoil agus an nGaeilge a léiriú dóibh. Cabhróidh sé le do pháiste má thuigeann siad go bhfuil tú bródúil astu agus go bhfuil suim agat ina bhfuil ar siúl acu.
Do I need to have Irish to send my child to an Irish-medium school?
No. You can do a lot to encourage your child to become fluent in Irish without being able to speak the language yourself. The majority of children in Irish-medium schools do not have Irish as one of their home languages.
The best way to help your child in post-primary school is to show them that you are positive about them going to school and becoming fluent in Irish. Letting your child know that you are proud of them, that you’re interested in what they’re doing in school and that you’re excited to learn along with them will be a big help to them.
Aithníonn scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge an tábhacht a bhaineann le rannpháirtíocht na dtuismitheoirí i ngach gné d’oideachas a bpáistí, obair bhaile san áireamh. Tuigeann múinteoirí nach bhfuil Gaeilge líofa ag gach tuismitheoir agus tugtar obair bhaile d’fhonn treisiú a dhéanamh ar a bhfuil foghlamtha ag an dalta le linn am scoile.
Beidh do pháiste in ann an obair bhaile a thugtar dóibh a mhíniú duit sa teanga a úsáideann sibh le chéile sa bhaile. Cabhróidh sé go mór le do pháiste má léiríonn tú dóibh go bhfuil fíorspéis agat sa sealbhú teanga agus an dul chun cinn atá ar bun acu.
How will I help my child with homework?
Irish-medium schools recognise the importance of engaging parents in all aspects of their child’s learning, including homework. Teachers are aware that many parents may not speak Irish and homework is designed to reinforce what the student has already covered during school hours.
Your child will be able to explain the homework they’ve been given in the language you speak together at home. It will help your child a lot if you show them that you’re very interested in how they are becoming fluent in Irish, and in the progress, they’re making at school.
Tacaíonn múnla an tumoideachais le sealbhú teanga an dalta trí rannpháirtíocht agus ionsú iomlán; ní fhágtar ar a gconlán féin iad. Múintear teanga i gcomhthéacs an ábhair agus cabhraíonn an foghlaim chomhtháite leis an dalta dul chun cinn a dhéanamh sa Ghaeilge agus san ábhar araon.
Will students have difficulty studying all subjects through Irish?
Immersion education helps students to become fluent through participation and total absorption; it’s not a sink-or-swim approach. Language is taught in the context of the subject and this integrated learning approach helps the student to make progress in both their fluency in Irish and their mastery of the subject.
Beidh, agus breis! Níl aon bhac ar scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge bheith rannpháirteach in imeachtaí náisiúnta, agus cuireann leithéidí comórtas an Eolaí Óg duais ar leith ar fáil dóibh siúd a ghlacann páirt trí mheán na Gaeilge. Tá rogha leathan imeachtaí ar fáil chomh maith atá dírithe ar dhaltaí na scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge amháin; imeachtaí spóirt, díospóireachta, drámaíochta, ceoil agus eile.
Will students have the same opportunities outside of the classroom as they would attending an English-medium school?
Yes, and more! Irish-medium schools take part in all kinds of local and national events, and some, like the Young Scientists, have special awards for those who participate in Irish. There is also a wide range of events specifically for students in Irish-medium schools; sport, debating, drama, music and more.
Cén Fáth Oideachas Lán-Ghaeilge?
Is é an múnla oideachais a chuireann muid chun cinn ná múnla an tumoideachais, múnla ina bhfaigheann daltaí a gcuid oideachais – taobh istigh agus taobh amuigh den seomra ranga – trí mheán na Gaeilge. Tá os cionn 53,000 dalta ag freastal ar scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge i láthair na huaire agus is léiriú iad ar bhuntáistí an mhúnla tumoideachais do gach uile dalta, beag beann ar leibhéal cumais, stádas socheacnamaíoch, nó ar chúlra creidimh, cultúrtha nó teanga. Seo roinnt de na buntáistí a aithnítear leis an tumoideachas.
Ag Tacú le Daltaí le Riachtanais Speisialta Oideachais
Cuirtear na tacaíochtaí céanna ar fáil do pháistí a bhfuil riachtanais speisialta oideachais acu i scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge agus baineann siad an leas céanna as an oideachas dátheangach. Freastalaíonn scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge ar pháistí faoi mhíchumas fisiciúil agus faoi mhíchumas intleachta go rialta; daltaí le deacrachtaí radhairc agus éisteachta, neamhoird de chuid speictream an uathachais, disléicse, agus riachtanais speisialta oideachais eile. Tá cead á thabhairt do roinnt scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge aonaid speisialta a oscailt le freastal ar pháistí le riachtanais bhreise. Maítear nach ndéanann an t-oideachas dátheangach aon dochar do pháistí le riachtanais speisialta oideachais agus dearbhaítear an méid seo ina thaobh ‘Bilingual education…does no harm and clearly does contribute to social-emotional and interpersonal growth’ – Tuairisc NCSE, 2001