Re-Imagining Academic and Professional Irish Language Programmes in Initial Teacher Education: Implications of a New Third Level Irish Language Syllabus

Authors

  • Máirín Nic Eoin DCU

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35903/teanga.v24i0.40

Keywords:

Irish Language, Teacher Education, Irish-language Syllabus

Abstract

In 2008, a national working group was established in Ireland with the objective of producing a new third level Irish-language syllabus based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment (Council of Europe, 2001). The need for such a syllabus was widely acknowledged by third level teachers of Irish, in particular by those working in Irish Departments in the Colleges of Education. This article documents the progress of the Syllabus Project initiated by the national working group, and addresses in particular the question of linguistic
diversity among student teachers preparing for a career in the primary school sector. The author considers language teaching in the debate about initial teacher education models, the policy background to the Syllabus Project, pedagogy and practice in piloting the new syllabus, and future perspectives on third level Irish-language course provision.

Author Biography

Máirín Nic Eoin, DCU

Máirín Nic Eoin worked for thirty-five years in the Irish Department in St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra. While Head of Department, she was co-organiser (with Dr Rióna Ní Fhrighil) of a national conference on the teaching of Irish at third level in 2008, and she was co-director (with Dr John Walsh of NUI Galway) of the national Irish-language third level Syllabus Project (2008-2012), undertaken by the consortium, An Mheitheal um Theagasc na Gaeilge ar an Tríú Leibhéal. A literary scholar, her books include Trén bhFearann Breac: An Díláithriú Cultúir agus Nualitríocht na Gaeilge (2005) and (with Aisling Ní Dhonnchadha, eds.), Ar an gCoigríoch: Díolaim Litríochta ar Scéal na hImirce (2008). She was elected a Member of the Royal Irish Academy in 2016.

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Published

2018-11-15

How to Cite

Nic Eoin, M. (2018). Re-Imagining Academic and Professional Irish Language Programmes in Initial Teacher Education: Implications of a New Third Level Irish Language Syllabus. TEANGA, the Journal of the Irish Association for Applied Linguistics, 24, 20–33. https://doi.org/10.35903/teanga.v24i0.40

Issue

Vol. 24 (2016): TEANGA 24

Section

Articles