Irish Times

Miscellaneous

2015

Time to learn foreign languages Paul Gillespie: Plurilingualism – why we’re so bad at picking up more languages Irish-language group worried about cut in university provision Rise in numbers getting honours Irish Language Commissioner criticises Dept of Education Get a job in 2020: Follow your heart, or follow the money and get a language while you're at it

2014

Department urged to reinstate language programme at primary level Letter: French and languages in schools Letter: French and languages in schools Schools need to vary language teaching amid ‘predominance of French’, report suggests A tongue-tied minister Leaving Cert German: Lovelocks and penguins Junior Cert German: getting easier 50 days: tips and tricks for leaving cert languages The lack of continuous professional development is a major problem, according to a language teacher

2013

Linguaswap, the first online language swapping website for second-level students Be grateful we speak English The war of the words: An Irishman’s Diary about American and Irish English Word for Word: Losing out on access to translations Polish school manager says parents’ motivation for bilingualism has changed Cost of court interpreters down 57% since 2008 Proposal for an Anglophone Europe lost in translation Drop-off in EU jobs applicants (language knowledge a real barrier) Letter: Learning German An Irishman's diary: The German language Link found between speech and birdsong

2012

Low Erasmus entry due to poor language skills, says Creighton Beijing, Dublin college link-up approved High failure rates in language Junior cert exams Girls outperform boys in European languages Leaving cert results, including languages Expelling modern languages (pilot scheme for primary schools) Exam diary: Leaving Cert German Leaving French paper'very positive' Irish students get a chance to learn Chinese A victim of the unfair anomaly in Leaving Cert oral Irish Modern languages at primary level are crucial Mastering Mandarin Letter: A simple formula for education Speaking in tongues: An unheard voice in education UCC hopes Chinese award leads to funding

2011

Cuts to the Modern Languages in Primary Schools Initiative Cut in modern language support Abolition of the Modern Languages in Primary Schools Initiative The cutting of modern languages in primary school Cut in modern language support Education body denies low take-up of work and study places abroad Irish shy away from EU study scheme Children can practise language skills through social network The deficit in foreign language skills Language students flock to Ireland Learning languages:letter Lingle, an online tool to help language teachers gather interesting and relevant content for their classes. Call to prioritise languages in schools OECD says a “near negligible amount” of time is devoted to modern foreign languages in the Republic Higher failure rates in Junior Cert maths and languages University to forge links with China Reformed Junior Cert to switch emphasis from exams The lowdown on your grades (linguistic abilities) Language teaching sector worth €274m Hone your French and celebrate a strong Alliance Gaeltacht study grants for 20 US citizens Students' views on junior cycle (Irish and French) The importance of foreign languages Foreign-language requirement for students entering third level could be scrapped Foreign language for college may be ended Cut of 250 language support teachers Language summer camp Unemployment crisis hits post-primary teachers but some teacher shortages: Irish, languages Teenagers'total immersion among native speakers

2010

Exam system doing little to get students talking "relatively mediocre level of oral competence in modern languages” in second-level schools Schools lag in teaching foreign languages Strategy aims to attract more foreign students High failure rates in foreign languages in Junior Cert GCSE in NI : drop in the number of students studying languages, markedly French Education and language support Language support vital, says INTO INTO condemns English language cuts LEAVING CERT GERMAN Number of students studying languages at Leaving Cert level each year JUNIOR CERT FRENCH LEAVING CERT IRISH Leaving Certificate in 15 non-curricular languages 15 languages tested at Leaving Cert for native speakers including Romanian, Polish and Latvian Irish-exempt students sit for other languages School signs up for Chinese syllabus More than 1,000 Saudis to study at Irish ITs 750 Saudi Arabian students to study English here Language support in schools 'essential' to avoid ghettoes English course methods criticised Konnichiwa to new languages Irish schools need not teach English to junior infants Language directive to be withdrawn

2009

Mandarin may yet be taught in schools, says Minister Finding yourself abroad Leaving cert trends Irish pupils fare badly in list by Eurostat on foreign languages Junior Cert results in languages Say 'ni hao' to learning Chinese for free Language support teachers cuts bad for integration Significant number of language students enrolling as a means of remaining in the State A STUDENT'S VIEW on the proposed five-year cap on non-EEA students in Ireland Leaving Cert in 15 non-curricular languages Language support cuts affect children Language camps Over 500 language support teaching positions to be cut Travel scholarships Eurolanguages.com Leaving Cert Mocks (languages included) Higher level Leaving Cert numbers(languages included)

2008

Groups seek reversal of 'immoral' education cuts new ceiling of a maximum of two language support teachers for most schools Schools condemn cuts in language support for newcomer pupils Group to strengthen education link with China Local students to lobby Tánaiste over cutbacks Over 3,500 Chinese students are now studying in Ireland Migrant education hypocrisy criticised by Hayes Diversity does not damage learning, claims Lenihan Government action on social integration criticised Immersion classes in 20% of schools President thanked for helping Irish studies course in Romania Letter:Standard of teachers' Irish A notable aspect of the Junior Cert exam is the overwhelming dominance of French over other foreign languages Letter:Separate English teaching in schools (answer) Letter:SEPARATE ENGLISH TEACHING IN SCHOOLS question of language-learning for students of foreign backgrounds Letter:Separate English teaching in schools Hayes regrets 'segregation' remark Call to segregate migrants rejected by teachers' union Call for guidelines on English for immigrant children Segregation in education is never the best route to take Segregation is 'distinctive' in North schools Letter suggesting less Irish and more maths in school Northern students A-level exams(languages mentioned) Leaving Cert:very strong performances in languages and music More pupils taking off-curriculum language exams End of Irish exam for law trainees Protest over language centre closure What better way to learn a language than to combine it with a holiday? Rally over immigrant centres closing Department to take over refugee teaching service German exam asks some tough questions Language training centre to close 42 jobs to go at language training centre 15 languages tested at Leaving Cert Native speakers examinations in their mother tongue at Leaving Certificate level Leaving Cert waivers (Irish and English) Integration plan to avoid urban ghettoes - Lenihan (English language classes) English-language schools complain about immigration procedures Immigration procedures 'undermine' lucrative market for foreign students Adviser on racism says diversity in schools neglected Russian in Transition Year Russian in Transition Year Warning that racism is a crisis waiting to happen Irish in primary schools:lack of age-appropriate, modern and interesting resources Students visit China to learn language Subject areas which have come under the cosh in Irish universities in the recent past include (...) Modern Languages(..) Policy urged to address ethnic issues Junior Cert choice of CONTINENTAL/THIRD LANGUAGE

2007

Science students and languages Private college provides course in Polish Support for teachers of migrants Polish schools open in Waterford, Cork Mind the quality and feel the width: third-level rethink overdue Getting it right on integration Ghettoisation of immigrants warning Full text of President's speech organised by immigrant council of Ireland More English lessons for foreign nationals urged Girls still do better than boys in Junior Certificate English classes urged for migrants Call for English classes for immigrants More than two-thirds of new schools established since 2005 are multidenominational or Irish language schools Migrant numbers in NI schools up 40% English in gaelscoileanna A-grades for one third of Northern students Standards review for new languages Teaching English in gaelscoileanna Teaching English in gaelscoileanna Irish schools ordered to teach English Irish teaching is a concern in school reports Leaving Cert German: Students of Leaving Certificate German yesterday Polish dictionary not much help on business language Leaving Certificate French Polish among 15 languages to be examined For the first time the Romanian and Bulgarian languages will be among the Leaving Cert subjects examined These are exciting times for Irish language studies Speaking out about universities Examinations in the Romanian and Bulgarian languages at Leaving Certificate Number of students sitting Leaving at 20-year low A little less conversation, a little more oral action Afraid to speak out about universities Foreign children in Irish schools The rise of the gaelscoil - is this the new playground of the elite? Gaelscoileanna Call for more language teachers for foreign students Tough lessons in an evolving classroom Leaving Cert Irish-changes targets oral skills A trip of the tongue What happens if I do not take a language other than Irish and English? Pressure on Hanafin over closure order for Gaeltacht college TD claims State tuition abused Lack of examiners for Leaving Cert orals Hanafin ends rule limiting language support teachers Political row over 200 extra language teachers Call for reform of Irish curriculum

2006

Eight Irish students participate in a two-week immersion course in the west of Russia Teaching Japanese to Irish students Exemptions from Leaving Certificate Irish and how this might affect a student who wishes to attend a university that has Irish as a matriculation requirement Racism is just one of the problems for 'newcomer' children Pueblo Inglés Program 2006 Leaving Cert: Good grades in "new languages" 2006 Leaving Cert Results present mixed bag Worrying trends in Leaving Cert fewer students take languages Junior Certificate Spanish Teachers say French exam needs to be modernised Leaving Certificate Irish Galway students generally happy with Junior and Leaving Irish papers Junior Certificate Irish Leaving Certificate Irish/higher level Ireland's new residents influence Leaving Cert language choices Room for improvement in a first-class exam Students dislike languages, report finds Entry to NUI colleges: which students are exempt from Irish? The form guide to summer camps English language teaching for foreign pupils Irish an advantage for primary school teaching Reluctance to study abroad (Erasmus) could be put down to a lack of language skills Inadequate provision for schoolgoing immigrants 'Huge increase' in overseas students must be addressed Number of Chinese students taking degrees and diplomas in Ireland Battling on to build a new, more modern Leaving Cert exam The Future of the Irish Language in the Education System Business and languages option

2005

The worth of arts and humanities versus science Few opportunities to learn Spanish or Italian Leaving Cert in two stages Ibec wants more to learn Spanish Leaving Cert German paper French Leaving Cert paper Language policy 'would boost trade' 85% of Irish version of exam papers will never be used Primary teachers pass Irish Advice on practice before Leaving Cert Primary schools get guidelines on cultural diversity Language Summer Camps Leaving cert subjects at a glance Courses in teaching and communications Courses in law with a language