Annual Report 2025 Entire Book - Flipbook - Page 78
Cúrsaí Teagaisc
Cúrsaí Teagaisc
Supporting literacy across the curriculum
through integrated language learning
Modern foreign languages in the Primary
Curriculum: Practical supports
In September, Minister for Educatio
n and
Youth Helen McEntee oocially launched
the redeveloped Primary Curriculu
m
speciocations for all primary and special
schools in Ireland, marking a signioca
nt
milestone in Irish education.
The language speciocation is one
of
ove speciocations and is underpin
ned
by a plurilingual approach to languag
e
teaching. This approach values each
child’s unique linguistic repertoire
as a
precious resource and draws on their
lived experiences of languages in
the
home, at school and within the wider
community. A key development of
the speciocation is the introduction
of
modern foreign languages (MFL)
learning
outcomes from 3rd to 6th class, focusing
on language and cultural awarene
ss
(stage 3) and basic competence in
an additional language (stage 4).
The
speciocation promotes the develop
ment
of transversal skills across English,
Irish,
and additional languages, preparin
g
Key features
pupils with the essential commun
icative
• Enhances teachers’ language
and intercultural skills needed to
thrive in
proociency and cultural awareness
a diverse, globalised world.
• Aligns content and methodology
with
Languages Connect is supporting
the Primary Curriculum Framework
this integration of modern foreign
and
the language speciocation
languages in the Primary Curriculu
m,
• Delivered in partnership with
working alongside other key stakehol
ders
educatio
n support centres, higher
including the NCCA, OIDE and the
education institutions, embassies,
NCSE. This collaboration looks to ensure
cultural institutes and other approve
alignment with curriculum develop
d
ment,
provider
s
inclusive education, and teacher
• Flexible delivery: online, blended
professional learning.
, and
in-person
How Languages Connect support
s
2. Say Yes to Languages: Celebrating
teachers and schools
ove
years of success
Languages Connect provides several
Say Yes to Languages is a fully funded,
quality-assured and fully funded
10week sampler module introducing
pupils
supports. These oferings focus on
to an additional language alongsid
e
guiding and empowering teachers
English and Irish in a fun, engagin
g way.
and schools along the journey toward
Now in its ofth year, Say Yes to Languag
becoming MFL-ready. They currently
es
has reached over 255,000 pupils in
2,000
include:
schools nationwide – with many schools
• Language upskilling opportunities;
taking part more than once since
the
• Say Yes to Languages module;
module began. This year alone, over
• Tailored classroom resources & supports
1,350
.
schools are participating.
1. Foreign language upskilling
opportunities for primary teachers
Languages Connect facilitates a fully
funded Foreign Language Upskillin
g
Scheme, enabling registered primary
teachers to enhance proociency in
a foreign
language of their choice. Over 400
teachers
have already enrolled in upskilling
courses
this school year – with more courses
due
to start in the second term.
Say Yes to Languages supports schools
by:
• Engaging schools with MFL in advance
of enactment of the language
speciocation
• Raising awareness of the beneots
of
MFL education to build transversal
skills
• Preparing teachers via training,
support
and resources
INTOUCH 45
s that
bring you the fourth in a series of article
Languages Connect is delighted to
the integration
ces from schools that are embracing
Moore
provide insights and practical resour
Isabel
,
edition
tion in the curriculum. In this
of modern foreign language educa
provides insights from her classroom.
Above: Teachers
attending an
upskilling course
in Vichy, France.
Left: St Johns Arklow SNS pupils with their
teacher
and Say Yes to Languages Italian tutor.
Awareness of interrelations
One of the most exciting aspects of the
experience was seeing the transfer of
on
skills. During a literacy lesson focused
etymology, we were exploring common
–
Latin and Greek root words in English
9
words like 8scrib/script9 meaning 8to write.
n
One pupil suddenly made a connectio
3. Resources and practical support
s
Languages Connect provides a wide
range of teacher-friendly, qualityassured resources to support both
Say
Yes to Languages delivery and the
wider
implementation of plurilingual educatio
n
in primary schools.
and said,
