Annual Report 2025 Entire Book - Flipbook - Page 79
InTouch Magazine Articles
Cúrsaí teagaisc
Teaching matters
Activity – Let’s learn about colours and fruit
Caroline Walters shares a simple activity that
most
teachers can replicate in their school, which
combines
vocabulary around fruit and colours, in diferent
languages, in a simple but engaging way.
This is
What will the pupils be able to do?
• Learn the names of fruits and revise
colours in various languages
• Notice similarities and diferences
across diferent languages
• Use vocabulary actively through
playing games
Making foreign language
learning fun and inclusive
Why is this relevant?
This lesson interlinks with a lot of other
subjects in the Primary Curriculum. Fun
through active learning
an activity combining and reinforcing various
Key
Competencies throughout the lesson, such
as being a
communicator and using languages along
with being
creative, being well and being an active learner.
How are we going to learn the new
words?
• Using concrete materials, such as
coloured plates, recap on the colours
previously taught and introduce fruit
names using plastic fruit.
• Focus on repetition and
reinforcement, rather than quantity of
vocabulary.
• Re-enforce the vocabulary using a
PowerPoint presentation with real
A teacher’s perspective
Languages Connect is delighted to bring you
the
second in a new series of articles that provide
practical
resources and supports, from schools and
teachers
who are embracing the integration of modern
foreign
language education into the curriculum. Providing
a voice to teachers, the series showcases real-life
I work as an English as an Additional
Language (EAL) teacher in St John9s
Girls9 and Infant Boys9 School in Limerick
City. We are a DEIS Band 1 school
with 220 pupils, of which 100 speak a
language other than English at home.
As an avid Modern Foreign Languages
(MFL) advocate, I was delighted that our
school was chosen to take part in the
Say Yes to Languages (SYTL) language
sampler module for a 4th year.
This year we have introduced Spanish
to our 3rd and 4th classes, while our
5th and 6th year groups continue with
French classes. The children are really
enjoying the experience. We have
always used teachers in our school to
deliver the module and each year new
teachers get involved. I am also the
mother of two bilingual children, and
I fully welcome the introduction of an
MFL speciocation in the redeveloped
Primary Language Curriculum.
Fun through active learning
Our key focus is fun through exploring
language awareness and building
communicative competence along
with cultural awareness. We teach key
vocabulary through active learning
methodologies, using various objects
and materials, nashcards, powerpoint
presentations, songs, games and
videos. Being active, moving around the
classroom and showing comprehension
through drawing and colouring is
a great way to keep the children
interested and involved.
A chance for everyone to shine
These lessons are hugely important
for all the pupils in the class. Some
children who may ond other areas
of the curriculum challenging, really
enjoy learning a few words in another
language. The pupils also use their
known words as Gaeilge to add to the
discussion on how words might be
similar or diferent across languages.
It also hugely beneots EAL learners, as
they can add valuable contributions to
the classes.
Such a plurilingual approach
welcomes all languages into the
classroom, from the languages of the
school, the children9s home languages
and the languages of the wider
community.
INTOUCH 68
Resources section of the
Languages Connect website bit.ly/
LanguagesConnectPrimary.
classroom practices that have worked.
In this edition, Caroline Walters from St John’s
Girls’
and Infant Boys’ School in Limerick City provides
insights from her classroom, as well as a readymad
e
class activity for you to try.
Then what?
Pupils could draw their ove favourite
fruits in a bowl and tell the class. You
can extend the activity by comparing
likes and dislikes, exploring intercultural
awareness.
A plurilingual approach extended
beyond the classroom
Our engagement has shown our school
the huge beneots that the new MFL
curriculum will bring to all schools and
communities in Ireland. The positive
feedback from the children led us to
embrace more plurilingual practices,
such as in our countdown to turn on
our Christmas lights this year, which
featured ove languages and singing
the Jingle Bells chorus in six diferent
languages.
CAROLINE WALTERS
For more information about Say Yes
to Languages and language upskilling
opportunities for teachers, or to contribute to
these articles, email primary@ ppli.ie or visit
www. languagesconnect.ie, we would love to
hear from you!
Languages Connect promotes the personal, social,
professional and economic beneots of foreign
language skills to principals, teachers, guidance
counsellors, parents and pupils. Funded by the DE and
facilitated by PPLI, this is a key objective of Languages
Connect; Ireland’s Strategy
for Foreign Languages in
Education 2017-2026.
How can we assess what has been
learnt?
What do we need?
• Diferent colour plastic plates; plastic
fruit; matching fruit cards; sheet with
fruit on it to colour, labelled with the
fruit names in various languages.
• YouTube simple colour/fruit songs of
your choice.
Where will we ond the vocabulary?
fruit images and the words.
• Ask the children to colour sort the
fruit naming each fruit they pick and
naming the colour as well.
• Vocabulary Races is a great interactive
game that gets the children up
and about to race each other to
remember the words.
• Walking Snap or Guess What I Have
are also very interactive, where
children must ond their matching
fruit by walking around the classroom
and asking each other questions.
• You could play a simple child-friendly
song for the class to sing along. Super
Simple Songs or any equivalent are
sure winners: the simpler, the better.
Ask pupils who have proociency in other
languages to teach the words to their
classmates and teacher. They might
need to ask their siblings or parents/
guardians before being able to provide
the correct words, therefore give them
notice and allow them the time to
prepare for this task. This empowers the
children to be the experts in the class
and validates the importance given to
These and more ideas are contained
their linguistic background and identity.
in the resource Vocabulary-Building
Activities, available from the
JAN/FEB 2025
INTOUCH 69
• Having a sheet with some fruit on it
asking them to colour 8x9 fruit 8y9 colour
can be a simple way to assess if the
children know the vocabulary.
• Discussions about similarities and
diferences across languages will help
assess their language awareness.
• Discussions around their likes and
dislikes will also potentially highlight
cultural similarities and diferences
Interested to ond out more?
More activities and ideas around
this topic can be found in the below
resources:
• MFL Teacher/Tutor Notes (pp 20-25)
• Language and Languages in the
Primary School (pp 27-28)
• Language Adventures (p 15)
All these resources
and more are
available on the
Resources section
of the Languages
Connect website,
accessible via the QR
code.
JAN/FEB 2025
Eagrán Gaeilge
Eagrán Gaeilge
Teangacha ag tacú lena chéile!
Léargas an mhúinteora
Is cúis áthais do Déanann Teangacha Nasc an
tríú halt sa tsraith nua seo a fhoilsiú. Tagann
na hailt seo ó scoileanna agus ó mhúinteoirí
atá ag glacadh go fonnmhar le comhtháthú
na dteangacha iasachta leis an gcuraclam.
Déanann na hailt seo cur síos ar acmhainní
Mise agus mo Scoil
“Is mise Harriette agus is múinteoir mé
i nGaelscoil Laighean, Baile Átha Cliath.
Is scoil bheag í ár scoil agus táimid antógtha le teangacha – go háirithe an
Ghaeilge, dar ndóigh.
“Tá suim mhór agam i dteangacha,
sa tumoideachas agus san Fhoghlaim
Chomhtháite Ábhar agus Teanga (FCÁT).
Táim an-sásta go bhfuil Nuatheangacha
Iasachta mar chuid de Churaclam
Teanga na Bunscoile. Labhraím Fraincis
agus tá taithí agam í a mhúineadh do
pháistí agus do mhic léinn. Ar an
mbonn sin, thapaigh mé an deis í a
mhúineadh dár bpáistí i nGaelscoil
Laighean. Toisc gurb í an Ghaeilge
teanga na scoile, thuig na páistí gur
trí mheán na nGaeilge a bheidís ag
foghlaim na Fraincise. Sular cuireadh
áiseanna nó tacaíochtaí ar fáil mar
chuid den scéim Say Yes To Languages,
thugamar fúithi, ag baint úsáid as
leabhair ghearrthóg, as amhráin
Fhraincise ar YouTube agus as na
cluichí boird Fraincise a bhí bailithe
agam thar na blianta.
Feasacht teanga a chothú
“Bhain mé úsáid ag an gcur chuige
cumarsáideach chun teanga ó bhéal
na bpáistí a fhorbairt. Is gá go mbeadh
na páistí ag úsáid na sprioctheanga
chun í a shealbhú. Chuige sin, tugadh
deiseanna rialta dóibh an sprioctheanga
a chleachtadh agus iad i mbun tascanna
agus cluichí i ngrúpaí.
“Bhí spreagadh agus oosracht na
bpáistí le sonrú. Go luath, léiríodh go
soiléir gur thacaigh an dara teanga, an
Ghaeilge, le foghlaim an tríú teanga.
Rinne na páistí naisc idir na focail sa dá
theanga go nádúrtha, mar shampla,
briathra ar nós éist sa Ghaeilge -écouté
sa Fhraincis, léigh sa Ghaeilge – lire sa
Fhraincis agus deirim sa Ghaeilge – je dis
sa Fhraincis. Thug na páistí faoi deara go
raibh cosúlachtaí idir ainmfhocail áirithe
sa dá theanga mar shampla, œuf – ubh,
argent-airgead, matin-maidin, garçon-
praiticiúla agus tacaíochtaí agus léiríonn
siad cleachtais réalaíocha agus éifeachtacha
ranga. San alt seo, tugann Harriette
Robinson mionléargais óna seomra ranga
féin, mar aon le gníomhaíocht ranga gur
féidir tabhairt fúithi.
Ceacht Samplach: Cé na spóirt a thaitníonn/nach dtaitníonn
Roinneann Harriette Robinson
gníomhaíocht shimplí bunaithe ar
chaitheamh aimsire. Foghlaimeoidh
na páistí an teanga a bhaineann le
cineálacha caitheamh aimsire sa
Fhraincis, ar bhealach spraíúil.
Torthaí foghlama
• Caitheamh aimsire a ainmniú
• Tuairim na ndaltaí faoin
gcaitheamh aimsire a
chur in iúl
• Foclóir agus nathanna a
úsáid le linn cluichí teanga
J’adore
Je déteste
La natation
Le cyclisme
L9athlétisme
Le basket
La gymnastique
Le ski
Le rugby
Le tennis
Le foot gaélique
Le surf
Cad a theastaíonn uainn?
gasúr. Dhírigh
mé a n-áird ar
an traschur
idir modh
úsáidte focal
(briathra),
mar
shampla, an
briathar 8faire9. Thuig siad go
raibh cosúlacht idir briathra ar nós 8faire9
sa Fhraincis agus 8déan9 sa Ghaeilge toisc
go bhfuil brí éagsúil ag an mbriathar ag
brath ar an gcomhthéacs ina n-úsáidtear
é – 8je fais le hockey9 nó 8je fais un gâteau9díreach cosúil leis an mbealach ina
n-úsáidtear 8déan9 sa Ghaeilge, ach ní
hionann don bhriathar 8to do9 as Béarla.
“Tá sé soiléir go mbíonn na páistí ag
déanamh machnaimh ar an nGaeilge le
linn na gceachtanna Fraincise. Sampla
eile a tháinig chun cinn ná an chosúlacht
atá idir an frása 8s9il vous plaît9 sa Fhraincis
agus 8más é do thoil é9 sa Ghaeilge. Is
frásaí iad a aistríonn díreach de réir bhrí
na bhfocal, rud nach dtarlaíonn sa Bhéarla
nuair a úsáidtear focal amháin 8please9…
focal amháin, ”gan chiall” a dúirt na páistí.
Téann an traschur an dá threo mar, ón
bhfoghlaim sa Fhraincis, tá táithí ag na
páistí i dtaobh inscne na n-ainmfhocal cé
nach bhfuil tús curtha leis seo sa Ghaeilge
go fóill. Beidh deis ag na páistí a gcuid
INTOUCH 28
foghlama sa Fhraincis a aistriú sa cheacht
Gaeilge amach anseo.
“Is léir go dtreisíonn na ranganna
Fraincse feasacht teanga na bpáistí. Tugadh
faoi deara go mbíonn siad ag oosrú na
gcosúlachtaí agus na ndifríochtaí idir
an Ghaeilge agus an Fhraincis ó thaobh
struchtúr, gramadaí, foclóra, nathanna
cainte agus inscne na n-ainmfhocal
de. Sealbhaíonn siad an Fhraincis agus
neartaítear a dtuiscint ar an nGaeilge.”
Chun tuilleadh eolais a fháil faoi Cuir
Fáilte Roimh Theangacha agus faoi
dheiseanna uasoiliúna teanga do
mhúinteoirí, nó má tá suim agat alt a
scríobh mar chuid den tsraith seo, seol
ríomhphost chuig primary@ppli.ie nó
téigh chuig languagesconnect.ie. Ba
bhreá linn cloisteáil uait!
• Pictiúir de na cineálacha caitheamh
aimsire gearrtha amach agus iad
curtha i mbabhla – beart do gach
grúpa
• Cairtchlár gearrtha amach i gcruth
croí agus i gcruth X – ceann do gach
grúpa
• Pictiúr de gach spórt le lipéid
Fhraincise
Conas an foclóir a
mhúineadh
Aithneoidh na páistí roinnt de
na caithimh aimsire toisc go bhfuil
cosúlachtaí idir na focail Fhraincise
agus na focail Ghaeilge. Trí athrá
agus athris, déan cleachtadh ar na
cineálacha caitheamh aimsire. Iarr
ar na páistí ligean orthu go bhfuil
siad i mbun an spóirt a ghlaonn an
múinteoir amach os ard. Tabhair
deis do pháistí
linn?
Le linn an cheachta, déantar na
Príomhinniúlachtaí a nascadh agus a
threisiú, ar nós a bheith i do chumarsáidí
agus teanga a úsáid mar aon le
bheith cruthaitheach agus a bheith i
d’fhoghlaimeoir gníomhach.
aonair ainm an spóirt a ghlaoch
amach agus
déanann
an rang an
gníomh
ceart, iad
ag glaoch
amach ainm
an chaithimh
aimsire ag an am
céanna.
Tuigodh go leor páistí
na frásaí “j9adore/je déteste”
agus bain úsáid as an gcruth croí
nó an cruth x chun na frásaí a
mhúineadh. Tabhar deis dóibh
athrá a dhéanamh ar na frásaí.
Dúshlán breise
Beidh cumas difriúil agus taithí éagsúil
ag gach páiste sa Fhraincis, agus mar
sin, seans go mbeidh páistí
áirithe in ann an cheist
– ”Est-ce que tu adore/
déteste ____?” a
chur ar pháistí
eile in ionad an
mhúinteora ag
deireadh an cheachta.
Conas a cluiche a imirt
• Piocann páistí pictiúr amach as an
mbabhla
• Deir siad an frása ”J9adore le tennis/
je déteste la natation” agus cuireann
siad an pictiúr ar an gcruth croí nó ar
an gcruth X
• Piocann an chéad pháiste
eile pictiúr agus leanann siad ar
aghaidh go dtí go mbíonn gach
pictiúr imithe
Conas measúnú a dhéanamh
ar an bhfoghlaim
Iarr ar pháiste tuairim a thabhairt
faoi chaitheamh aimsire áirithe,
mar shampla; ”Est-ce que tu adore
le basket?” Freagraíonn an páiste
le ”Oui, j9adore le basket/Non, je
déteste le basket”. Feidhmíonn sé
seo mar dul siar chomh maith.
An bhfuil suim agat tuilleadh
eolais a fháil?
Tá tuilleadh gníomhaíochtaí
agus smaointe le fáil faoin
topaic seo sna hacmhainní
thíos:
• Múinteoir NTI/Nótaí an
Mhúinteora (lgh. 23 – 25)
• Teanga agus Teangacha sa
Bhunscoil (lgh. 25 – 26)
• Eachtraí Teanga (lch.17)
Tá na hacmhainní seo agus
tuilleadh le fáil sa rannóg
Acmhainní ar shuíomh
gréasáin
Déanann
Teangacha
Nasc, a bhfuil
teacht air tríd
an cód MF.
Languages Connect promotes the personal, social,
professional and economic beneots of foreign
language skills to principals, teachers, guidance
counsellors, parents and pupils. Funded by the
DEY and facilitated by PPLI, this is a key objective
of Languages Connect; Ireland’s Strategy for
Foreign Languages in Education 2017-2026.
INTOUCH 29
MAR/APR 2025
MAR/APR 2025
- PPLI ANNUAL REPORT 2025 -
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