PPLI Audit of Foreign Languages - Flipbook - Page 62
Level of interest in e-learning or blended learning support for heritage languages in schools
Q45: If e-learning (distance learning) or blended learning (a combination of distance and classroom based learning) in a
heritage language were available, how interested would your school be in participating?
Despite the perceived low level of demand for support for heritage languages, most respondents are at least
moderately interested in an e-learning or blended learning option for this support, with 73% of those in English
schools at least fairly interested.
English-Medium
15%
Irish-Medium
24%
Mixed
17%
23%
35%
23%
12%
27%
21%
4%
16%
21%
34%
23%
5%
Boys
6%
27%
37%
27%
3%
Girls
15%
24%
39%
22%
0%
Smaller Schools
500
13%
26%
36%
24%
1%
Non-Fee-Paying Voluntary Secondary
12%
25%
40%
20%
3%
Fee-Paying Voluntary Secondary
15%
19%
37%
7%
ETB Schools
16%
23%
25%
7%
Community and Comp Schools
15%
25%
5%
22%
29%
Extremely
Very
Fairly
Not Very
Not at all
0%
10%
40%
15%
20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Figure 48: Level of interest in e-learning or blended learning support for heritage languages in schools
In terms of demand for support classes for non-curricular languages, it is clear that the majority (69% in Englishmedium schools) do not see much demand for support classes, and only one in seven considers there is a great deal
of demand or a fair amount. However despite the perceived low level of demand for support classes for heritage
languages, most respondents are at least moderately interested in an e-learning or blended learning option for this
support, with 73% of those in English-medium schools at least fairly interested.
The following were some of the responses to Questions 43 and 44 which asked about demand for heritage
languages, which indicate that schools do not always understand that students and parents should be actively
encouraged to maintain their heritage languages, and informed of the benefits of maintaining them.
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Audit of Foreign Languages Provision in Post-Primary Schools 2017
Post-Primary Languages Initiative February 2017 Draft Report
