PPLI Audit of Foreign Languages - Flipbook - Page 63
• Hungarian - family has no English
• We have had students from Poland and the Czech Republic in the past but have none at present. We have some
students whose parents are non-nationals but the children were either born here or have resided in Ireland for
some time and are fluent in English
• Depends on the students in the school at the time. As we don't have teachers of these subjects, students have
to source the support themselves
• No parents have made requests. We have offered evening classes and refer students to the weekend classes.
General comments Q46
Question 46 asked schools to comment on any other aspect of foreign languages provision in either their school or
in schools in general, and the following are a representative selection of comments received.
A number of clear themes were identified.
Issues with Teacher Supply
• There is a major problem in securing the services of language teachers - especially German teachers. I am in a
position at the moment where I have a full time 22 hour German position which I cannot fill. It is also extremely
difficult to find Spanish teachers and less so for French.
• Very difficult to find qualified language teachers. We struggled to recruit French teachers in the past and find it
almost impossible to source substitute language teachers throughout the year. This is a crisis waiting to happen.
• Getting suitably qualified staff is also an issue
• The current shortage of MFL language teachers in Ireland is the single biggest issue facing the provision of
languages in schools. Last year it was impossible to get substitute teachers for maternity leave etc. in MFL.
Advertisements for Spanish teachers for 2017-18 attracted 3 applicants - one turned up for interview and did not
have a good reference from previous school. Teachers from European countries are made jump through ridiculous
(and costly) hoops to get a Teaching Council recognition to teach in Ireland. A short conversion course for these
teachers would help to alleviate shortages.
• Finding teachers who have fluency in languages is a major challenge for us and has reached crisis point when
trying to cover maternity leave and absences. We have concerns that if this trend continues we may have to
consider making the language optional.
• It is proving very difficult to get applicants for positions as teachers of French and German.
• Getting suitably qualified staff is also an issue and one that will become a problem long-term.
• We are considering dropping a language as we are worried about recruitment
62
Audit of Foreign Languages Provision in Post-Primary Schools 2017
Post-Primary Languages Initiative February 2017 Draft Report
