Inspectors report on gaelscoil’s language teaching

INSPECTORS are due to report to Education Minister Mary Hanafin within days on language teaching at a gaelscoil where parents of infant pupils have complained about a shortage of English classes.

The inspectors spent two days at Scoil Uí Easmhainn in Tralee, Co Kerry, last week examining the teaching and learning of English in junior classes.

The matter had been brought to the attention of the Department of Education by parents who said they were not consulted about a policy of “total immersion”, under which pupils do not learn English until first class. The school board said last October that 15 minutes English per day would be taught to infants.

The department confirmed it was the third visit to the school by inspectors since November.

“There has been protracted correspondence between the department and the school authorities in an effort to clarify the school policy and its operation in relation to English and Irish,” a spokesperson said.

“Arising from this correspondence and a failure on the part of the board of management to satisfy all the department’s enquiries, it was decided to conduct the evaluation and establish what was happening.”

The inspectors have met the principal, the chairperson of the school board and the parents’ association.

The spokesperson said: “Matters arising from the evaluation will be brought to the attention of the minister in the next few days. Following this, it is expected that there will be direct communication with the school authorities.”

The school board could not be reached for comment but former gaelscoileanna president Donal Ó hAiniféin defended the total immersion policy.

“The only way children can learn to use the target language is by spending the first two years learning through Irish,” he said.

Ms Hanafin has said all children should be taught in both languages from junior infants to help develop reading and literacy skills.