Irish Examiner view: Broadening languages in education an acorns-to-oaks initiative

Pilot should be introduced across all primary schools

The tragedy of Brexit crystallised many differences, many of them predictable if not fully anticipated. One is that Cyprus, Malta, and Ireland remain the only EU countries to drive on the left hand side of the road. 

Whether carmakers cherish those modest markets enough to satisfy them indefinitely seems a moot hope, even if ciotóg Britain is unlikely to embrace European driving habits. 

The renewed rancour of hardline unionism is another consequence. 

That the deposed, comparatively moderate — really — Democratic Unionist Party leadership struggled to be enthusiastic about Irish language legislation suggests that the new, more Old Testament leadership might be even more reluctant to acknowledge the language’s legitimacy. 

As the issue has become so politicised, so very weaponised, statistics should be addressed with some caution. 

There is a consensus that less than 10% of Northern Ireland’s population have a functioning fluency in Irish. About 40% of this Republic’s citizens claim that capacity, though far, far fewer speak or read it regularly.

Another unfortunate consequence of Brexit is that it makes those ratios seem gargantuan when compared to the number of EU citizens — essentially only the Irish — who now speak English as their first language. 

Figures used to distribute Covid-19 vaccinations assigned just 1.1% of the EU’s 446m residents to this country. 

Linguistic marginalisation

Though huge numbers of Europeans are more than proficient in English, the first-language ratio of 1.1% is minuscule and may, over time, lead to a kind of linguistic marginalisation, especially if we do not become more proficient in European languages.

That marginalisation may seem unlikely, but as those promoting Irish in the North understand too well, a language can be politicised and assume an economic role far beyond cultural ambitions.

China recognised this dynamic many years ago and responded accordingly. For a time, huge state, corporate, and individual commitment to learning English encouraged the view that more people would soon speak English in China than in America. 

Whether that milestone was passed or not is uncertain but that it was even possible to predict that shows the power of concerted educational programmes.

Broadening skills

Brexit has, by underling our tongue-tied vulnerabilities, brought these matters to a head. Languages other than English or Irish are to be taught in selected primary schools on a pilot basis.

This welcome innovation will be targeted at third- to sixth-class pupils in more than 100 schools. 

The 2016 Census indicates that this may not be as daunting a challenge as it might seem, especially for teachers who may need to acquire new skills.

Five years ago, there were 612,018 people in Ireland — 13% of the population — who spoke a language other than Irish or English at home. They used one of the 72 languages spoken by at least 500 people living here.

This is one of those acorns-to-oaks first steps that carry potential far beyond its immediate remit. It should be encouraged, embraced, supported energetically, and introduced across all primary schools in the immediate future. 

That we have unprecedented experience in how not to teach a language must help deliver that enriching process too.