An Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta
Department of Education and Science
Subject Inspection of Irish
REPORT
Coláiste na Toirbhirte
Bandon,
Roll number: 62061T
Dates of inspection: 1-2 May 2008
Subject provision and whole school
support
Summary of main findings and
recommendations
Report on the Quality of Learning and Teaching in irish
Subject inspection report
This report has been written following a subject inspection in Coláiste na Toirbhirte. It presents the findings of an evaluation of the quality of learning and teaching in Irish and makes recommendations for the further development of the teaching of this subject in the school. The evaluation was conducted over two days during which the inspector visited classrooms and observed learning and teaching. The inspector interacted with students and teachers, examined students’ work, and had discussions with the teachers. The inspector reviewed school planning documentation and teachers’ written preparation. Following the evaluation visit, the inspector provided oral feedback on the outcomes of the evaluation to the principal and the teachers of Irish. The board of management was given the opportunity to comment in writing on the findings and recommendations of the report, and the response of the board will be found in the appendix to this report.
Subject provision and whole school support
Irish enjoys a high status in Coláiste na Toirbhirte. The school community projects a positive attitude towards Irish, which acts as an encouragement for the students of the language. The teachers make every effort to ensure a positive learning experience for the students and, in the course of the evaluation, they availed of the opportunity of discussing various issues. This openness among the teachers contributed greatly to the value of the inspection.
The timetable provides substantial support for Irish, particularly in that daily contact with the target language is assured for the majority of students. It is school practice to divide students into such classes as make it possible to meet the learning needs of each individual student, an attitude which is praiseworthy. With this in view, a number of different systems are being tested and their effectiveness evaluated. At the feedback meeting, reference was made to the research which indicates that students make better or equal progress in mixed-ability classes than students of equal abilities make in streamed classes[1]. Because of this, it was recommended to the teachers that they should group students into mixed-ability classes, as far as possible.
A further indicator of the high standing which Irish holds in the school is the small number of students with exemption from the study of Irish – twenty one students in all. Eleven of these have learning difficulties and the remainder are of foreign origin or have received their early education abroad. Many students entitled to an exemption do study Irish, and the teachers are to be commended on the support and encouragement which they give to these students.
The school management are aware of the importance of discussion among subject teachers and time is allocated for this purpose. The teachers of Irish come together formally every month in order to debate matters such as common examinations, the acquisition of resources, the progress of students and extra-curricular activities. It is recommended to teachers that time should be allocated at each meeting in order to discuss classroom practice, especially successful learning/teaching strategies.
The teachers of Irish are concerned with enhancing their teaching skills. They are members of Comhar na Múinteoirí Gaeilge (the subject association for teachers of Irish) and they participate in such inservice events as are organised for teachers of Irish. Every support is provided for teachers in this regard and guest speakers have come and are scheduled to come to the school to explore topics such as Assessment for Learning or Cooperative Learning. The benefits associated with many of these strategies being promoted in recent years were drawn to the attention of teachers and it was indicated to them that every effort would be made to set the recommendations of this inspection report in the context of the strategies being advocated on a whole-school basis.
An extensive programme of co-curricular, cross-curricular and extra-curricular events, which supports the promotion of Irish, is in place. Students are brought to the Gaeltacht and to literary workshops. Seachtain na Gaeilge is a major event on the school calendar. During the evaluation, an initiative entitled Féile na Samhlaíochta was in progress, involving linkage between English, Irish, Music and Art.
Planning and preparation
It is the policy of the Irish Department to lay a particular emphasis on fostering the oral skills of students. This practice was commended.
Subject development planning is practised throughout the school. The Irish Department has been in existence for a number of years and every year one of the teachers is nominated to act as co-ordinator in order to direct the process. A plan has been drawn up for Irish and much of this documentation is the product of discussions among teachers at meetings. Among the documents reviewed were work schemes, minutes of meetings and a report on co-curricular, cross-curricular and extra-curricular events. The work completed to date in respect of planning for Irish was commended. Advice was offered regarding the future focus of the subject development planning process: the drawing up of work schemes for the various year groups in accordance with the syllabus topics and the design of a corresponding language programme, setting down the manner in which the topics are to be addressed in class. Such a language programme should include reference to: (a) the most frequently practised language structures, (b) the activities to be initiated and (c) the resources to be utilised. The importance of regularly reviewing the attainment of the learning objectives laid down was also emphasised. As regards Irish, it would also be anticipated that a close link would exist between the learning objectives and the language functions (see Siollabas don Teastas Sóisearach, Gaeilge, pp 18-29, An Ardteistiméireacht, Gaeilge, Na Siollabais agus An Córas Measúnachta, pp 6-25).
It was evident from the practices observed that all teachers undertake individual planning. A lesson plan was furnished in the case of the great majority of classes observed. The plans indicated that considerable thought had been given to the various stages of the lessons. The teachers are commended on their diligence. For the most part, it was apparent that they had selected a variety of activities suited to the needs of their students. These plans incorporated clear objectives, particularly as regards the learning activities to be undertaken. Students were made aware of the intended activities at the beginning of a lesson, a praiseworthy practice. At the conclusion of lessons it was obvious that the various activities had been completed. This practice relates to Assessment for Learning, an initiative which is being pursued on a whole-school basis. It was recommended to teachers that they should revise the learning objectives specified at the beginning of a lesson, so that the students would be informed as to what they would be able to say or do at the end of a lesson. With a view to bringing this about, further thought should be given to the language which is to be practised during the lesson, to the points of grammar which would arise and to strategies which would be used to create further opportunities for authentic communication among students.
Learning and teaching
A good work ethic and an atmosphere of courtesy characterised all the lessons observed. It was apparent that the teachers were implementing a long-established system of working and all participants fulfilled their duties diligently and willingly.
Irish was to the fore in the classes observed. The confidence and the ability of the majority of students to speak the language to one another and to the teacher were noted. Teachers created many opportunities of speaking for the students. The most frequently used strategies were individual questioning and working in pairs. The students showed a good understanding of the teacher's questions and they are to be complimented on the highly impressive efforts made to answer them in Irish. It was recommended to the teachers that it be class policy to accept only full sentences in the answers given by students. Further, it was felt that some teachers could reduce the amount of speaking they themselves do and create more opportunities of communication for the students. They were reminded of the basic principle governing the Communicative Approach i.e. that the amount of speaking done by the teacher reduces as the lesson progresses. With this in mind, even more extensive use should be made of paired work and group work in order to create opportunities for authentic communication. It was recommended that teachers should debate these strategies among themselves and with other teachers of modern languages. It is opportune that such discussion would take place between departments, if it is the intention of the school management to promote Cooperative Learning as a whole-school initiative.
An extensive range of subject matter was discussed in the classes observed. This subject matter related closely to the topics in the various syllabuses: pastimes, holidays and the body, health and sickness. These themes are in keeping with the range of experiences of students and the subject matter facilitated their participation. In a class in which a work of literature was under consideration, the links between the main themes of the work and the students' own lives were analysed. This drew contributions and opinions from the students.
No effort has been spared in creating a stimulating learning environment. The classroom walls have been decorated with multicoloured charts showing samples of the students' work, as well as vocabulary lists and common speech idioms. The charts displaying speech idioms are of great assistance to the students, particularly as they can refer to them when speaking aloud to the class or to one another.
Among the resources utilised were overhead projectors, photographs, flash cards, work sheets and video clips. Particular praise goes to the teachers for the use made of real-life materials, such as photographs, to stimulate the imagination of students. The spoken contributions of students would be even better if the setting or the people in photographs were familiar to them. The importance of presenting new vocabulary to students in a variety of ways was drawn to the attention of some teachers, and it was recommended that they would make even greater use of flash cards as a visual aid for students when speaking aloud to the class and to stimulate both the eye and the ear at the same time. Teachers were also asked to reflect on ways in which greater use could be made of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in learning and teaching activities. It was recommended that they should consult with the students themselves on this matter.
The students were assigned a selection of varied activities. In the course of these, the strongest emphasis was being placed on the skills of listening and of speaking. In some instances, the teachers succeeded in affording the students an opportunity of practising the four language skills – listening, speaking, reading and writing. This is a commendable approach and it is recommended to all teachers that they set the students tasks which ensure, as far as possible, practice in the four language skills within the one lesson. As regards reading, the importance of the accurate pronunciation of words was highlighted and, in regard to writing, they were reminded that it constitutes an integral element in the process of language acquisition.
Assessment
There is a comprehensive system of assessment, which keeps all parties informed as to the progress already made and being made by students.
The written work of students is monitored regularly. Some exercises are corrected in class and the teachers take up the copybooks where closer analysis of certain exercises is required. It was clear from a review of the copybooks that a significant number of exercises had been completed and had been carefully corrected by the teachers. The emphasis placed by some teachers on corrections was noted, and it was recommended that all teachers should adopt the practice of correcting the major errors in class. There are opportunities here for peer evaluation and it would be worthwhile for teachers to discuss these in the context of Cooperative Learning. It was further recommended that the written work of students would be marked in accordance with the public examinations' marking schemes, so as to give students an understanding of how marks are allotted to answers.
In-house examinations are held at Christmas and in summer. The students due to sit the public examinations are given preliminary examinations in the spring. These preliminary examinations are worthwhile in that they give experience of time management, of the layout of papers and of the conventions of the state examinations.
Continuous assessment, in the form of regular class exercises, is implemented in the case of Transition Year (TY) students. The students are obliged to furnish a folder at the end of the year providing an insight into and an account of what they have achieved during TY. At the end of the year they are interviewed about the contents of the folder and are awarded a certificate. It was recommended that consideration should be given to ways in which specific reference could be made to the progress made by students in the speaking of Irish. It was brought to the attention of teachers that many possibilities exist for the linking of the skills developed in the Irish class with the overall developmental objectives of TY.
Formal oral examinations are given to fifth and sixth-year students. The teachers are to be complimented on the recognition accorded to the oral skills of students in the assessment process, and the management are to be commended on setting time aside for assessing these skills. It was recommended that a similar approach should be adopted in the case of the other year groups, even if this were to amount only to allocating a mark in the in-house examinations for the efforts made to speak Irish in class.
Every effort is made to keep parents informed as to the progress of students. Parent-teacher meetings are convened, effective use is made of the school journal and a report is sent home after each of the main examinations.
Summary of main findings and recommendations
The following are the main strengths identified in the evaluation:
- Irish enjoys a high status in Coláiste na Toirbhirte.
- The teachers engaged in the activities of the evaluation without reservation and they participated willingly in the discussions on the various aspects of the learning and teaching of Irish.
- The timetable provides substantial support for Irish.
- Every effort is made to divide students into such classes as will ensure that they all achieve success.
- Only a small number of students have exemption from the study of Irish.
- The teachers come together regularly to discuss key issues.
- The teachers have a particular interest in developing their teaching skills.
- A programme of extra-curricular, co-curricular and cross-curricular events is in place.
- It is the policy of the Irish Department to lay a particular emphasis on the development of the oral skills of students.
- The teachers are fully engaged in the subject development planning process and a comprehensive plan has been drawn up for Irish.
- The diligence of teachers in the matter of individual planning was noted.
- An atmosphere of courtesy characterised all the classes observed.
- Irish was to the fore in the classes observed.
- Many opportunities of speaking were created for students.
- The subject matter of lessons related closely to the range of interests and the experience of students.
- No effort has been spared in creating a stimulating learning environment.
- Use was made of an extensive range of resources.
- In certain instances, students were assigned a selection of varied activities which provided them with practice in the four language skills.
- There is a comprehensive system of assessment, which keeps all parties informed as to the progress already made and being made by students.
As a means of building on these strengths and to address areas for development, the following key recommendations are made:
- It is recommended that use should be made of Assessment for Learning, in order that the students would be made aware at the beginning of a lesson of the language functions which are about to be practised during the lesson.
- It is recommended that a greater emphasis would be placed on practising common language structures during the lesson.
A post-evaluation meeting was held with the teachers of Irish and with the principal at which the draft findings and recommendations of the evaluation were presented and discussed.
Published, January 2009
Appendix
School Response to the Report
Submitted by the Board of Management
Area 1: Observations on the content of the Inspection Report
Tá Roinn na Gaeilge thar a bheith sásta leis an dtuairisc dhearfach seo agus leis an aithint a thug an chigireacht don stádas árd atá ag an nGaeilge sa scoil seo, laistigh agus taobh amuigh don seomra ranga.
Area 2: Follow-up actions planned or undertaken since the completion of the inspection activity to implement the findings and recommendations of the inspection
Deárfar gach iarracht moltaí na tuairisce maidir le measúnú chuir foghlama (AFL) a chuir i bhfeidhim.