The Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton, T.D. yesterday launched the government’s Strategy for Foreign Languages in Education 2017-2026. The Plan sets out a roadmap to put Ireland in the top ten countries in Europe for the teaching and learning of foreign languages, through a number of measures targeted at improving proficiency, diversity and immersion.
Under the Foreign Languages Strategy we will:
Increase the number of post-primary schools offering two or more foreign languages by 25%
Increase the number of students sitting two languages at Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate by 25%
Increase the number of students in higher education studying a foreign language, in any capacity, as part of their course, by 20%
Increase the number of participants in Erasmus+ by 50%
Double the number of teachers participating in teacher mobility programmes
Double the number of foreign language assistants in schools
Improve learners’ attitude to foreign language learning
Improve the quality of foreign language teaching at all levels
There are 100 actions in the Strategy, including:
Introduce Mandarin Chinese as a Leaving Certificate subject
Introduce curricular specifications for heritage speakers for Polish, Lithuanian and Portuguese
Develop a range of short courses in languages for Junior Cycle
Explore the potential for introducing bonus points at Leaving Certificate for studying foreign languages in cases where students apply for higher education courses in language-related areas
Enhance employer engagement in the development of new trade languages
Increase the opportunities for short-term teacher exchanges for post-primary teachers
Carry out periodic surveys of students’ attitudes and experiences of foreign language learning
Incentivise schools to diversify their language offer, including by means of concessionary hours, where appropriate
Progress pilot programme for co-operation with foreign-owned companies, or indigenous companies with a foreign presence, to enable students in Further Education and Training and Higher Education to do work placements in the parent country
Implement the newly developed Junior Cycle short course in Lithuanian
Appoint “language champions” from business and other sectors to demonstrate the opportunities available for graduates with foreign language competences
Develop new models of delivering language teaching, such as shared classes and blended learning. This will allow students who are part of small immigrant communities, within specific schools, to develop their heritage language skills.
The Minister has also asked that a number of other options be considered in order to incentivise students to undertake the two year postgraduate course in education, including financial supports.