Gaeilge

Scoláireachtaí 2018

Pictured below are students from St Brigid’s College Loughrea who were awarded Gaeltacht Scholarships by GRETB for Summer 2018.

Back row: L to r: Dalma Barath, Alannah Curley, Mark Daniels, Sinead Kennedy, Jason Niland and Shane Tuohy.
Front row: L to r: Deirdre Blake, Arlene Earls, Donal Reilly, Fionn Mullins, Ronan Breheny and Cathal Duane.

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Scoláireachtaí 2017

Pictured below are students from St Brigid’s College Loughrea who were awarded Gaeltacht Scholarships by GRETB for Summer 2017

Back row L-R Michael Mc Curtin, Kristine Ukaga, Alannah Mooney, Jack Finnerty, Caoimhe Gilligan, Shreya Pol, Joanne Daly, Brendan Lynch

Front row L-R Caitlín Cormican, Sean Raymond, Asia Clarke, Shane Murphy, Sandra Donohue

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Gaeilge Department

Welcome to the Irish Department. Our aim is to foster a love and respect for our native language. Irish is a central part of school life and we make every effort to promote it from first year on.

Beatha Teanga í a labhairt

The Irish Oral Exam is worth 40% at Leaving Certificate level. The higher level courses are extremely challenging. Commitment and good linguistic ability is necessary for success. Students are strongly advised to attend a three week summer Irish language course in the Gaeltacht, in order to improve their proficiency in the language. A wide range of colleges offer summer courses in the Gaeltacht areas and brochures are available in the school, through the Irish Department. In addition to this, the Galway Roscommon Education and Training Board (GRETB) offer scholarships each year and students at St. Brigid’s College are encouraged to apply as the opportunity arises. Further information is available from our teachers.

Seachtain na Gaeilge

Seachtain na Gaeilge is celebrated in St. Brigid’s College in March. The Irish Department organise main events such as table quizzes, poster competitions, drama, traditional dance sessions, trips to places of importance to the Irish culture and heritage along with other class activities. All classes (with limited participation for exam classes) participate in these events and play an active role in our celebration of Seachtain na Gaeilge.

Aoichainteoir Speisialta

The renowned author, Ré Ó Laighléis, is invited to St. Brigid’s College each year to meet our Senior students (Higher Level) about the novel Gafa. The Leaving Certificate students study this novel as part of the Higher Level course for the Leaving Certificate. It is a modern novel with an enticing plot. The students can identify with all of the themes in the novel therefore gaining benefit and enjoyment from listening to the author himself talking about the background to the story.

Múinteoirí:

• Áine Ní Ghiolláird
• Antoine O Griallais
• Orlaith Seoighe
• Máire Ní Lionnáin
• Hannah Rabbitte

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NEW JUNIOR CERT (First Exam in 2020) - GAEILGE

Studying Irish helps students to build on their learning to date and to enhance their skills so they can enjoy using the Irish language.

Through learning languages, students are provided with the opportunity to gain the understanding, knowledge and skills to develop their personal, cognitive and social development, as well as their effective participation in the global society.

Students’ knowledge of transferable skills and mastery of a language such as Irish will be critical both for learning and in their life in general. This fosters students’ ability and confidence to develop as considerate citizens in the language community. By learning, acquiring and using Irish, students discover information, develop thinking skills, and express opinions and emotions. Therefore, students are able to manage various demands associated with school, the community, employment, further education and life as a whole.

The language learning journey, from learner to a bilingual user, is a continuum. The many benefits of bilingualism are widely recognised in international research. Bilingualism and plurilingualism contribute to a person’s imaginative and creative ability and they create a multifaceted approach to life.

A particular level of competence in the Irish language is required in different employment areas in Ireland and overseas. Government departments and agencies have a statutory obligation to provide services through the medium of Irish. The official and working status of the Irish language in the European Union creates further opportunities for employment. Irish is an advantage for students who wish to work in these various fields or who want to conduct their business through the medium of Irish. The language is a window whereby students can look both at their historical and contemporary culture and identity, and therefore gain an appreciation of the importance of assuming personal ownership of the language.

By studying Irish, students are given the opportunity to identify with the language community and participate in it to best take advantage of communication opportunities. By thinking about and studying Irish and elements of the Irish culture, students’ awareness of the culture of the language grows.

Often this appreciation encourages students to consider their own place in the world and to think about cultural identity on a wider basis. The deeper connection and appreciation of the rich cultural heritage of their community can be empowering for students. Where students gain a better understanding of the language culture, they are given the opportunity to appreciate other cultures and languages

Students are encouraged to:

• use language effectively and confidently, both personally and in communicating with other users in the language community
• enjoy creative and innovative communication in Irish
• appreciate Irish and have a desire both to speak it and use it
• express themselves through consolidation of their literacy skills

• attempt to use newly-learned language aspects • engage with a wide range of texts in various ways, for learning, research, and recreation
• have an appreciation and respect for literature in Irish so that they may enjoy literature and benefit from it
• gain a better understanding of Irish culture and have respect and understanding for other cultures and languages.

Students will be given opportunities to sample a selection of literature to support their learning over the three years of junior cycle. The development of language skills and the exploration of literary texts should be integrated in the classroom to aid language development. Literature supports the development of:

• language and literacy
• critical and creative skills
• cultural understandings
• personal development.

First Year

First year will set the foundation for learning literature in second and third year. Students will sample from the following genres:

• short films
• short stories
• poetry
• songs.

Students must study a minimum of two short films and four texts from the three genres.

Second and Third Year

Second and third year students will choose texts to study in the following genres: short stories, drama or novel, poetry/song. Over the two years, the following must be chosen at a minimum:

• two short stories
• one play (complete)
• five poems/songs
• one novel (complete) higher level only*

Assessment for the Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement (JCPA)

The assessment of Irish for the Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement (JCPA) will comprise of two Classroom-Based Assessments; Language portfolio and Communication Task; an Assessment Task and a final examination. The Classroom-Based Assessments will allow students to demonstrate their language, communicative, and interactive abilities in ways not possible in a formal examination. The assessments will be closely related to the day-to-day work in the classroom. There will be an Assessment Task to complete after the second Classroom-Based Assessment. The Assessment Task will be related to the learning outcomes on which the second Classroom-Based Assessment is based. This Assessment Task will be sent to the State Examinations Commission (SEC) for marking along with the final examination in June. No breakdown of the paper is available yet. Teachers will have a better understanding of the Written exam nearer October Mid-term.

Please see: www.Curriculumonline.ie , or www.ncca.ie , for further information on this new curriculum.