School Self Evaluation

Tuaraisc

A school self-evaluation of teaching and learning was undertaken during the 2014 to 2015 school year.  The focus of the evaluation was Irish.

School Context

St. Rynagh’s N.S.  is a Catholic School in a rural town with over 270 pupils.

As a Catholic School we are inclusive which leads to us having a broad societal mix of pupils.  We also have a considerable amount of pupils who come from homes where neither English nor Irish is spoken.  While a broad societal mix can present difficulties in relation to the diversity of parental attitudes to education, the broad societal mix can also be the ideal learning environment for pupils to develop as robust, healthy, responsible, knowledgeable, capable people as the school is a smaller version of the country we live in.

Some children come from homes where a very small amount of Irish is spoken, most come from homes where no Irish is spoken.  Some children come from homes where there is an Irish cultural presence, some do not.  Some children come from homes where parents feel comfortable helping their children with Irish, some do not.

Findings

• Most pupils leave St. Rynagh’s capable of entering the honours Irish programme in Secondary School. Evidence for this is available from B.C.C.N.S.

Deir na Múinteoirí go bhfuil na daltaí in ann

• Éisteacht leis an nGaeilge a labhairt gach lá agus treoracha a leanúint.
• Cluichí éisteachta a imirt agus gníomhaíochtaí simplí a dhéanamh.
• Cead a lorg, buíochas a léiriú, slán a fhágáil 7rl.
• Taitneamh agus easpa taitneamh a leiriú.
• Fógraí a ghlaonn an príomhoide a thuiscint.

Deir na múinteoirí freisin go bhfuil na páistí sásta páirt a ghlacadh i gníomhaíochtaí agus go bhfuil fonn léitheoireachta agus fonn scríbhneoireachta orthu.

Deir na múinteoirí nach bhfuil fonn mór ar na páistí Gaeilge a labhairt taobh amuigh den cheacht Gaeilge.

Deir na múinteorí go bhfuil na páistí in ann feabhas a chur ar

• Nuacht agus scéalta gearra a insint.
• Dearcadh a léiriú agus a lorg.
• Eolas a lorg.
• An Ghaeilge a labhairt.

Parents report just over 80% of pupils in 2^nd class liking Irish and just over 80% in 2^nd Class enjoying the challenge of trying to speak in Irish.

Parents report that in 6^th class just under 70% of pupils like learning Irish and just under 70% like trying to speak in Irish.

Learner experiences

An anonymous questionnaire was given to 30 2^nd Class and 34 6^th Class pupils with the following responses.

1. I like trying to speak Irish

6^th       yes 24            No 10

2^nd      yes 20            No 10

2. I like trying to figure out what people are saying in Irish.

6^th       yes 28            No 6

2^nd      yes 24            No 6

3. I am good at Irish

6^th       yes 23            No 11

2^nd      yes 12            No 18

4. I try to speak Irish in the Irish class.

6^th       yes 29            No 5

2^nd      yes 25            No 5

5. I get help at home with Irish

6^th       yes 15            No 19

2^nd      yes 22            No 8

An anonymous parental questionnaire was given to the parents of the same pupils with the following responses. 6^th Class 28 responses and 2^nd 26 responses.

1. I think children should learn Irish in Primary school

6^th yes 25            No 3

2^nd yes 25           No 1

2. My child likes Irish.

6^th yes 19            No 9

2^nd yes 22           No 4

3. I help my child with Irish homework.

6^th yes 21            No 7

2^nd yes 26          

4. I learned Irish in school.

6^th yes 19            No 9

2^nd yes 24           No 2

5. My child likes the challenge of speaking in Irish.

6^th yes 18            No 10

2^nd yes 21           No 5

6. I feel comfortable helping my child with Irish.

6^th yes 15            No 13

2^nd yes 17           No 9

7. The School informs me about my child’s progress in Irish.

6^th yes 27            No 1

2^nd yes 25           No 1

In 6^th class 8 of the 9 children responding that they did not like Irish have parents who are not comfortable helping them with Irish.

In 6^th 8 out of the 10 children reported as not liking the challenge of trying to speak in Irish have parents who are not comfortable helping them with Irish.

Teachers report pupils declaring that their exposure to Irish outside of the school context is very limited in almost all cases.

Teachers report children following instructions in Irish when regularly given.

Teachers report children willing to answer questions in Irish when they understand the question and engaging in Irish lessons including writing in Irish.

Teacher Practices

All class teachers teach Irish formally.   All class teachers use Irish informally also in giving instruction.

The Irish that is taught and spoken in the classroom is based on the 4 strands in the Irish Curriculum, Éisteacht, Labhairt, Léitheoireacht agus Scríbhneoireacht. Teachers report the curriculum Teanga Book as needing simplification for efficient planning.

The W.S.E. of 2011 noted effective practices in the teaching of Irish.

The W.S.E. recommended a whole school approach to the teaching of Irish that would enable pupils to engage in more meaningful conversations and writing.

Teachers model the speaking of Irish.

Teachers have been placing an emphasis on getting the children to speak more in the Irish lesson.

Progress Made in Previously Identified Improvement Targets

Teachers have used a variety of methodologies to increase the oral participation of pupils in the Irish class.

Summary of S.S.E. Findings:

(A) Strengths

2/3 of the pupils describe themselves as liking Irish.  Over 70% of pupils describe themselves as trying to speak Irish in the Irish class.  Parents report about 80% of 2^nd class pupils like Irish and about 70% of 6^th class pupils like Irish.

• S.E. noted effective practices in the teaching of Irish.
• Teachers report pupils as willing to engage with the Irish language when asked a direct question.
• The majority of pupils despite having little or no experience of Irish outside the primary enter honours Irish classes in Secondary School.

(B) Areas for Improvement

The whole school approach to the teaching of Irish to be clarified.  We need to improve children’s opinions of their own competency in Irish.  We need to give children more exposure to Irish as a language as listeners and as speakers.  We need to maintain the good written work we do in Irish that facilitates the majority of our pupils studying higher level Irish in Secondary School.

Legislative and Regulatory Requirements

• Apply for exemptions from the study of Irish where appropriate.