Eochair Feasa Foghlaim
Comhdháil Chomhairle na Gaelscolaíochta 2024
The Key to Knowledge is Learning
Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta Conference 2024
Preas ráiteas
Press Release
Óstail Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta Eochair Feasa Foghlaim; Comhdháil na heagraíochta, a reáchtáladh Dé hAoine, 20ú Meán Fómhair i gColáiste Ollscoile Naomh Muire, Béal Feirste.
Dírigh Comhdháil na bliana seo ar dheiseanna nua foghlama gairmiúla múinteoirí atá mar fhreagairt ar na dúshláin a aithníodh i bplean gníomhaíochta 'A Fair Start’. Léiríodh sa phlean sin easpa deiseanna foghlama gairmiúla tiomnaithe do mhúinteoirí in earnáil na Gaelscolaíochta.
Aithníodh sa tuarascáil sin chomh maith, agus sa Phlean Gníomhaíochta (2021) a foilsíodh leis, roinnt saincheisteanna fadbhunaithe laistigh d'earnáil na Gaelscolaíochta a bhféadfadh tionchar a bheith acu ar thearcghnóthachtáil leanúnach oideachais.
Chun dul i ngleic le moltaí na tuairisce sin, chuir CnaG deiseanna oiliúna spriocdhírithe ar fáil do mhúinteoirí lán-Ghaeilge ar áis úr a choimisiúnaigh CnaG ar na mallaibh. Baineann na leabhráin seo go sonrach le scileanna an tumoideachais agus labhair an Dr Gearóid Ó Domagáin, Ollscoil Uladh, agus príomh-údar na háise, ar an uirlis nualaíoch seo. Leis sin, cuireadh sraith cheardlanna ar fáil ar ghnéithe éagsúla na háise.
Bhí lúcháir ar CnaG fáilte mhór a chur roimh an Dr Breandán Mac Gearailt, a thug forbhreathnú ar an uirlis úr oideolaíochta, SIOF; Scaffolding; Input; Output; Feedback i gcomhthéacs na Gaelscolaíochta.
Tráthnóna na Comhdhála, lainseáladh an píosa taighde is déanaí a choimisiúnaigh CnaG dar teideal 'Croí-Inniúlachtaí san Oideachas Lán-Ghaeilge: Creat don Fhoghlaim agus don Fhorbairt Ghairmiúil do Chleachtóirí'.
Chuir údair na tuarascála, an Dr Gabrielle Nig Uidhir ó Choláiste Ollscoile Naomh Muire, Béal Feirste agus an Dr T.J. Ó Ceallaigh ó Choláiste na hOllscoile, Corcaigh, a gcuid torthaí taighde i láthair maidir leis na hinniúlachtaí breise ar leith nach mór a fhorbairt agus a chothú in oideachasóirí atá ag obair i suímh tumoideachais ar fud na hearnála. Chuir siad creat i láthair freisin chun tacú le foghlaim agus forbairt ghairmiúil chleachtóirí IME le linn a ngairme d'fhonn torthaí a fheabhsú do dhaltaí tumoideachais / Gaelscolaíochta.
Lainseáil Pat Sheehan, CTR, leas-chathaoirleach Choiste Oideachais an Tionóil an taighde go hoifigiúil ar an lae.
Tá CnaG fíor-bhuíoch de COGG agus de Choláiste Mhuire as an tacaíocht a thug siad dúinn le haghaidh reáchtáil na Comhdhála i mbliana, chomh maith le Roinn an Oideachais a chuir maoiniú ar fáil tríd A Fair Start le tacú leis na tionscnaimh seo.
On Friday, 20th September Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta held Eochair Feasa Foghlama, the organisation's annual conference, which took place in St Mary's University College, Belfast
This year's Conference focused on new teacher professional learning opportunities in response to challenges identified in the 'A Fair Start' action plan. This plan highlighted the lack of dedicated professional learning opportunities for teachers in the Irish-medium education (IME) sector.
This report, as well as the action plan (2021) published alongside it, identified a number of long-standing issues within the IME sector that could impact on continuing educational underachievement.
A set of language-specific Teacher Professional Learning (TPL) booklets have been produced to address the recommendations made in A Fair Start, and targeted training opportunities will be provided for Irish-medium practitioners to avail of this new resource, recently commissioned by CnaG. These booklets relate specifically to the linguistic skills required for effective immersion education and the main author Dr Gearóid Ó Domagáin, Ulster University, spoke on this innovative new resource, followed by a series of workshops on various aspects of the resource.
CnaG was also delighted to welcome Dr Breandán Mac Gearailt, University of Galway to the Conference, who provided an overview of the new pedagogical tool SIOF; Scaffolding; Input; Output; Feedback in the context of Irish-medium education.
The afternoon of the Conference saw the launch of the latest piece of research commissioned by CnaG entitled 'Core Competencies in Irish-Medium Education: A Framework for Learning and Professional Development for Practitioners'.
The report's authors, Dr Gabrielle Nig Uidhir from St Mary's University College, Belfast and Dr T.J. Ó Ceallaigh from University College Cork, presented their research findings on the specific, additional competencies required of educators working in immersion education settings across the sector. They also presented a framework to support the learning and professional development of IME practitioners throughout their careers in order to improve outcomes for immersion / Irish-medium students.
The research was officially launched on the day by Pat Sheehan, MLA, vice-chair of the Assembly Education Committee.
CnaG is very grateful to COGG and St Mary’s University College for their support in the running of the conference this year, as well as to the Department of Education which provided funding through A Fair Start to support these initiatives.
