Entire Annual Report (2) - Flipbook - Page 35
Teaching and Learning Resources
A suite of resources was devised to help
teachers/tutors deliver the module. The key
priorities were to design material that were ageappropriate; engaging; suitable for use by both
experienced teachers/tutors and those with no
previous teaching experience; broad in its scope,
and appropriate for facilitating conversations at
home.
The resources were developed in line with the
lessons of the PPLI publication “Language and Languages in the Primary School”, by Dr D. Little and Dr D.
Kirwan and draw on the work of the European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML).
MFL and ISL Teacher/Tutor Notes
Booklets containing six lesson plans to support teachers and tutors were produced for both modern foreign
languages and ISL. The MFL plans are non-language-specific and can be used in conjunction with the
Language Passport supplied to all participating pupils. The ISL plans were designed in collaboration with the
Centre for Deaf Studies (CDS) in Trinity College, Dublin. They mirror those created for MFL, however some
specific features were also introduced, such as reference to Deaf culture and issues associated with Deaf and
Hard of Hearing people.
Other resources were also shared and made available online including Vocabulary-Building Activities, a list of
useful links for MFL Teacher/Tutor Resources and ISL Teacher/Tutor Resources.
Training for Teachers/Tutors, Hosting Teachers, and School Management
Online information and training workshops were designed and hosted for the various agents involved in the
module: MFL and ISL teachers/tutors delivering the module, hosting teachers and principals/deputy
principals. Multiple sessions were provided to accommodate all participants. A total of 135 teachers/tutors
worked in the 150 schools involved in Term 1, 114 for MFL and 21 for ISL.
ISL tutors were provided with a dedicated session, which was prepared and delivered in collaboration with
the Centre for Deaf Studies (CDS) in Trinity College, Dublin. The ISL training session required the presence of
two interpreters.
Irish Sign Language Provision
The inclusion of Irish Sign Language as one of the languages of the primary sampler module was very
welcomed. Irish Sign Language proved very popular with 92 schools expressing a preference for ISL in their
application. All ISL tutors were visiting teachers/tutors. In collaboration with the Centre for Deaf Studies,
specific resources were created for the ISL module and dedicated training sessions were delivered on the
aims of the module and the resources provided.
Support and School Visits
Members of the PPLI Team visited a wide range of schools and met with relevant stakeholders. The visits
involved observing a class, conversation with pupils, hosting teachers and external teachers/tutors, as well as
with a representative of school management.
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