PPLI Audit of Foreign Languages - Flipbook - Page 18
Reasons for only offering one Language at JC
Q11: If only one foreign language is taught as part of your Junior Cycle programme, why is this?
English-Medium
Schools (n=99)
Irish-Medium
Schools (n=11)
Allocation
45%
45%
Student numbers insufficient
27%
0%
Traditional/School Culture
20%
0%
Staff Qualifications
15%
36%
Demand for Subject
12%
27%
Timetabling
7%
36%
Teacher Supply
5%
0%
• Almost half of all schools offering only
one language for the JC cite Allocation as
the reason.
• Staff qualications are a more signicant
constraint at Irish-medium schools than
at
English-medium
schools,
where
insufcient student numbers are more
likely to be cited.
Figure 11: Reasons for only offering one language at JC
Question 11 asked for a reason if only one foreign language is taught as part of the school’s Junior Cycle programme?
The main reasons given for teaching only one foreign language are allocation, lack of student numbers, tradition,
lack of staff qualifications and timetable constraints. Staff qualifications are a more significant constraint in Irishmedium schools than in English-medium schools, where insufficient numbers are more likely to be cited.
Representative comments include the following:
• Teacher allocation does not provide enough resources to assign an extra language subject at this time.
• Language provision is determined by allocation of resources by the DES. If teaching resources are not provided
numbers in the school are small so only need for one foreign language
• I was appointed as a new Principal last June and inherited the current situation. However, I advertised for a
Spanish teacher and got no applications. (Dublin School)
• Not changing the status quo.
• In the past we have offered only one language. This allows for freer movement of students between classes.
• Is scoil bheag í seo agus níl an fhoireann againn le níos mó ábahr a thairiscint. (It is a small school and we don't
have the staff to offer more subjects.)
• Please consider any new initiative very carefully. If increased teaching resources are not made available to
implement it the DES will simply be enabling the embedding of inequality in an already broken system
• Teaching allocation - new school
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Audit of Foreign Languages Provision in Post-Primary Schools 2017
Post-Primary Languages Initiative February 2017 Draft Report