PPLI Audit of Foreign Languages - Flipbook - Page 20
English-Medium
Schools (n=128)
Irish-Medium Schools
(n=6 small base)
Special Educational Needs
57%
66%
Optional
51%
66%
JCSP
4%
0%
No demand
2%
0%
Parental Request
2%
0%
Figure 13: Reasons for students not taking a language at JC
• In those schools which have some students who do not take a language at JC, the most commonly cited reason
is the Special Educational Needs of some students.
• Some principals specically mentioned that taking a language at JC is optional. This is the case in at least 14% of
schools overall.
Although every school offers at least one language, and the majority of students study one, not every student does
a language for Junior Cycle. The percentage doing a language is higher in girls’ schools than boys’ or mixed schools
and much higher in fee-paying voluntary secondary schools than other schools. The primary specific reason for not
taking a language is SEN and the second reason is that foreign languages are optional.
SEN
Question 12 asks if each student in the school studies at least one foreign language as part of their Junior Cycle
educational experience. Respondents were asked to provide a reason in Question 13 if not. Overall 35% of schools
have students who do not take a language as part of their Junior Cycle. 57% of this group in English-medium schools
gave SEN as a reason.
These are some representative responses to questions 12 and 13 in the survey:
• Students are given the choice. Not all students want to study language. Some not capable of studying language
• A lot of our students are not able to study languages - Irish included.
• Abhair Roghnacha iad. Deacrachtaí foghlamtha ag roinnt daltaí - ach ní chuirtear bac orthu. (They are optional
subjects. Some students with learning difficulties - but this does not hinder them.)
• Parents request exemption
• The subject is optional after first year
• We have a growing number of students who are exempt from foreign language learning as a result of Special
Education Needs.
• If a child has an exemption from Irish it is very unlikely that they will choose a language
• We are allowing the parents and pupils to choose
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Audit of Foreign Languages Provision in Post-Primary Schools 2017
Post-Primary Languages Initiative February 2017 Draft Report