My son's school is considering changing to a Gaelscoil

This is not something i have heard of before but it is a fantastic idea. Just think of the start that it gives them! It really would be something for the likes of my own school to consider.

I moved from Austria to Ireland with my 6y/o a year ago in June, he started in Senior infants and didn't speak a straight sentence english. He was fluent 3 months after the move without any classes or so. Kids are grand, they adapt in a matter of weeks.

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

I certainly wouldn't be concerned about no English in infants. The most " successful" education systems like Finland don't start reading until ages 7/8. Children are incredibly adaptable, he won't see a problem with full immersion.

He may be a little slower initially at English reading, but he will be able to transfer his reading skills easily from Irish to English.And it's been proven that children in Gaelscoileanna equal and often outstrip their peers in English speaking schools by 5th/6th.

It is a proven fact that research and figures can be manipulated, while other very relevant factors and variables are omitted, in order to attempt to prove any hypothesis. Your statement about children in Gaelscoileanna outstripping their peers in English speaking schools by 5th/6th is, at best, questionable.

This is not an uncommon perception. It does not take into account the fact that a significant number of children who are experiencing difficulty in a Gaelscoil, be it due to Speech & Language disorder, Dyslexia, ASD, for example, leave a Gaelscoil and transfer to an English speaking school, well before 5th Class. Neither does it take into account, the socio-economic profile of the families in most Gaelscoileanna.

I have significant experience of working in primary schools, as well as in the area of language acquisition. While immersion is an important factor, to make a sweeping statement that pupils in Gaelscoileanna outstrip their peers in English speaking schools by 5th /6th class and to completely ignore the variables I have mentioned, is completely misguided and misleading.

There are many, many English speaking schools where the pupils of 5th / 6th classes would outstrip Gaelscoileanna performances. There are also many, many DEIS Band 1 and DEIS Band 2 English speaking schools, working in challenging circumstances, socially and economically speaking, that are doing very well, all things considered.

It is very easy to make a sweeping statement and claim all sorts of things for a Gaelscoil or an English speaking school. The truth is, however, that each school is unique, be it English speaking or a Gaelscoil. To make a sweeping statement about Gaelscoileanna and the performances of pupils in 5th / 6th, without factoring in other variables and conditions, is disingenuous.

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Overmantle, I work in SEN in a Gaelscoil and meet with other SEN teachers in Gaelscoileanna as part of CPD at least once a term. Please don't try to claim that children with SEN are somehow shunted out of Irish speaking schools.

I think your statement about socio economic background (by which I presume you mean the David Williams stereotype of a few D4 schools) shows a lack of real life experience of the day to day running of most Gaelscoileanna. Believe you me, most Gaelscoileanna do not conform , thankfully , to that narrow stereotype and we welcome children of all abilities and backgrounds. The performance aspect is backed up by research, not anecdote.

And there is also a huge body of international research to support early bilingualism in schools, so is that wrong too?

I don't dispute the merits of bilingualism. I am involved in primary education, however, for many, many years and have vast experience of both Gaelscoileanna and English speaking schools. I have visited schools, up and down the country and have carried out research in all school types, mixed-gender, single sex, urban, suburban, rural, DEIS, non-DEIS, Gaelscoileanna and English speaking schools.

Again, I didn't infer that there was no SEN provision in Gaelscoileanna (I know of pupils in Gaelscoileanna who have even been granted an Exemption from the study of Irish). I am aware also, however, of a number of English speaking schools that would receive several pupils from Gaelscoileanna, every year, normally between 1st and 4th class, whose parents have taken the difficult decision to move their children, as they find learning through the medium of Irish, too difficult.

Don't get me wrong, I am a fluent Irish speaker and love my native language but again, I could not let your original comment go unchallenged, as it it was a comment that needed to be qualified.