‘Overcoming the fear’: the story of the Irish language in a programme promoting diversity in the primary teaching profession

Abstract

ABSTRACT Maynooth University’s Level 6 Think About Teaching Foundation Certificate (Foundation Cert) is a central part of a widening participation project (Turn to Teaching) which provides preparation for, and pathways into, initial teacher education (ITE). A key dimension of the Foundation Cert has been the development of an alternative Irish language curriculum which provides support and equivalence to Leaving Certificate Irish for entry to primary ITE. Drawing on the experiences of students and staff gleaned from open ended focus groups and biographical interviews, we, as members of a community of Higher Education staff, offer, as part of the project's cycle of evaluative research, a reflexive account and analysis on the diverse outcomes, issues and aspirations emerging from the on-going development of this innovative Irish language curriculum. We also draw on the project’s quantitative data on recruitment and retention to highlight the most visible signs of the Irish language programme’s efficacy. It is clear from both qualitative and quantitative data that the programme’s communicative and critically reflexive approach to Irish language teaching and learning plays a pivotal role in transforming many students’ relationships with the language.