Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 103: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the fact that Integrate Ireland, the body to whom she has given responsibility for training English language support teachers, has had no seminars for some time and none is currently planned; the way she expects language support teachers to get the education and experience necessary when no training is available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6772/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, the Government has dramatically increased the number of language support teachers from just over 250 in 2002 to nearly 2,000 this year. We have also placed an emphasis on developing specific materials for teaching English as a second language.

Integrate Ireland Language and Training has developed a number of key resources which have been distributed to all schools by the Department. These include comprehensive packs of classroom materials for language support teachers and recently a tool kit for diversity in the primary schools was issued to all primary schools on the island of Ireland as this was a North-South project. A language assessment kit for use in primary schools will be issued after Easter. The post-primary version of this assessment kit is currently being developed by IILT and will be available later this year. IILT has also delivered some seminars for teachers. However, its primary function has been one of research and direct provision to programme refugees and other non-nationals with leave to remain in the State and its role in teacher training has always been a limited one. Training for teachers in supporting students with English language needs is being provided in a number of ways.

All student teachers are given an awareness of inter-cultural issues, including the challenges of teaching students whose first language is not English. Language support teachers at primary level are qualified to teach English.

The review of initial teacher education being undertaken by the Teaching Council will undoubtedly be informed by the need for all teachers to be able to respond to the increasingly diverse backgrounds of our students.

Summer courses play a very significant role in meeting the professional development needs of primary teachers in particular. This year Coláiste Mhuire Marino, in conjunction with the INTO, piloted a national on-line course on teaching English as an additional language. More than 900 teachers participated in this course.

An English Language Support Teachers Association has recently been established under the teacher professional network scheme for post-primary teachers, which is funded by my Department. This network will assist post-primary language support teachers in the provision of peer professional development. The inspectors in my Department will conduct an evaluation of the provision of English as an additional language in a number of schools in the next school year. This will help identify needs and inform policy in this area for the future.

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Can we just focus for a moment on primary English language support teachers? My understanding is that seminars had been arranged for teachers in that category for some considerable time. My colleague, Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh, tabled a question to the Minister in November 2007, at which point it was established that no seminars were scheduled. No seminars for primary English language support teachers are scheduled at the moment, as far as I know. Will the Minister confirm whether that is the case, that there were no seminars scheduled then, and that none has been scheduled since? Is she concerned about that?

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I am not aware of seminars due to take place, but the fact is that all schools will be issued with a language resource kit, the materials for supporting teachers, the assessment kit for identifying children's needs — with a particular focus on the years they might need — after Easter. This material will be going out to primary schools as well at the end of the year. The fact that this initiative is also integrated within the whole teacher training area probably picks up the need. However, the support teachers' professional development body, funded by the Department, also looks at peer development, which will also work towards filling the gap.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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The lack of adequate resources for migrant children is fuelling segregation within schools. It is forcing teachers to slow down the pace of their education in class to the detriment of Irish pupils. Will the Minister put a specific capitation grant in place for migrants, especially the children of asylum applicant parents who cannot avail of extracurricular activities, for example? Will she promote greater flexibility as regards funding for language training? For example, some training could be provided during the summer months when migrant children are on holidays so that they are up to speed when they actually start school on 1 September.

On the post-primary assessment kit, why is that not being expedited? Is it not the case that the biggest challenge we face as regards language is at second level, yet this is the one that is being put on the long finger?

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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It is not being put on the long finger. That will be issued this year as well. The primary one is ready first, because there are more children attending primary schools, and more teachers at primary level. I do not accept what the Deputy says about children not being able to participate in extracurricular activities. That is one sure way in which they will pick up the language, and they do. The achievement of children, particularly at primary school, in picking up the language skills is noteworthy. They are getting the opportunity and children under the age of 12 learn a second language quicker than older children. It is very important to note that each of those teaching English as an additional language in our primary schools is qualified and trained to do so. The language kit is also there for them, as is the assessment kit. Resources have been put in place and, as I said, the second level kit will be going out at the end of the year. When the inspectorate does its evaluation of the work that is going on, it will be useful to see what policy changes need to be implemented, because the ground is fast changing. However, the fact we have 2,000 teachers, whose sole job is to teach English as an additional language is a great credit to the education system and teachers throughout the country.

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Will the Minister please confirm that her Department intends to hold no further seminars for primary English support teachers and that the seminar scheme, which was poor enough in its own right, will be replaced by the issuing of a language resource kit? Will she accept that this is the cutback of all cutbacks?

As regards her earlier reference to the INTO-Marino College course, my understanding is that 230 applicants applied for that in the autumn of last year and that teachers paid for it out of their own pockets. Will the Minister accept that this is clear testimony to the need for additional training by teachers, which should not be paid for by them but by the State?

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Some 900 teachers participated in that course last summer. It was part of the summer courses primary school teachers do. They do a five-day course and get three days in lieu, time off, during the school year. It was a particularly popular course, so the Deputy can see we are being flexible in all——

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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It was paid for by the teachers.

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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They do, however, get three days in lieu. It just shows the flexible manner in which the Department is supporting the teaching of English as a foreign language — as an additional language, in this case.