Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 513: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if teachers receive a specific module of training to teach language support in primary schools; the extent of the module of training and the training colleges where this is carried out; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6410/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The programmes in the Colleges of Education contain a number of elements aimed at enabling student teachers to address the various needs of all pupils in the classroom, including students whose first language is not English. In particular, all students undertake a course to prepare them to teach English in accordance with the revised primary school curriculum. Two modules of this course are taken in each year of the three year B. Ed. and it includes the teaching of English as an additional language for students. In addition, the Colleges of Education address the specific issues involved in the teaching of students whose first language is not English in a variety of ways. These include intercultural education, language acquisition and specialised courses in second language teaching. St. Patrick's College provides an elective course with a specific focus on teaching English as a second language. Coláiste Mhuire Marino and Mary Immaculate College Limerick are developing a specific and targeted elective programme to addresses the issues involved.

My Department also funds Integrate Ireland Language and Training (IILT) to provide specific language training to language support teachers and school Principals. Between 2004 and 2006, nearly 1,800 primary teachers attended these training courses.

Additional downloadable material is available from the Integrate Ireland Web site at www.iilt.ie