Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 218: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when in-service training will be provided for language teachers catering for newcomer children in primary schools. [22045/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides funding to Integrate Ireland Language Training (IILT) to provide Language Support Teachers with in-service training to assist them in meeting the English language needs of their pupils/students. Language assessment kits, based on best international practice are also to be provided to all primary schools during the 2007/08 school year. The kits will enable accurate initial and on-going assessment of language proficiency of newcomer children with a particular focus upon assessing whether language support needs to be provided beyond the current two year limit. My Department has also distributed a resource book ("Up and Away") for English Language Support Teachers to all primary schools which will serve as the basis for induction seminars for newly appointed Language Support Teachers. In addition, NCCA has published intercultural guidelines to support teachers and schools in developing a more inclusive learning environment and in providing students with knowledge and skills they need to participate in a multicultural world. A practical toolkit for schools has been also developed to facilitate capacity building for intercultural issues on a whole-school basis which will be targeted at mainstream classroom teachers. This will be distributed to schools in 2008.