Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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277. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the teaching of modern foreign languages in primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5183/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can advise the Deputy that following an extensive consultation involving parents, children, teachers, school leaders, stakeholder organisations and the general public on proposals to update the primary curriculum and consideration of significant national and international research in the area,  the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.  The introduction of modern foreign languages was considered as part of the development of the Primary Curriculum Framework which has been recently submitted the Primary Curriculum Framework to my Department for consideration. 

The framework reflects our shared understanding of, and trust in, the many positive features of education in our primary and special schools, while also providing for the enhancement of learning, teaching and assessment. As developments progress, new curriculum specifications will be developed for the five curriculum areas and their associated subjects, including in relation to modern foreign languages and these will be available for the 2025/2026 school year.

The Primary Languages Curriculum/Curaclam Teanga na Bunscoile (2019) is the first curriculum area of the redeveloped primary curriculum to be implemented. This is an integrated curriculum — it has the same curriculum structure and components for English and Gaeilge to support integration and the transfer of skills across the two languages and this will be the same when modern foreign languages is introduced from third class upwards. Language learning has significance for children’s learning across the curriculum. While children continue to learn and acquire language, they also learn through language. Each curriculum area has its own terminology and its own way of using language therefore every lesson is a language lesson in itself.

In 2021 I invited primary schools to participate in a new “Say yes to Languages” scheme where they could sample a language of choice for six weeks.  Almost 430 schools participated during the 2021/22 school year using 13 different languages. A grant of up to €1,200 was provided to participating schools.

In the 2022/23 school year, the scheme was expanded to circa. 730 schools and 50,000 pupils with many participating for a second year.  The duration was increased to 8 weeks and the grant to participating schools increased to up to €1,600.The languages selected by schools include:Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Irish Sign Language, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, Tamil, Ukrainian and Russian.

Post Primary Languages Ireland (PPLI) have overseen implementation of the “Say yes to Languages” scheme on behalf of the Department,The tutors teaching the module can be primary and post-primary school teachers, foreign language assistants, but also members of the wider community, including parents. Schools select a suitable teacher/tutor, and to help with the task, Post-Primary Languages Ireland (PPLI) can share details of over 800 potential teachers/tutors who have registered their interest in teaching the module, to date.

A dedicated area of the (languagesconnect.ie/primary/ ) hosts all content relating to the module including a list of participating schools over the three terms of the school year. The teaching and learning resources are accessible from the website and are also available in Irish, thanks to collaboration with COGG. A frequently asked questions area provides clarification for recurrent queries.

Training sessions are provided by Post Primary Languages Ireland (PPLI) to all teachers/tutors delivering the module, and information sessions are also facilitated for hosting teachers and other school representatives. Awareness raising packs are also sent out to all participating schools, to complement the teaching resources.Learning from this scheme will inform the future implementation of foreign languages at primary level.