Naíscoil Thaoilinn ag fás i bPoll Glas

The provision of Irish-Medium Education has been making its mark in the Six Counties and judging by the response from local people on the doorsteps to the recent promotional drive of Naíscoil Thaoilinn, it would appear that Poleglass in Belfast is embracing this desire for bilingual education.

Recently, members of Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta (the Council for Irish-Medium Education) along with local parents and Irish language enthusiasts have been walking around the Greater Poleglass area calling to houses enquiring whether or not parents would be interested in sending their children to the local Irish-medium Nursery school. According to Proinsias Mac Cionnaidh (Development worker for Comhairle na Gaelscoilíochta), "the response to now has been extremely encouraging for the Irish-Medium Education sector and, more immediately, the response would indicate an unprecedented desire and demand for places in the school within the wider community".

"The response from the local community has been such that the school, with advice and direction from the Council for Irish-Medium Education, is exploring numerous sites on which to build and develop the nursery school and cater for the anticipated growth in the coming years," enthused Seán Ó hAodha (chairperson of Naíscoil Thaoilinn). "There has been a marked increase in the number of children registering with the nursery school. The Nursery is registered with the Social Services and it adheres to all their guidelines and criteria. The staff of the nursery are fully qualified and committed to the education of the children in their care. In total there are two members of staff, a qualified nursery supervisor and a classroom assistant".

Seán continued: "I would like to take this opportunity to make the Poleglass community aware of the existence of its local Irish-medium Nursery school and also, the proposed Primary school for September 2004 - Naíscoil Thaoilinn. The school is currently adjacent to Sally Garden Community Centre on the Belle Steele Road and is easily accessible for parents driving and pushing prams".

"International research has established that in various countries throughout the world where different languages co-exist that bilingualism has certain advantages to offer a child," added Proinsias Mac Cionnaidh.

Representatives from both Comhairle na Gaelscoilíochta and Naíscoil Thaoilinn will be visiting areas where they have yet to bring the advantages of a bilingual education to the community. In the meanwhile, should any parent be interested in giving their child the gift of a bilingual education, then they should contact the school and ask to speak to:

• Esther @ 90 613422 or contact The Council for Irish-Medium Education @ 90 321475 or [email protected].

Advantages of Bilingualism

Thinking benefits

Research has shown that people with two well developed languages can have particular advantages in thinking:

• Creative thinking

Bilingual children have two or more words for each object and idea. When slightly different meanings are attached to words in the two languages, a bilingual person may develop the ability to think more flexibly.

• Sensitivity

Since bilinguals have to know when to speak which language with which person in which situation, they appear to be more sensitive to the needs of listeners than monolinguals (single language speakers).

• IQ Tests

Research from many different countries of the world shows that bilinguals tend to do better at IQ tests compared with monolinguals.

• A head start in reading

Being less fixed on the sound and more centred on the meaning of words has been shown by Canadian researchers to give a head start in learning to read. This tends to be an advantage for bilinguals around the ages four to six.

• Better curriculum results

Research evidence from bilingual education systems in Canada, the US, the Basque country, Catalunya, Wales and Ireland shows that children who have two languages tend to do better in the curriculum and to show higher performance in tests and examinations. This is probably related to the thinking advantages of bilingualism mentioned earlier.

• PLUS:

• Access to two cultures

• Tolerance of other languages and cultures

• Twice the enjoyment of reading and writing

• Raised self-esteem

• Security in identity

• Easier to learn further languages