Latest news with #EAL
Belfast Telegraph
4 days ago
- General
- Belfast Telegraph
‘It really is a melting pot': Belfast primary school where 17 languages are spoken wins international award
Such is the diversity at Cliftonville Integrated Primary in north Belfast. But the school has risen to the task of providing an education and integration in a changing social landscape and has now been rewarded with the British Council's International School Award 2024-2027 – the only recipient in Northern Ireland. The UK-wide award scheme celebrates schools that bring the wider world into the classroom, creating a safe and welcoming environment for all pupils, fostering a culture of inclusion and celebrating diversity. Bill Fletcher is principal of Cliftonville Integrated Primary, which has over 400 pupils and is already a designated school of sanctuary. He said that while the vast majority of the children are from the home nations, they do have kids from all over the world. 'There are challenges in the sense that if you have children coming in who have no English, that's difficult for the teachers. There's very little support from the Department of Education or the Education Authority. I think that's a strategy they need to look at,' he said. Without that support, it's something the school provides for itself, with a member of staff as a dedicated international coordinator. Parents and pupils with English as an additional language (EAL) can also benefit from English classes with the school's dedicated EAL teacher. Mr Fletcher added: "We need to do more across the board to help families when they come here, maybe through something like a six-month intensive programme in English to help them integrate into society. 'It's far better for their children, though the children always tend to pick up English very quickly. 'We have six designated school ambassadors in the school, pupils who help to integrate new children regardless of where they're from. We have about 16% of children in the school who would be classed as coming from an EAL background. 'They may have been here for a number of years and may be fluent in English, but there are some who have arrived in the last year to 18 months who need some help with the language. It's quite a diverse group, but we're absolutely delighted at the recognition for the work we do. It's something we've been doing for quite some time.' The British Council chose Cliftonville Integrated Primary as the location to launch its language trends report 2025. It showed Spanish as the most popular language studied in Northern Ireland schools, but also found a reluctance among pupils to carry language studies through to qualifications level. North Belfast MP John Finucane recently collected the award on behalf of the school at Westminster and was delighted to present it on Wednesday morning. 'It's fantastic to see that they've been honoured for the amazing work they do,' he said. 'It's not just a one-off, they live this and practise this on a daily basis. It's a school that embraces all cultures and diversities. They make children not just aware of that, but increase their curiosity, increase their learning and I think increase their kindness through the exposure to lots of different cultures. 'I'm a big fan of bilingualism, even multilingualism in schools. It's wonderful for the development of children, their learning and their capacity to embrace different subjects as they progress their academic life. 'It's not necessarily just about making them fluent in lots of different languages. It's about that exposure to different cultures, different parts of our world, and to embed that in our own curriculum is something that would be celebrated. We don't need to look any further than Cliftonville Integrated Primary School to see how that can be done really well.' Central to everything the school does, though, is the wellbeing and education of its pupils, and nine-year-old Victoria Chen is loving her role as one of its international ambassadors. She said: 'We show people around the school, welcome them here, and help them to make new friends. It's nice to be able to help new pupils understand more about school life.' Many of the pupils are learning Mandarin and French as part of their daily routine. Charlotte Ogunleye said she loves the international atmosphere. 'It's helping me learn about other cultures around me. I'm learning to speak Mandarin and I can see patterns in other languages. I hope that will help me learn more,' she said. 'It's our job to make sure anyone new to the school doesn't feel lonely and left out,' said fellow ambassador Wolfie Burns (9). 'We want to make sure everyone feels welcome and able to join in and I'm proud to be able to do that.' Author of the British Council language trends report, Dr Ian Collen, said he was delighted to see languages in action in schools. 'It really is a linguist melting pot here. And it's wonderful to see how it all comes together, providing all the pupils with a real taste of cultural diversity which they can all share, enjoy and learn from together. 'What you see in Cliftonville Integrated Primary is something that all schools should aspire to. It's not just about learning one language, school can be about learning lots of languages in a fun, informative way.'
Irish Independent
27-05-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
A class act! – Three generations of the same family teach in rural Wexford school on same day
There was certainly evidence of that in Murrintown National School recently as three generations of the same family took classes on the same day in the same school. For one special day, teacher Marie Monahan was joined by her mother, former Galbally NS principal Siobhán Doyle, and her daughter Caoimhe Monahan. "I thought it was quite an unusual situation,' Murrintown NS principal John Colloton said. 'Siobhán had come in to do some subbing for us and Caoimhe is in college and she was in getting some experience as an EAL (English as an Additional Language) teacher before she goes off to America for the summer.' It was a real family affair as Marie's two sons, Cuan and Conor, also attend the school and are in fourth and sixth class. "It was quite unique,' John smiles. 'I think for Caoimhe, there was certainly no escaping it. Teaching is in the blood, having been handed down from Siobhán to Marie and now onto her.'
Calgary Herald
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Opinion: Teachers deserve better, and so do Alberta families
Article content On April 27, the education minister addressed parents gathered virtually for the Alberta School Councils' Association (ASCA) Spring Symposium. It should have been a moment of genuine connection with the parents who volunteer their time to help improve our schools. Article content Article content Instead, it felt like a hollow performance, ignoring the urgent concerns echoed by families across the province. Article content Article content ASCA is a pillar of parental engagement in education. It supports more than 1,500 school councils and 50,000 parent volunteers across Alberta, yet its funding was slashed by 90 per cent in 2022. Article content Article content What used to be a free symposium for registered school council members now costs $95 per attendee. Parent councils are forced to use their $500 Alberta School Council Engagement Grant — or pay out of pocket — just to access essential resources and workshops. That leaves $400 for the rest of the school year to support essential resources and seminars on mental health, well-being, cyberbullying and support for English as an Additional Language (EAL) families. Article content Meanwhile, Alberta classrooms are at a breaking point. Students face overcrowded rooms, reduced access to mental-health supports and a growing number of complex learning needs. Teachers are burning out. Article content And now, in a direct response to these conditions, they have rejected a government-mediated contract and are considering a strike vote. Within weeks, we could see rotating strikes, cancelled extracurriculars or worse — a full walkout in June, just as Grade 12 students prepare for final exams and post-secondary transitions. Article content Article content And yet, the government insists it's doing enough. Budget 2025 earmarked $9.9 billion for education. But the Alberta Teachers' Association has made it clear — that's not enough. They estimate that the budget needs to increase by at least 15.8 per cent, bringing it to $11.35 billion, just to reach the national average for per-student funding. Article content Instead of confronting the crisis, the government is doubling down on distractions. The School Construction Accelerator Program promises 90 new schools in the next seven years, but our kids need help now. These new schools won't be built in time to help the students sitting on the floors of overcrowded classrooms today. They won't provide the educational assistants, specialist supports and mental-health resources our schools desperately need. Article content As a parent of three children in the Calgary Board of Education and the chair of the Valley Creek School Parent Council, I hear daily from families overwhelmed by this growing crisis. Parents are being pushed to the brink — financially, emotionally and logistically — while the government continues to underinvest in our children's futures.
Irish Independent
08-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
Limerick woman turns love of horses into life-changing therapy for all
Majella Moloney created the inclusive space so people of all ages, particularly those with additional needs, can find healing and confidence through the bond between humans and horses. 'Horses have helped me through some of the most difficult moments of my life,' Majella says. 'Now I want to give that same support to others. Whether a child with autism learning to express themselves, or someone struggling with anxiety finding calm in the stable, the results are powerful,' she continues. At SJ Equimotional, sessions begin on the ground before any horse-riding. From grooming horses to leading horses through obstacle courses, and even learning how to read a horse's body language. These simple tasks build emotional regulation and trust between the human and the animal. Originally from the Clare/Limerick border, Majella is certified in trauma-informed emotional coaching and Equine-Assisted Learning (EAL), and every session is tailored to each individual. Her clients range from young children to elderly residents in dementia care and all are welcome, she notes.
