Courses / Module

This module integrates aspects of Irish methodologies and children’s literature in Irish and is designed to complement and integrate with Modules EDF130 Language 1, EDF131 Teanga 2 and EDF231 Language 3 through student teachers’ engagement in discussion seminars and reflection activities.

Particular emphasis in this module will be placed on Froebelian approaches to language pedagogy appropriate for the teaching of Irish in the primary school. The teaching of oral language, reading and writing will be explored, along with classroom practices for literacy development. Particular emphasis will be placed on the adoption of creative, play-based methodologies Immersion education in Irish-medium schools will also be studied.

Student teachers will engage in dialogue with HEI lecturers about the importance of folklore in children’s literature. Story-telling, poetry, folklore and translation of picturebooks in Irish language literature will be studied in the context of their value for all age groups within the primary school. The contribution of these genres to cultural self-identity will be analysed both inside and outside the classroom environment. Digital resources for the teaching of Irish will be critically evaluated and student teachers will use this knowledge to inform their development of a digital picturebook for the classroom based on the folklore of their chosen Tréimhse Foghlama sa Ghaeltacht, demonstrating their digital literacy skills. This assessment will be housed in the student teachers’ TAISCE portfolios. To further underline the integrative nature of this course, student teachers are required to spend one week on placement in a Gaelscoil and will use the EDF232 learning outcomes in their teaching to meaningfully connect with their teaching and learning and their Tréimhse Foghlama sa Ghaeltacht. Reflective practice is embedded in the module, where student teachers reflect on themselves as language learners and language teachers and also on the implication of the Gaelscoil placement on their future practice.

Building on EDF130, EDF131 and EDF231, in the language seminars, student teachers continue to explore the integrated nature of language and literacy teaching and learning, as advocated in the Primary Language Curriculum (DES, 2019). Through offering this space for professional dialogue and reflection on and in practice, student teachers will explore their professional identity as a teacher of languages and literacy in schools.