National assessment of Irish-language speaking and listening skills in primary-school children: Research issues in the evaluation of school-based heritage-language programmes
Titel:
National assessment of Irish-language speaking and listening skills in primary-school children: Research issues in the evaluation of school-based heritage-language programmes
Auteur:
Harris, John Murtagh, Lelia
Verschenen in:
Language culture and curriculum
Paginering:
Jaargang 1 (1988) nr. 2 pagina's 85-130
Jaar:
1988
Inhoud:
Criterion referenced tests of spoken Irish based on the curriculum for sixth, fourth and second grade in ordinary primary schools were administered to national samples of classes in 1978, 1980, 1982 and 1985. About 2,000 pupils, aged 7-12 years, were tested in each study. Most objectives were mastered by less than 50% of pupils. Pupils who encountered some Irish at home or who were taught one or two subjects through Irish at school had-a considerably higher level of achievement than other pupils. At each grade, more girls than boys mastered each objective. A substantial minority of pupils completing their primary education were unable to converse in Irish on the most commonplace topics, though all pupils had some passive competence in the language. Comparisons of achievement in spoken Irish in ordinary schools, all-Irish (immersion) schools and schools within Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking) areas of the country show that (i) All-Irish schools produce a high level Of achievement in spoken Irish even among pupils who encounter no Irish at home and (ii) English-speaking pupils attending Gaeltacht schools have a considerably higher level of achievement in spoken Irish than pupils in ordinary schools but a lower level of achievement than pupils in all-Irish schools. Finally, the paper examines the issue of performance expectations in different kinds of second-language programmes and considers the broad educational and linguistic implications of the findings.
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