This is a time of great change, vulnerability and possibility for the Irish language and for Irish-medium education. Research shows the language in serious decline in the Gaeltacht; areas of Ireland designated as being predominantly Irish speaking. There are also inconsistent approaches at the policy level in addition to an ambiguous attitude to…

This Advice provides important information on the national context and describes best practice to support senior leaders, practitioners, and education authorities in evaluating and planning for improvement in Gaelic Education. It is based on evidence from inspections, reviews and validated self-evaluation, covering all sectors of Gaelic Education…

Australian teachers are required to teach students from diverse cultures, and preservice teachers are reported to feel culturally unprepared. The Australian Government's New Colombo Plan aims to increase pre-service teachers' cultural competency by providing funding for cultural and educational experiences in the Asian-Pacific region. This paper…

Learners are increasingly accessing free online and open resources, tools, and spaces where they can develop their language skills beyond the classroom, alone, or in collaboration with others, and often whilst engaging in purposeful and enjoyable activities. Teachers need to find ways to explore and connect these activities productively with the…

This paper examines and discusses the profiles of applicants and entrants to the DGO (Dioplóma Gairmiúil san Oideachas) initial teacher education programme between 2000 and 2011. The DGO is the only initial teacher education programme in Ireland that is specifically designated to prepare student teachers for the second-level Irish-medium (SLIM)…

This is the first report from a 3-year (2012-2015) kaupapa Maori research project that investigates how best to support the continuity of reo Maori development of whanau as they transition between kohanga reo, kura kaupapa primary, wharekura, secondary and beyond. It aims to provide useful information about the reo Maori education options that are…

It is an underlying principle of Australian Education Review (AER) 54 that active efforts should be made to cultivate the latent bilingual potential within Australia's wider population and that this should be linked to major improvements in the quality of language teaching in schools. A combined approach of this kind will require investment in…

In recent times, there has been significant interest in reviving the Gaelic language. The National Plan for Gaelic aims to secure a sustainable future for the language. Gaelic Education plays a major role. The term "Gaelic Education" covers a spectrum of opportunity ranging from raising an awareness of Gaelic as a Scottish language to…

Conceptual guidelines for the design of new secondary school French second language programs are outlined, in response to the need for an instructional model to accommodate Alberta's increasing anglophone enrollment in French immersion programs. The first section chronicles the evolution of the concept of language and second language instructional…

An evaluation of Manitoba's French immersion programs at the levels of grades 3, 6, and 9 focused on program effectiveness in teaching listening comprehension and speech skills. The results for grade 9 are presented here. The first section describes the framework of the immersion curriculum and the listening and oral skills targeted in it. The…

A successful summer immersion experience for high school German students is described, with focus on the development, philosophy, and structure of the language academy. Theoretical and practical information is given on student/staff selection, participant grouping, curriculum development, activity planning, facility preparation, and enforcement of…

Language camps that provide language immersion and cultural experiences for high school students outside of the classroom are described. Descriptions of 49 camps in 26 states are arranged alphabetically by state and provide the names and addresses of sponsors and facts about the program activities and fees. Two of the language camps programs are…

Primary and late entry French immersion programs in Ottawa and Carleton schools were evaluated. French proficiency was tested among former immersion students enrolled in grade 10 bilingual programs and compared with that of grades 8-12 bilingual program students. Spoken and written French were assessed and a detailed error analysis was performed.…

The study summarized (in both English and French) in this report, is an evaluation of the listening comprehension and speech skills of ninth grade students in Manitoba's (Canada) French immersion programs. It is intended for parents and teachers in Manitoba involved in the French immersion program. The report consists of an overview of the study,…

The planning and operation of Jefferson County (Colorado) Public Schools' foreign language camps are described. The weekend-long camps attempt to duplicate an authentic cultural experience in a foreign village through cultural activities and language immersion. French, Spanish, Russian, and German camps are conducted for county high school foreign…