Primary school teachers will get training over several years to teach foreign languages such as French, German and Spanish over the coming years as part of a planned shake-up of the curriculum.
The draft syllabus states that classroom teachers will be expected to teach foreign languages from third to sixth class when it rolls out from 2026.
It will begin with simple awareness of different languages and greetings before moving to basic communication in fifth and sixth class with a focus on oral skills.
Under the draft plans, foreign languages would be introduced to schools on a phased basis and upskilling for teachers would take place over a five-to-six year period.
Schools would select the language they offer based on their resources and demographics.
Details of the implementation plans were disclosed by the Department of Education in response to a parliamentary question from Fianna Fáil TD Malcolm Byrne.
âIt is critically important that Irish children have the opportunity to learn foreign languages from an early age,â the Wicklow-Wexford TD said. âResourcing schools to be able to do this and using technology and other innovative methods to enhance language learning should also be encouraged.â
Modern foreign languages are currently a feature of the curriculum at primary level across all other EU countries.
About 1,400 Irish primary schools are, in the meantime, participating in a âSay Yes to Languagesâ sample module, which began in 2021. It runs for 10-weeks and offers schools a choice of up to 16 languages.
A consultation report by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) into the redeveloped primary school curriculum found that while many commended the plans as âexciting and timelyâ, concerns were raised by some who were worried about teachersâ proficiency in French, German and other languages.
They felt that to provide high-quality learning and teaching experiences based on the aims of the curriculum, competence and confidence in the languages would be essential â such as knowing the necessary vocabulary and correct pronunciation.
Teachers were also frequently concerned that their lack of competency would hamper childrenâs learning and result in a âtokenisticâ approach.
Some also noted that under time allocations set out in the draft curriculum, the amount of time dedicated to teaching Irish would reduce from 3½ to three hours per week in English-medium schools.
Some principals, teachers and others said carving out time to teach foreign languages would take time away from Irish and English as well as diluting the status of Irish at school and across society more broadly.
In theory, schools can opt to make some of this up with the addition of flexible time, which allows a school to prioritise areas of learning.
The move to introduce foreign languages at primary comes at a time of concern at a drop-off in the proportion of students learning European languages at second level.
There has been decline in the number of Leaving Cert candidates sitting exams in foreign languages over the last five years, down from 75 per cent to 65 per cent.
Decreases in French (-10 per cent) and German (-3 per cent) account for the bulk of the drop, although there has been an increase in Spanish (+4 per cent) and some minority languages.
Some senior education figures privately say the growth in additional subjects at Leaving Cert level may be to blame for squeezing languages in some schools. Others suggest the increased importance attached to Stem (science, technology, engineering and maths) and difficulties finding qualified language teachers are key factors.
