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Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title Feasacht agus Fóineolaíocht na Gaeilge
Module Code EC315 (ITS) / EDS1096 (Banner)
Faculty DCU Institute of Education School Language, Literacy & ECE
Module Co-ordinatorPearse Ahern
Module Teachers-
NFQ level 8 Credit Rating 5
Pre-requisite Not Available
Co-requisite Not Available
Compatibles Not Available
Incompatibles Not Available
None
Description

This module builds on students’ language proficiency developed in Gaeilge modules in the first and second years of this programme and also on their knowledge of language learning and assessment tools in post-primary pupil contexts. This module places a particular emphasis on language awareness and language learner error correction. Students will experience an inductive approach to the teaching of specific linguistic aspects. Students will critically analyse and integrate this new knowledge of pedagogy and assessment into their professional language classroom practice in post-primary settings. This module will focus on the role of language awareness in students’ own experience as language learners at third level. Students will collaborate with one another to develop methods which will allow them to analyse this experience enhancing their own understanding and application of language learning theory. This module will develop students’ knowledge and understanding of Irish phonologicial awareness. As members of a team, students will develop methods to improve oral Irish language skills by analysing their own oral language learner corpora. In this module, students will collaborate to develop an Irish language learner self-assessment tool to evaluate a specific aspect of their oral Irish skills. This will enable the learners to accomplish their oral language learning goal and will track data to measure their success in fulfilling this learning goal.

Learning Outcomes

1. Reflect on and interrogate specific aspects of their oral language skills.
2. Understand the orthography and decoding of Irish at a phonemic and a morphemic level.
3. Identify, record and analyse the most common oral language errors made by Irish language learners.
4. Use the European Portfolio of languages as a tool for developing language learner awareness and autonomy.
5. Demonstrate an understanding of the sequential learning milestones in the orthography of Irish and the similarities between written Irish and English.
6. Develop an Irish language learner self-assessment tool to evaluate a specific aspect of their oral Irish skills.



Workload Full-time hours per semester
Type Hours Description
Lecture22Lecture/Seminar
Online activity20Engagement with online language learning resources
Independent Study53No Description
Assignment Completion30Preparation of Irish language self-assessment tool
Total Workload: 125

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Indicative Content and Learning Activities
Common European Framework for Languages; Self-Assessment in language learning at third level; The development of oral language skills; Orthography and decoding of Irish at a phonemic and a morphemic level Minority language learning; Autonomous learning and self-reflection; The affordances of technology for the development of oral language development; The development and use of language learner corpora; Development of Irish language learner self-assessment tool to evaluate a specific aspect of their oral Irish skills; Developing critical literary skills.

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment100% Examination Weight0%
Course Work Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
AssignmentAn analysis of the role of language awareness on language development30%n/a
AssignmentDevelopment of Irish language learner self-assessment tool to evaluate a specific aspect of their skills i nGaeilge (Spoken production, spoken interaction, reading, writing, listening)60%n/a
Reflective journalWeekly reflection task based on prescribed readings or other module relevant texts10%n/a
Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories:
Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module.
Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module.
Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 1
Indicative Reading List

  • Doughty, C., & Williams, J. (Eag.).: 1998, Focus on form in second language acquisition, Cambridge University Press., Cambridge,
  • Stenson, N. & Hickey, T.: 2018, Understanding Irish spelling: A handbook for teachers and learners., COGG,
  • Pikulski, J. & Chard, D.: 2011, Fluency: Bridge between decoding and reading comprehension. The Reading Teacher.,
  • Lantolf, J. P., Poehner, M. E., & Swain, M. (Eds.).: 2018, The Routledge handbook of sociocultural theory and second language development., Routledge,
Other Resources

51609, Website, Ní Dhiorbháin, A., 2015, Struchtúr abairte agus gramadach. Ar fáil ag:, http://www.curriculumonline.ie/getmedia/1570c6a4-7691-49f0-8570-498abb09672c/TOBLS_StruchturAbairte.pdf?ext=.pdf, 51610, Website, BELB (Belfast Education and Library Board)/An tÁisaonad, 2011, Fónaic na Gaeilge, Eolas Fóineolaíoch, Can be downloaded free/Ar fáil ar líne ag:, http://www.stmarysbelfast.ac.uk/aisaonad/Fonaic/Fonaic_na_Gaeilge.html,

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