Presentation Primary: Sarah Brennan

Welcoming Erasmus+ teachers to Ireland: St. John the Baptist Boy’s Primary School and Mary Immaculate College’s TEAL Project Supporting Children with English as an Additional Language in the Classroom

Led by Principal, David Nicholas and EAL Lead Teacher, Margaret Grace, on Thurs 24th and Friday 25th March, St. John the Baptist Boy’s Primary School welcomed Erasmus+ teachers-Hannah Leyns; Anke De Saedeleer and Caroline Reynders from Hoger Technisch Instituut Sint-Antonius Ghent (Belgium) into their schools to showcase the Irish education system, Irish culture and implementation of the primary language curriculum (2019), focusing on modelling inclusive, integrated language teaching and learning across languages. This was competently demonstrated by 4th -6th Class teacher, Alan Hally and students in 2nd -3rd class, under the direction of class teacher,

Sheenah Crowley.

Speaking about what the TEAL Project hopes to achieve, Dr. Fiodhna Gardiner-Hyland, TEAL Project Leader said: “Schools such as St. John the Baptist Boy’s School are key agents in modeling and supporting language development and acquisition. It is more important than ever before to cultivate plurilingual school environments that tap into the benefits of linguistic diversity for all pupils. The TEAL project aims to increase teacher knowledge and confidence of teaching EAL learners, focusing on culturally and linguistically responsive teaching approaches in a partnership model of developing a face-to-face and online community of practice within schools in Limerick city”

From left to right—Aine Lyne (MIC) Margaret Grace, St. John the Baptist Boy’s School; Belgian Teachers—Caroline, Hannah, Anke, Ruth Bourke TED Coordinator MIC, Paula Mullins, Coláiste Mhichíl; Jill Histon, Our Lady of Lourdes; David Nicholas, Principal St John the Baptist Boy’s School.

Picture Below—Dr Fiodhna Gardiner Hyland with the Belgian Teachers and also with Livia Healy