MAYOR of Limavady, councillor Cathal Ó hOisín, has endorsed a research report which indicates children educated in the Irish language consistently outperform pupils taught in English two years ahead of them.
The report, commissioned by Queens University Belfast's School of Psychology, was published last week by Dr Gerry Mulhern and Dr Judith Whylie.
Cllr Ó hOisín said: "I commend this excellent piece of work by Dr Mulhern and Dr Whylie. Their research
proves significant underlying advantages to children who are being educated in Irish medium schools."
In the first piece of research of its kind into education in the Irish language "short term memory" and "working memory" performance in primary school children was identified as centrally important in all learning including tasks such as reading reasoning and mental arithmetic.
Cllr Ó hOisín continued: "Comahirle na Gaelscolaíochta is currently carrying out a feasibility study into the establishment of new Irish medium pre-schools in 13 towns throughout the North including Limavady, Newcastle, Warrenpoint, Banbridge, Enniskillen, Antrim, Derriaghy, Forkhill, Sion Mills, Carryduff, Cushendall, Toomebridge, and Keady. All are areas listed in Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta's framework document for the development of the Irish medium sector. I am delighted to confirm that the Limavady Irish medium pre school was opened last September.
"The aim of the framework is to create a geographical plan and timetable for the establishment of Irish medium education. It is based on the view that Irish medium education should be available as a right to parents who wish to avail of it for their children.
"There has been a huge growth in demand for Irish medium education throughout Ireland in recent years. Currently over 37,000 children are educated in the Irish medium sector with new schools opening every year. In the North of Ireland alone, around 80 schools provide education through the medium of Irish. Research into the performance of bilingual children in reading, writing and general performance in school indicates that they have significant advantages"
Many children entering Irish medium schools have no previous experience of Irish; however they soon begin to acquire the language naturally through daily experience of an Irish language environment. They also have the opportunity to benefit from the many proven benefits of bilingualism which include enhanced communication skills, higher performance in exams, a head start in reading, advanced creative thinking, improved self-esteem and high levels of cultural awareness.
Cllr Ó hOisín concluded: "This groundbreaking research work by Queens University Belfast School of Psychology adds further evidence to the increasingly indisputable body of evidence that children who are educated in Irish medium schools are not only receiving the benefit of two languages but are receiving tangible educational benefits."
