Sir, – The simple answer to how to solve the issue of Irish exemptions put forward by my fellow language teacher Clare Grealy (Letters, June 11th) is as elegant as it is obvious. She proposes dividing the subject into two, along the lines of the English A Level system.
I teach French and German, but I have a further proposal that I also think should be obvious to those deciding how our beautiful language should be taught: rather than continue to bemoan the fact that so many students are being granted an exemption, why not acknowledge the fact that a large number of these exemptions are being granted to students newly arrived in Ireland, and provide an alternative qualification at Leaving Certificate level?
This new course would include basic language, introduction to Irish folklore (through English), music, history and our democratic values.
I believe such a course would have a great uptake and it could be run at the same time as the standard Irish classes. It would allow our students arrived from countries often very different from Ireland to have a much better understanding of the country they now call home.
RM Block
Rather than feeling they were being labelled exempt, they would feel included. – Yours etc,
CLIONA BROPHY,
Dublin 22.
Sir, – With the latest coverage of Irish exemptions within the education system creating much chatter, there is one major aspect that has received little coverage and that is the curriculum itself.
It’s beyond me why any parent would put their child through such a nonsensical course, devoid of any imagination or a proven success rate. Compared with any other language course in the EU, this one must have the lowest rate of competent language acquisition.
Alas, what is the State’s solution to this? An Irish answer to an Irish problem: it is still compulsory, just optionally compulsory. – Yours, etc,
AEDRAEN Ó DUBHGHAILL,
Indreabhán,
Gaillimh.
