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Language & Literacy Education

About

The Department of Language and Literacy Education comprises 13 full-time members, plus a number of part-time staff, specialising in language (English and Gaeilge) and Early Primary Education.

The department provides courses at undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels. It services key components of the Bachelor of Education (B Ed), the B Ed in Education and Psychology programmes and the Professional Masters in Education (Primary Teaching).

The department members have many years teaching experience and hold qualifications at the highest academic level, along with a very high profile as researchers in the fields of language (English and Gaeilge) and Early Primary Education. They are engaged in a wide range of activities including teaching, research, supervision of teaching practice, supervision of postgraduate students at master’s and doctoral levels, attending and presenting at conferences, participation in committees at college, local, national and international levels.

Fáilte romhat go dtí suíomh gréasáin an Roinn Teanga agus Litearthachta. Cuireann foireann na roinne de 13 lán-aimseartha agus baill pháirtaimseartha cúrsaí léinn ar fáil ag leibhéil fho-chéime agus iarchéime. Cuireann an Roinn cúrsaí ar fáil sa Litearthacht (Béarla agus Gaeilge) agus sa Luath-Oideachas sa chéim Bhaitsiléir Oideachais agus sa chéim Bhaitsiléir Oideachais san Oideachas agus sa tSíceolaíocht maraon leis an Dioplóma Iarchéime san Oideachas (Bunmhúinteoireacht).

Tá taithí mhúinteoireachta na mblianta agus ardcháilíochtaí acadúla ag foireann na roinne chomh maith le cáil i ngort an taighde sa Litearthacht (Gaeilge agus Béarla) agus sa Luath-Oideachas. Is iomaí cloch atá phaidrín na roinne agus ina measc tá an mhúinteoireacht, taighde, feitheoireacht ar chleachtadh múinteoireachta, feitheoireacht ar mhic léinn iarchéíme ag léibhéal máistreachta agus dochtúireachta, freastal ar agus cur i láthair ag comhdháileacha, rannpháirtíocht i gcoistí sa choláiste, sa phobal aitiúil, náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta.

Contact
Head of Department
Seán de Brún
+353 61 204329

Subject Overview

Undergraduate

English Language

The pedagogical area of English Language is part of the department's remit and it offers modules in the teaching of English to both undergraduate and postgraduate student teachers, as part of the college’s teacher education programmes.

Gaeilge Ghairmiúil

Ní mór do gach mac léinn B Oid nach bhfuil an Gaeilge mar ábhar céime aige/aici an cúrsa sa Ghaeilge Ghairmiúil a dhéanamh i mbliain a dó agus i mbliain a trí den chúrsa B Oid. Ní mór do gach mac léinn ar an gcéim B Oid san Oideachas agus sa tSícheolaíocht an cúrsa sa Ghaeilge Ghairmiúil a dhéanamh.

See below for a list of modules and electives in these areas on the B Ed and B Ed in Education and Psychology programmes:

This course is designed to familiarise participants with current research on the processes involved in language development and with a range of teaching strategies designed to support children’s language development in the classroom. These will be explained with reference to the principles, content and teaching approaches recommended in the English Language Curriculum.

This course is designed to support participants’ knowledge and skills in the design and delivery of appropriate programmes to support the English language development of children in the junior and middle classes in the primary school.

This course is designed to provide participants with an understanding of difficulties experienced by all children, including those for whom English is an additional language (EALs), in the acquisition of reading and writing; a range of assessment approaches to identify these precise difficulties and an appreciation of the principles and procedures underpinning a differentiated and inclusive approach to literacy development in the classroom.

The English Language component of this module will provide participants with an understanding of: Children’s Literature in the Primary Classroom, Developing Children’s Oral and Written Response to Fiction, Using Children’s Literature as a Springboard for Developing Both Language and Critical Thinking in the Primary Classroom, and Supporting Children as Story Writers.

Elective offered to students in the Teaching of English Language. The module requires in-depth study and presentation of a project.

Cúrsa teanga i labhairt agus i scríobh na Gaeilge a dhíríonn ar líofacht agus ar chruinneas teanga na mac léinn a fheabhsú. Déantar mionstaidéar ar an teanga le béim ar leith ar an ngramadach fheidhmiúil.

Cúrsa teanga a dhíríonn ar ardleibhéal líofachta agus cruinnis i labhairt agus i scríobh na Gaeilge. Cuirtear béim ar scileanna aistriúcháin ó Bhéarla go Gaeilge.

Postgraduate

See below for a list of modules and electives in these areas on the Professional Master in Education (PME) programme:

This course is designed: to familiarise participants with current research on the processes involved in language development; to develop awareness and understanding of the principles, content and teaching approaches underpinning the approach to the teaching of language in the English Language Curriculum; to explore key elements of language development in the primary school related to the development of children’s writing skills; to familiarise participants with a range of teaching strategies to support children’s oral language development.

This course is designed to familiarise participants with current research on the processes involved in literacy development and with a range of teaching approaches to facilitate children’s reading development within the context of a balanced integrated instructional framework. These will be explained with reference to the principles, content and teaching approaches recommended in the English Language Curriculum.

This course is designed to provide participants with an understanding of children’s language development, difficulties experienced by children in the acquisition of literacy, a range of assessment approaches to identify these precise difficulties, and an appreciation of the principles and procedures underpinning a differentiated and inclusive approach to language development in the classroom.

This course is designed to support participants in the development of collaborative learning and developing response to fiction and information texts through oral language activity and writing. It further seeks to underline the integrative nature of oral language, reading and writing in the English Language curriculum.

Staff

Antoinette Ní Ghallchobhair


Lecturer
  • Phone: +353 61 774758
  • Email: Antoinette.NiGhallch@mic.ul.ie

Dr Conchúr Ó Brolcháin

B Ed (UL), MA (UL) & PhD (DCU)
Léachtóir (Lecturer)
  • Phone: +353 61 774347
  • Email: Conchur.OBrolchain@mic.ul.ie
  • Location: R204

Dr Emma O'Brien

BBS, MSc & PhD
Director of Taught Postgraduate Studies in Education
  • Phone: +353 61 774785
  • Email: Emma.Obrien@mic.ul.ie
  • Location: G17

Dr. Maria Varvarigou

PhD (IoE, UK), MA (York, UK), BMus (Ionian University, Greece), PGCAP (MIC), SFHEA, FRSA
Lecturer in Postgraduate Studies
  • Phone: 061204569
  • Email: Maria.Varvarigou@mic.ul.ie
  • Location: R109

Resources

Support in Gaeilge

In 1997, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) was established with the aim of providing academic support to all undergraduate students undertaking a degree course in Mary Immaculate College (MIC). 

The ALC offers subject-specific support in the areas of Gaeilge and Mathematics for students, as well as:

  • One-to-one academic support and tutoring: Students are welcome to call to the ALC for one-to-one advice on aspects of learning at third level. The ALC team is available to advise on essay writing (independent and confidential advice is given on how to improve the structure and writing style of essays and essay planning), study skills, time management and exam techniques.
  • Pre-exam planning: The ALC offers help in planning individual study programmes, especially in the lead up to exams. This helps students make the most of their time and assist in future study planning.
  • The Academic Learning Centre HandbookThis comprehensive handbook includes chapters on study skills, academic reading, time-management, structuring essays, referencing academic essays (Harvard and Footnoting systems) and preparing for exams.

To make an appointment, students must call to the ALC offices, which are located in C1-C4 situated between the Foundation and TARA Buildings. The ALC is open 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm, Monday to Thursday.

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