Drama boosts social skills for autistic children [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 25 June 2010
YOUNG people with autism are developing their social skills through groundbreaking drama classes at Trinity College Dublin.
The group of children and adults aged up to 20 who have Asperger Syndrome marked the end of this year’s classes last night, marking another success in helping them to improve their future prospects in education and employment.
People with Asperger’s are at the high-functioning end of the autistic spectrum and are usually highly intelligent, but may have high levels of anxiety and difficulties understanding and interpreting social situations.
Full Story www.irishexaminer.com
Inspectors reveal poor level of Irish at Gaelscoil [Independent.ie]
- Published: 25 June 2010
AN all-Irish primary school named after Peig Sayers has been criticised for the poor standard of Irish among its pupils.
Gaelscoil Pheig Sayers, on the Mallow Road in Cork, underwent an evaluation by inspectors from the Department of Education and Skills.
The inspectors found that pupils had "little understanding of basic writing skills, spelling patterns or punctuation rules.
"Presentation of written work in copybooks is poor," the report on the 98-pupil school said.
The inspectors said it was necessary to develop basic writing skills, to expose pupils to a wider range of genres and to engage in the ongoing monitoring of children's work.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Investment in education, research and broadband is the foundation for sustainable prosperity [IrishTimes]
- Published: 25 June 2010
The promise of the innovation taskforce is compelling. It has captured the imagination of our entrepreneurs
ANOTHER REPORT destined to collect dust? Three decisions will tell us this year whether we are serious about the Smart Economy.
It has been three months since the report of the Taoiseach’s Innovation Taskforce was launched and in May we had the welcome news of the establishment of a high-level group chaired by Minister for Enterprise, Trade Innovation Batt O’Keeffe charged with implementation of the recommendations.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
New €4.5m school for Thomastown [advertiser.ie]
- Published: 25 June 2010
A new state of the art school building at St Mary's National School, Ballyhack, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny was officially opened by the Minister for Lifelong Learning, Seán Haughey on Friday.
The new school has 16 classrooms and ancillary accommodation and was built at a cost of €4.5million which was funded by the Department of Education and Skills.
With the opening of the new school comes the closing of two smaller schools in the town – the Convent of Mercy Primary School and Ladywell Boys' National School
Minister Haughey addressed the crowd gathered acknowledging everyone who had made the project possible.
Full Story: www.advertiser.ie
108 inspection reports published on Department's website [education.ie]
- Published: 24 June 2010
- 36 whole-school evaluations (WSE) at primary level
- 6 whole-school evaluations at post-primary level, including 23 subject inspections
- 34 stand-alone subject inspections
- 6 stand-alone programme evaluations
- 3 evaluations of centres for education
Since 6th February 2006, school inspection reports such as WSE and subject Inspections are published on the Department of Education and Skills' website at regular intervals throughout the school year.
There are now 3,798 school-inspection reports on the website, representative of 1,653 schools or centres for education.
Whole-school evaluation reports comment on the school's management, planning and management of resources; the effectiveness of teaching and learning; its arrangements for student assessment, supports for students, provision for minority groups and home-school links.
Full Story: www.education.ie
