Download File - IVEA

from different cultures where different educational attitudes and
practices prevail.
• Schools and teachers should recognise that all students bring their
own strengths to learning derived from their cultural identity and
previous learning and life experiences.
• Schools need to be open to and creative in utilising these
experiences to the students’ benefit.
• IVEA recommends that each school provides parents/guardians
with a comprehensive overview of how the school operates, its
policy and ethos, the curriculum etc. In case of conflicting
values, it is recommended that schools engage in dialogue to
reach agreement.
• For communication to be effective, it may be necessary to provide
a translator.
Promoting Student Involvement [S. 5.5]:
IVEA recommends that the following recommendations arising from the
CDU report A Whole School Approach to Interculturalism and Inclusion
be implemented:
• Ways should be explored to give students greater voice in school
decision-making, including ongoing review of Student Council
structures by schools to assess their impact and to allow for more
involvement of younger students and those of minority background.
• Appropriate induction and monitoring for all students’ social and
academic welfare should take place.
• Mentoring programmes should be considered, with the possible
development of peer-mentoring. This needs careful planning, training
and ongoing guidance and evaluation
• Work that builds self-esteem, values diversity, supports
understanding of interculturalism and anti-racism should be carried
out with students, both as distinct programmes embedded in
the different subject areas and approached periodically through
cross-curricular theme and project work.
• Consideration should be given to how students who have
experienced and are still affected by trauma can be supported
through pastoral care, counselling and monitoring by the
psychological, health and social welfare services, in tandem with
the school.
• All sectors dealing with student needs will benefit from training in antiracism
and interculturalism.
Promoting Parental Involvement [S. 5.6]:
The CDU report A Whole School Approach to Interculturalism and
Inclusion makes the following recommendations in the context of
supporting and empowering parents:
• Different ways of involving parents in the development of the school
and in the celebration of school activities should be explored.
• Schools should be pro-active in their support of parents from minority
backgrounds and engage in active dialogue with representatives
of minority groups in order to increase awareness of issues of
common interest.
• There is a need for effective structures to facilitate communication
with parents from minority communities. Financial resources should
be provided for translation of key information pertaining to schoollife
and for the services of interpreters (where it is deemed necessary)
as supports to students and parents with limited English.
Support Staff/Bilingual Assistants/Book-loans [S. 5.7]:
• While IVEA agrees that extra support staff in the classroom is
necessary, these should be specifically trained language support
teachers. There may also be a need for bilingual assistants. IVEA
recommends that schools work in co-operation with minority
linguistic communities in this regard.
• IVEA recognises that issues relating to social welfare etc may result
in additional workloads. Appropriate training and resources should be
provided to meet this need (refer to section: 5.8).
• While the book-loan fund may not be universally applicable, the
inflexible nature of capitation funding is problematic in this context.
IVEA recommends that the Department of Education and Science
introduces a more flexible capitation model, e.g. one/two extra
capitation dates per school year.
Professional Development Training [S. 5.8]:
There is a great need for professional development training in a variety of
areas including:
• Anti-racist and cultural awareness training for all staff in the school;
• Language Aware Teaching Methodologies;
• Information sessions on social/legal situation of bilingual/EAL learners
and their families for designated staff members;
• Training for designated person in educational provision for second
language learning [this item is dealt with in chapter 6].
Anti-racist/Cultural Awareness Training [S. 5.8]:
• Inservice is needed for all staff in respect of anti-racism and
interculturalism. Anti-racist training is essential if equality in the
classroom is to be achieved.
Language Aware Teaching Methodologies [S. 5.8]:
• There is a need for appropriate training for all teachers of
second language learners. Training in language aware teaching
methodologies should be an integral part of pre-service and
in-service training.
• IVEA recommends that Higher Diploma in Education courses
incorporate language aware teaching methodologies for all studentteachers
and make training in EAL methodologies available.
• IVEA recommends that inservice training in all areas of the curriculum
incorporate language aware teaching methodologies.
• Regular inservice training, opportunities to observe good practice,
collaboration, consultation and team teaching are all essential.
• Professional development relies upon regular discussion and sharing
of good practice. At institutional level its effectiveness will depend upon
much more than individual initiatives in isolated classrooms. It requires
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