ETBI Journal of Education - Vol 2:2 November 2020 (Irish-medium Education)

ETBI Journal of Education November 2020
well understood – particularly principals in Irishmedium
immersion and Gaeltacht post-primary
schools.
As immersion education can only be defined
by context, questions arise regarding the use of
the school self-evaluation process by leaders to
identify and measure success in the absence of any
definition of highly effective immersion practice
or research-informed policy on immersion
education in Ireland. These searching and
significant questions call for immersion-specific
research-validated tools which support leaders
in navigating the school self-evaluation process
in their quest for educational excellence in
immersion.
THE IMPORTANCE OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP IN
IMMERSION EDUCATION
Studies of effective immersion education schools
consistently show that high level programmes
have a shared, cohesive vision, guided by visionary
leadership (Calderón et al., 2011; Lindholm-
Leary & Genesee, 2010; Scanlan & López, 2015).
Although a clear vision is essential to lay out
the nature and direction of change, it is equally
important to ensure that innovative practices
are implemented in order to achieve that vision
i.e. by displaying managerial leadership skills. In
terms of immersion education, Robinson et al.,
(2009) highlight that it important for leaders to
ensure that administrative decisions are made
based on knowledge of effective immersion
education pedagogy, and that the responsibilities
of senior and junior management are in line with
the recognised requirements and priorities of the
immersion education school. Effective immersion
education leaders work to develop a high level
of integration, cooperation, and collegiality
amongst the staff (Herman et al., 2016; Marzano
et al., 2005) in order to make progress towards
the identified immersion education goals. It
is impossible for every school leader to be an
expert in every area of teaching and learning
relevant to post-primary immersion education,
but this provides a good opportunity to share the
leadership responsibilities i.e. displaying shared
leadership skills. As a result, the leader must
inspire a common commitment to the school selfassessment
process as a way of developing the
leadership potential at a school-wide level, and
in order to enrich learning and teaching in postprimary
immersion education. Outlined below is
an immersion-specific research-validated, school
self-evaluation tool which was designed to inform
and guide leadership practices in Gaeltacht and
Irish-medium immersion education contexts.
LEADERSHIP QUALITY INDICATORS IN
GAELTACHT AND IRISH-MEDIUM IMMERSION
EDUCATION
The framework Looking at Our School, 2016,
(Department of Education and Skills, 2016)
attempts to provide a unified, integrated set
of standards for teaching and learning, and for
leadership and management. While Irish-medium
immersion and Gaeltacht school leaders use
these generic statements to reflect on and refine
educational provision in their schools, no specific
reference is made in the statements to the unique
nature of leadership in post-primary immersion
education. An immersion-specific self-evaluation
tool is provided in Táscairí cáilíochta maidir leis
an dea-chleachtas san oideachas lán-Ghaeilge (Ó
Ceallaigh & Ní Shéaghdha, 2017). This tool was
crafted based on qualitative research carried out
with 120 educators in immersion education on
an all-island basis and is rooted in the contextual
realities of Gaeltacht and Irish-medium education.
PAGE 40