Do you have to do Irish

hollowjourney

Hi
My daughter came home from primary school yesterday and said she didn't want to do Irish. When I asked why, she said one of the pupils in her class didn't have to do it so why should she. Apparently this pupil just sits out the Irish part of the day. Now I know this pupil and his parents and they were all born in Ireland. I thought it was compulsory to take Irish in primary school. Anyone know what the situation is on this...thanks

Ollchailin

hollowjourney wrote: »

Hi
My daughter came home from primary school yesterday and said she didn't want to do Irish. When I asked why, she said one of the pupils in her class didn't have to do it so why should she. Apparently this pupil just sits out the Irish part of the day. Now I know this pupil and his parents and they were all born in Ireland. I thought it was compulsory to take Irish in primary school. Anyone know what the situation is on this...thanks

Hi OP-

It's more than likely a case of that child having some sort of learning disability which allows them an exemption from Irish. I understand why people may wish it was not compulsory (a debate for another day!) but unless your daughter has been diagnosed as having learning problems, she will have to take Irish just as she takes her other subjects.

taibhsegorm

there was a case in the paper there recently a girl that had just finished her leaving cert, she had done german and french and i dont know what othe languages but had dropped irish years ago thinking it would be of no use to her, but the thing is to get into alot of third level (uni) courses you have to have done irish as a subject in the leaving.

the_syco

It's best to have it, and not need it, then to need it, and not have it. Esp if your child ever decides to teach.

Fad

I dont think any primary school would let some one out of doing Irish unless they have a learning disability.

So in short, she probably has to do it.

It's a compulsory subject for the Junior and Leaving Certificates, and if she is to apply for an NUI, unless she has an actual exemption, which (I hope) she would not get unless she had a genuine disability that hindered her ability to learn the language.

hollowjourney

Hi
As far as I know the pupil has no learning difficulties, thats why I find it so odd. As for my daughter, i think she is just looking for way to avoid doing something she doesn't like....so even if she could drop the subject I wouldn't let her. thanks for the replies

caseyann

If in the beginning the child was made exempt from Learning Irish as requested by parents due to fact they are unable to read or write in Irish in any way,they may also be allowed to be excluded from it.However i think far more likely if the child is in fact Irish has learning difficulties and thats why excused.
I do not think you are allowed to know if the child has learning difficulties so that is probably why you are not aware of it.As nothing to do with you.


P.s how old is your child sounds like she is trying to get one over on you

hollowjourney

she's 9....she had two friends in the house and they were all saying the same thing.

caseyann

hollowjourney wrote: »

she's 9....she had two friends in the house and they were all saying the same thing.

I think you should have a word with the teacher and explain what your daughter is saying as they should be properly trained to explain to the children without making that child seem different. And you explain to your child it is our mother tongue and nice to have it as apart of her life.

E.T.

The child with the exemption may have a learning disability - that doesn't mean it's something that you or anyone else can see physically, or gauge just from talking to them casually. And, this may sound rude, but as another poster has pointed out already, it's not anyone else's business why the child is getting an exemption. They obviously have a problem severe enough for the department to grant the exemption, having other children and parents gossipping about them really isn't on - I hope these explanations put a stop to it. There is a huge amount of assessment and paperwork that has to be done and submitted to the Department of Education in order for any Irish born child to be granted an exemption from Irish, and there isn't any chance of a child being granted an exemption because they don't like Irish or because their parents request it.

gaeilgegrinds

How would you know the child has no learning disability? You can't tell this by looking at someone or even by what level they seem to be at. These can come in many guises.

Fad

gaeilgegrinds wrote: »

How would you know the child has no learning disability? You can't tell this by looking at someone or even by what level they seem to be at. These can come in many guises.

I dont doubt it.....but I kinda doubt the OP's child does, which is my point.

rainbowtrout

caseyann wrote: »

I think you should have a word with the teacher and explain what your daughter is saying as they should be properly trained to explain to the children without making that child seem different. And you explain to your child it is our mother tongue and nice to have it as apart of her life.

But all the daughter is saying is that the other child doesn't have to do it. She doesn't have to be given an explanation, she's not entitled to one and the teacher doesn't have to give one to the class. If anything that just singles the child out more as having a learning disability, which children translate as 'not good at school'

Again, like everyone I agree, the child probably has a learning disability. There are plenty of children across the country who sit at the back of a class for Irish or Religion is the other one and no one takes any notice.

Pete M.

rainbowtrout wrote: »

Again, like everyone I agree, the child probably has a learning disability. There are plenty of children across the country who sit at the back of a class for Irish or Religion is the other one and no one takes any notice.

My 9 year old daughter don't like the auld tongue either, but by jingos she'll learn it just like I did.
That thing about Mammy & Daddy not being able to read and write it sounds like bunkum, most Irish people can't, but their kids have to do it anyway. I think that they should all have to do it, bar kids who aren't from Ireland originally, though they should have to do some I reckon (perhaps our NS teachers could do a TIFL course!).
But as for lumping in the kids who don't do Irish or religion as sitting it out at the back of the class, what sort of learning disability does it take not to have to take religion? We've been raising our kids without religion, but they still sit in on the classes at school. If you don't actually subscribe to the whole faith thing, it ain't so bad.

rainbowtrout

Pete M. wrote: »

But as for lumping in the kids who don't do Irish or religion as sitting it out at the back of the class, what sort of learning disability does it take not to have to take religion? We've been raising our kids without religion, but they still sit in on the classes at school. If you don't actually subscribe to the whole faith thing, it ain't so bad.

That's not what I meant, I was only using religion as an example of a subject that a student may not be studying and as a result might be sitting at the back of the class doing other work. It's the most common example after Irish I reckon.

gungun

if you have lived out of the country for 3 years in a row you dont have to do irish

EDIT: AFAIK