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A landmark volume at a critical juncture between continuity and change in language education policy in Ireland and elsewhere
This volume critically examines language education policy across the island of Ireland, tracing more than a century of developments in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. It explores the complex interplay between official language policies, local practices and lived experiences, with a particular focus on multilingualism, migration and educational equity.
Through empirical research, policy analysis and case studies, the chapters highlight challenges and innovations in classroom practices, teacher development and community-based language support. The volume situates Irish experiences within global debates on language policy and multilingual education, offering insights for both national and international audiences on building inclusive, linguistically responsive education systems.
Chelsea Whittaker is Assistant Professor in Further Education and Training and Inclusion at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. Her research interests include sociolinguistics, plurilingualism, migration and inclusive education.
Noel Ó Murchadha is Associate Professor in Language Education at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. His research explores language policy, language attitudes and ideologies and linguistic anthropology.
Preface: Chelsea Whittaker & Noel Ó Murchadha
Chapter 1. Chelsea Whittaker: Introduction
Section 1: Language Policy & Multilingualism in Education
Chapter 2. Jennifer Bruen & Elena López: Navigating Language Policy: Dynamic Multilingual Identities in Irish Primary Schools
Chapter 3. Chelsea Whittaker: Universities and Language Policy in Ireland: An Analysis of Foreign Languages in Primary Education and ‘Languages for All’
Chapter 4. Carol Antonia Kennedy Gardiner: An Analysis of EAL Provision in Irish Post-Primary Education in the Context of Demographic Change
Chapter 5. Eugene McKendry & Breandan Mac Gearailt: East Asian Languages in Ireland: Context, Change and Continuity
Chapter 6. Mary Ruane: Are the Irish Really So Poor at Learning Languages?
Section 2: Pedagogical Approaches & Classroom Practices
Chapter 7. Qinyuan Li: Multilingual Learners’ Cognitive Strategies: Learning Chinese as a Third/Additional Language in Ireland
Chapter 8. Gearóid Ó Domagáin: "We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master": An Analysis of the Linguistic Development Needs of Immersion Practitioners
Chapter 9. Siobhán Keenan Fitzgerald: The Benefits and Considerations of Public Speaking Training in Primary School.
Chapter 10. Máire Mhic Mhathúna: Language Policy and Practice in Early Childhood Education in Ireland
Section 3: Migration, Integration & Community Language Support
Chapter 11. Bronagh Ćatibušić: ‘To Make One Another Feel Connected’: Creating Sanctuary through University-based Conversation Classes
Chapter 12. Declan Edward Flanagan: 16+ ESOL Provision in Northern Ireland: Neoliberal Policies and Practices
Chapter 13. Chang Zhang: How Languages Flourish in Disadvantaged Areas: The Provision of Modern Foreign Languages in DEIS Schools in Ireland
Chapter 14. Chelsea Whittaker: Conclusion