PPLI is happy to announce that applications are being accepted for the role of an additional Education Officer to support the implementation of Languages Connect – Ireland’s Foreign Languages in Education strategy.

The person appointed will be expected to be familiar with the key issues at all sectors of the education system in Ireland, will have significant experience of teaching at post-primary level, and qualifications relevant to language teaching.

The post is a full-time position. In the case of a teacher in Ireland contracted on secondment the initial contract would be for a fixed-term of 6 months. In the case of other candidates the contract is a one-year fixed term contract (with six-month probationary period). PPLI is based in Blanchardstown although alternative arrangements will be considered in exceptional circumstances.
More information at this link

Join the English Language Support Teachers’ 
Association of Ireland (ELSTA)!
 
Our vision for the English Language Support Teachers’ Association of Ireland (ELSTA) is to have a national association that is led by teachers and supports the teachers who work at the coal face in schools. 
This association has recently renewed its work after a very well attended AGM in late September this year. 
 
We have a strong and enthusiastic committee of experienced and hard working teachers in the new National Executive that includes:
Annie Asgard
Cathaoirleach (Chairperson)  
Narrell Byrne
Secretary
Livia Healy Public Relations Officer
Joan Ryan
Treasurer
Phil McCarthy Membership Secretary 
Maureen Browne Web Moderator
 
We are working hard to reestablish the English Language Support Teachers Association of Ireland’s communication platforms. We are building a new dynamic website that will support teachers. 
 
Why do we need an association? Why now?
 
Every few days, teachers forums receive messages from teachers asking questions like:
“I just got a job as an EAL teacher. What do I do? What planning is required? Where do I start? How much time do I give to each student?” Or 
“I’m a mainstream teacher. It’s my first time having a child who has no English. What do I do? They are coming on Monday. I don’t know where to start!” 
 
These types of situations worry teachers and cause unnecessary stress. 
 
ELSTA can provide support for these teachers and their students. For every teacher who asks for support on social media, there may certainly be teachers who do not seek advice but struggle to reinvent the wheel themselves while feeling isolated and alone.
We hope that ELSTA can provide teachers with this support as well as providing them with ongoing sustainable communities of professional practice that can offer teachers from all levels of experience opportunities for networking with teachers across Ireland.
 
We need an association that recognises that in the changing face of English language teaching is also impacted by our current limitations due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The way we support teachers and their learners has changed and we need to change our ways of providing support, too. We will need to be culturally and linguistically responsive to this and provide new and innovative models of support. This includes the changes to our practice required for remote and/or blended learning, the range of issues faced by our students/families in our schools and our work as advocates for them.
 
We will start by looking at the resources and programmes provided by the existing support services such as the PDST, NCSE, SESS and the Yellow Flag Programme. We will link in with the existing curricular support services and other Teacher Professional Networks in collaborative and cooperative ways. We will work to ensure that teachers who work with English language learners and the students whom they serve are given the best possible opportunity to achieve the most they can academically, socially and linguistically. 
 
There is a huge need for innovation and we need to modernise our methodologies and materials in the area of English language teaching for developing multilingual students. 
 
Encouraging linguistically and culturally responsive practice within our profession is also a high priority of our association. With this as the bedrock of our professional practice, we can best meet the needs of our students and their families.
 
The maintenance and support of students’ mother tongue will be a major focus of our association going forward and we will work in partnership with Mother Tongues Ireland, minority ethnic community groups, NGOSs and migrant led organisations to encourage multilingualism, cultural understanding and unity in our society. 
 
Collaboration with researchers and academics and using evidence-based practice is also an important aspect of any teacher professional network. We will use research to help us to inform our practice and work towards bringing our students and teachers the results of recent research in the area of bilingual/multilingual education and pedagogy.
 
The developing multilingual students we work with every day in our schools are perfect examples of the linguistic and cultural diversity we aim to promote in our world while encouraging all our students to embrace our rich and deep connection with Irish language and culture, too.
 
We will offer our members our support through a “Members Only” section of our website with resources, planning/policy templates and exemplars, training videos, web links, an ELSTA Padlet, exclusive invitations to training webinars and conferences. 
 
We look forward to supporting teachers!
 
Please join us! 
 
English Language Support Teachers' Association of Ireland (ELSTA)
Link to join
 
Annie Asgard
 
Cathaoirleach / Chairperson
English Language Support Teachers' Association of Ireland (ELSTA)
[email protected]