Journal Article

Language teaching and learning in Ireland: 2012–2021

Batardière, Marie-Thérèse, Flynn, Colin J., Berthaud, Sarah, Ćatibušić, Bronagh

2023

Overview

The language teaching landscape in Ireland has changed considerably over the last 30 years as a result of substantial and sustained inward migration into the country during this period. These social and demographic developments have added to the country's already bilingual context and created a much more varied multilingual landscape than had existed in previous decades. They have also impacted various aspects of language teaching policy, provision and methods for both indigenous and foreign languages. This article reviews research on language teaching and learning in Ireland published during the period 2012–2021. We discuss relevant work disseminated primarily in peer-reviewed journals (national and international), as well as in books, commissioned reports and chapters in edited volumes. The research and policy documents presented concern the teaching and learning of Irish, English and Modern Foreign Languages as second and/or additional languages across all levels of education. They address language teacher training contexts as well. We believe that this review of research demonstrates the extent to which recent inquiries in these domains have advanced knowledge and practice in the Irish context, and have also informed the international research community more generally.

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Subject: A Country in Focus / Adult Basic Education / Adult Learning / Adult Students / Community research / Education policy / Educational Policy / Educational Research / Elementary Education / English (Second Language) / English for Special Purposes / English language / Foreign Countries / Foreign language learning / Foreign languages / History of language teaching / Indigenous languages / Informal Education / Irish / Irish language / Landscape / Language acquisition / Language instruction / Language policy / Language Teachers / Languages / Learning / Linguistics / Migration / Modern Languages / Official Languages / Periodicals / Second Language Instruction / Second Language Learning / Sign language / Students / Teacher education / Teacher Education Programs / Teachers / Teaching / Teaching methods