Autumn 2021 6 Part Webinar Series in Collaboration with 4 Education Centres

Education Centre and ELSTA Webinar Series - Autumn 2021

These webinars are a collaboration between Kilkenny Education Centre, Clare Education Centre, Laois Education Centre, Limerick Education Centre and the English Language Support Teachers' Association of Ireland (ELSTA).

Please sign up at online through the Education Centre that is closest to you. 

(Click the link below to sign up for each event separately. You may have to register for the Education Centre first and then sign up for each event separately.)

Kilkenny Education Centre:

Clare Education Centre:

Laois Eduction Centre: 

Limerick Education Centre:

Webinar 1

29-09-2021 7:00 pm

This webinar is a collaboration between Kilkenny Education Centre, Clare Education Centre, Laois Education Centre, Limerick Education Centre and the English Language Support Teachers' Association of Ireland (ELSTA).

This webinar is an excellent opportunity to acquaint yourself with EAL teaching, the world of educating learners for whom English is an Additional Language. Discover practical tips and tools for EAL teaching and learning, explore how to overcome typical challenges experienced by learners with EAL, and review examples of practice to inform your work as an educator in linguistically diverse settings. While both a lack of knowledge of students’ mother tongues and a lack of experience in working with non-native English speakers can be daunting and challenging for schools, experienced teachers of students with EAL agree that it is possible to equip these students with tools, resources and strategies that they need to be successful in the classroom.

When you complete this webinar you will;

• Understand the context for EAL in Ireland today,
• Be equipped with practical tips and tools for EAL teaching,
• Have explored typical challenges experienced by learners with EAL, and
• Have reviewed samples of practice to enable transfer to own contexts.

You will also have an opportunity to ask questions/clarify aspects of the webinar content throughout the webinar.

Aoife Merrins-Gallagher

Aoife is one of those teachers, with over eight years of experience in the Primary education system, focusing explicitly on inclusive educational strategies to support children with EAL. Aoife taught in both mainstream and support settings in the early stages of her teaching career, before commencing full-time PhD research in September 2018 (DCU-INTO150 Scholar). Since then, Aoife has developed a bilingual oral narrative programme which is taught collaboratively by mainstream and support teachers in linguistically diverse Junior and Senior Infant classrooms to bolster oral narrative competence for children with EAL. Her experiences as both a teacher and researcher can help to demystify the world of EAL teaching for webinar attendees.

Please note that an Attendance Certificate can only be issued if you have completed the Evaluation Form at the end of the webinar.

Webinar 2

06-10-2021 7:00 pm

This webinar is a collaboration between Kilkenny Education Centre, Clare Education Centre, Laois Education Centre, Limerick Education Centre and the English Language Support Teachers' Association of Ireland (ELSTA).

All teachers are EAL teachers. If you have a student who speaks another language from birth at home, then you are an EAL teacher. This webinar is open to beginning and advanced EAL teachers. You will discover very useful and practical information by participating in the webinar. In this webinar, Philip, the facilitator, will guide you through exploring how to cater for learners’ cultural, linguistic and identity needs. You will find out about intercultural communication and how it will enrich your classroom. The webinar is also designed to empower you to become a (more) culturally responsive teacher.

Moving on, he will help you develop ideas for incorporating children’s first language or heritage language into their classroom practices. Philip will then show you how to use students' cultural capital as a resource in the classroom. Finally, he will explain how you can encourage the use of different languages in the classroom to unlock the potential of multilingual language students, and allow other students to become aware of different cultures and perspectives.

When you complete this webinar you will;

• Have a better understanding of how to cater for learners’ cultural, linguistic and identity needs,
• Understand what is needed to become more culturally responsive,
• Have learned how to incorporate learners’ first language and heritage into their classroom practices,
• Know how you can use students' cultural capital as a resource in your classroom, and
• Understand how you can encourage the use of different languages in the classroom to unlock the potential of multilingual language students and allow other students to become aware of different cultures and perspectives.

You will be encouraged to ask questions/clarify aspects of the webinar content throughout the webinar.

Philip McCarthy

For the last seven years, Philip has been working as a mainstream class teacher in a school in Dublin which has a very diverse demographic; in his current class group, there are 12 languages spoken. He has recently completed a Master of Education Studies in Intercultural Learning and Leadership. Last year, as part of his role in the English Language Support Teachers’ Association (ELSTA), Philip participated and provided input to the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) on the new draft Primary school curriculum. He is very well aware of the distinct inequalities that exist in the Irish education system for children who come from different backgrounds and speak different languages. In his role as a mainstream class teacher, he seeks to bring an energy and determination in promoting the implementation of effective strategies in EAL teaching and Intercultural education.

Please note that an Attendance Certificate can only be issued if you have completed the Evaluation Form at the end of the webinar.

Webinar 3

13-10-2021 7:00 pm

This webinar is a collaboration between Kilkenny Education Centre, Clare Education Centre, Laois Education Centre, Limerick Education Centre and the English Language Support Teachers' Association of Ireland (ELSTA).

Are you ever baffled or intimidated by differentiation while teaching English as an Additional Language (EAL)? Should your EAL learners be withdrawn from class? How do I manage Team-Teaching? These questions and more will be tackled in this webinar, and it will provide you with the opportunity to explore these topics. In this webinar, Livia, the facilitator, will explore differentiated teaching for the EAL student/s in your class. This webinar will provide insights into differentiated teaching materials, where to get them and how to use them. Participants will learn the advantages which in-class support bring when compared with withdrawal. You will also have the chance to discover and better understand the benefits of Team-Teaching when you have an EAL student in your class.

When you complete this webinar you will;

• Have a better understanding of how to go about differentiating for EAL learners,
• Know where to find, and how to use, differentiated EAL teaching tools,
• Understand why, and how, withdrawing EAL learners from class is often a poor strategy, and
• Learn how Team-Teaching can help your EAL learners blossom.

You will be encouraged to ask questions/clarify aspects of the webinar content throughout the webinar.

Livia Healy

Livia Healy is a former EAL student, originally from Romania, with 15 years teaching experience in EAL, French and Spanish, in a vibrant multicultural DEIS Post Primary school in Limerick City. She is a graduate of University of Limerick; B.A. Languages and Cultural Studies 1.1 Hons.; PD. Ed in Languages 1.1 Hons. She is the co-author of La Pluma, the Spanish Leaving Certificate textbook (Healy and Rock, Folens, 2006), Founder of TEAL (Teaching English as an Additional Language) in Ireland in 2018, recently renamed ELSTA (English Language Support Teachers’ Association), with approx. 2,200 members, lead EAL teacher collaborator with the TEAL Project, Mary Immaculate College (MIC), recipient of the ELL Award 2020, and PRO of ELSTA. For the past three years she has led and supported teachers of EAL students on a daily basis. She believes that her experience of being an ethnic minority teacher, combined with being a former EAL student, enhances her understanding of the current level of needs of EAL students and their teachers.

Please note that an Attendance Certificate can only be issued if you have completed the Evaluation Form at the end of the webinar.

Webinar 4

20-10-2021 7:00 pm

This webinar is a collaboration between Kilkenny Education Centre, Clare Education Centre, Laois Education Centre, Limerick Education Centre and the English Language Support Teachers' Association of Ireland (ELSTA).

Would you like to be able to communicate more effectively with EAL learners and their parents/guardians? Would you like to add to the welcoming nature of your school? Register for this webinar and you will be closer to achieving those goals! This webinar will focus on communication with EAL learners and their families. Even if you do not have one word of an EAL learners’ first language/s, Narrell, the facilitator, will guide you through a practical process of using learners’ home language/s in your communication with learners and their families. You will learn from Narrell’s practical step-by-step advice on how you and your school can do this, in a straightforward non-time consuming way, usually by using technology on your laptop, PC or phone.

You will also be guided by Narrell through the challenges posed for parents/guardians and teachers by parent/guardian teacher meetings, and how to overcome those challenges in a way that is not disconcerting for the parent/guardian, who may not speak any English, and the teacher. By participating in this webinar, you will be better equipped to further enhance a supportive and diverse school environment that will make EAL learners and their families feel welcome.

When you complete this webinar you will;

• Have the ability to make a more informed decision as to how you can further improve communication with EAL learners,
• Be able to improve communication with non-English spreaking parents/guardians,
• Understand how you can improve your school’s approach to communicating with non-English speaking parents/guardians, and
• Be in a better position to enhance your school’s supportive and diverse school environment.

You will be encouraged to ask questions/clarify aspects of the webinar content throughout the webinar.

Narrell Byrne

Narrell Byrne is a dedicated and enthusiastic EAL Co-Ordinator at Mount Sion C.B.S., currently seconded as EAL advisor to PDST. Narrell firmly believes that as teachers, we need to ensure every EAL learner feels a sense of belonging, can access the curriculum, and experience success. She has a keen interest in developing practical guidance, processes, and adaptable resources schools can use to ensure EAL learners feel welcome, safe, secure, and supported; sustainable EAL provision is structured and embedded more effectively and subject teachers are better supported and equipped to support EAL learners.

Please note that an Attendance Certificate can only be issued if you have completed the Evaluation Form at the end of the webinar.

Webinar 5

03-11-2021 7:00 pm

Catering for the language and literacy development of English language learners is a long-term, shared school community commitment. The most effective EAL provision involves a whole-school approach. This means that English language learners and their families are acknowledged, consulted, included, and active participants in the school community. This panel discussion will concentrate on effective strategies teachers and schools have put in place, which have made a positive difference for teachers, learners, families and school communities, and have improved for young people. It is important for developing multilingual young people to not only learn English, but to maintain their home language/s and feel a sense of belonging both in their school and in their community. A strong home/school/community network can foster a strong sense of cultural and linguistic identity in young people.

There will be inputs from a school leader, EAL, teachers, an SNA, a School Secretary, an English language learner and a parent/guardian. By participating in this webinar, you will be better equipped to further enhance a supportive and diverse school environment that will make English language learners and their families feel welcome. By attending this webinar, we expect that you will have an understanding of the ‘big picture’ regarding working with English language learners.

When you complete this webinar you will;

• Be better equipped to further enhance a supportive, and diverse school environment that will make English language learners and their families feel welcome, and
• Have practical planning, teaching, assessment, and communication resources that will guide you in working as an SET/EAL teacher or as a mainstream teacher with English language learners in your class.

You will be encouraged to ask questions/clarify aspects of the webinar content throughout the webinar.

Annie Asgard

Annie Asgard is an English Language Support Teacher in Claddagh National School in Galway City. She has been active in the area of EAL teaching since 2006. She is active in working with families who are under the International Protection System (who are seeking asylum in Ireland) and in refugee education as an advocate for parents/guardians and an activist. She is a strong advocate for multilingualism and speaks Farsi (spoken as a mother tongue), English and has also studied Spanish, Japanese and French. She is passionate about encouraging children and parents/guardians to maintain and advance their mother tongue/s, as she learned English herself as a young child at school after moving to the USA from Iran as a young child. She studied at Temple University for a B.Ed and M.Ed. She works as a field researcher on the Children’s Lives Study at UCD and engages with multilingual families in case study research in the area of children’s voice and the daily lived experiences of children in Primary school. In late September 2020, she was elected Chairperson of the English Language Support Teachers’ Association of Ireland (ELSTA). Annie hopes to bring much-needed professional development and training to all teachers in Ireland who work with English language learners.

Please note that an Attendance Certificate can only be issued if you have completed the Evaluation Form at the end of the webinar.

Webinar 6

18-11-2021 7:00 pm

This webinar is a collaboration between Kilkenny Education Centre, Clare Education Centre, Laois Education Centre, Limerick Education Centre and the English Language Support Teachers' Association of Ireland (ELSTA).

Do you know what your EAL students and families experience in Direct Provision/the International Protection Accommodation System? This webinar will enhance your ability to have a better understanding of the context and backgrounds of these learners. This webinar will spotlight the context in which many EAL learners and their families find themselves while their application for International Protection is being considered. Bernard, the facilitator, will outline how the system operates, common misconceptions about the system and the upcoming changes to the system. You will gain further insights into life for families in the International Protection Accommodation System. Bernard will also deal with life of school-goers and their families from an EAL perspective.

When you complete this webinar you will;

• Have a better understanding of how the Direct Provision/International Protection Accommodation System works and how it is changing,
• Know where to find further information on the impact of learners’ family histories on learners, and
• Have a wider vocabulary and greater understanding to accurately describe a learner’s context in terms of EAL.

You will be encouraged to ask questions/clarify aspects of the webinar content throughout the webinar.

Bernard Cantillon

Bernard is an experienced social worker with ten years' experience working with both families and individuals. He has worked in child protection, homelessness, addiction and is now working with International Protection applicants and refugees.

Please note that an Attendance Certificate can only be issued if you have completed the Evaluation Form at the end of the webinar.