Bunscoill Ghaelgagh

Infobox UK school
name = "Bunscoill Ghaelgagh"


size = 180px
latitude =
longitude =
dms =
motto =
motto_pl =
established = 2001
approx =
closed =
c_approx =
type = Manx language primary school
religion =
president =
head_label =
head =
r_head_label = Headteacher
r_head = Julie Matthews
chair_label =
chair =
founder =
founder_pl =
specialist =
street =
city = St John's
county = Isle of Man
country =
postcode =
LEA = Isle of Man
ofsted =
staff = c. 4
enrollment = 46
gender = Mixed
lower_age =
upper_age =
houses =
colours =
publication =
free_label_1 = Language
free_1 = Manx
free_label_2 =
free_2 =
free_label_3 =
free_3 =
website = http://www.bunscoill.iofm.net
website_name = Bunscoill Ghaelgagh web site

"Bunscoill Ghaelgagh" is a Manx language primary school in St John's on the Isle of Man. St. John's is the ancient home of the Isle of Man parliament which still meets annually on Tynwald Hill (illustrated). The children go on to the Queen Elizabeth II High School, in Peel, where GCSE Manx is offered from the age of 12.

"Bunscoill Ghaelgagh" is the only school in the world where children are taught their lessons solely in Manx and allows children to learn the language fluently. [ [http://www.familyhistory.ie/docs/SKEEALYN%20VANNIN%20STORIES%20OF%20MANN.pdf "A Miscellany on the History, Culture and Language of the Isle of Man"] , Skeealyn Vannin, Journal of the Genealogical Society of Ireland, Vol.7 No. 2 - 2006]

History

In 1999 a parents' society ("Sheshaght Ny Paarantyn") was formed that approached the Department of Education requesting the provision of a Manx language school. The school opened with one class in September 2001 sharing premises at Ballacottier School in Douglas. In January 2003 it moved from Ballacottier to its own building in the old St John's School. [ [http://www.sch.im/bunscoill/bgcontents.htm "History of The Bunscoill Ghaelgagh"] , Isle of Man Schools, August 2007, "accessed 4 January 2006"]

The school won the annual "Reih Bleeaney Vanannan" award in January 2006 because of its efforts for all things Manx — language, culture and heritage. It was presented by the then Speaker of the House of Keys Tony Brown, chairman of the Manx Heritage Foundation. [ [http://www.iomtoday.co.im/880/HONOUR-FOR-HISTORYMAKING-SCHOOL.1328118.jp "Honour for History-Making School"] , Isle of Man Today, 26 January 2006]

Manx language

The school is considered successful and is part of the Manx language revival. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/isle_of_man/4405872.stm "Isle's Gaelic heritage celebrated"] , BBC News, 4 November 2005] [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/europe/isle_of_man/4391910.stm "Islanders celebrate Manx language"] , BBC News, 31 October 2005] Even Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" ("Ealish ayns Cheer ny Yindyssyn") is read in translation after 30 copies were presented to the _gv. "Bunscoill Ghaelgagh" by the Manx Gaelic Society when the book was officially launched. [ [http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/MANX-TRANSLATION-IS-WONDER-TO.1939533.jp "Manx Translation Is Wonder To Behold"] , Isle of Man Today, 22 December 2006]

The school itself refers to studies that have been made in Finland that demonstrate advantages from bilingual education. [ [http://www.sch.im/bunscoill/bgh.htm Results look better in English, Raili SepŠnen] accessed 4 January 2008]

Researcher Aini-Kristiina Jäppinen examined the achievement of 334 pupils in 12 schools on 'content and language-integrated learning' programmes and compared them with 334 pupils studying only in Finnish. She concluded that a foreign language adds to the learning process and seems to improve results.Results look better in English, Times Education Supplement, 9 January 2004]

When pupils have to conceptualise and grasp issues in a foreign language as well as their mother tongue, it will help develop an ability to understand complex and multifaceted relationships between various themes,'

Interestingly for a Manx school, the Finnish research used students who were studying three different languages (French, Swedish and English) and found that the "the choice of (Second) language did not seem to have a major impact on performance" in a number of subjects including maths and geography. As the school notes this conclusion is not universal to other previous studies. Studies at Luton University have shown that there can be a "trivial" delay in language development but the overall benefits in the long run outweigh this temporary disadvantage. [Two languages are better than one, The Guardian 3 March 2004]

ee also

* Bilingual education

References

External links

* [http://www.bunscoill.iofm.net Official site]